This Thread of Gold: A Celebration of Black Womanhood

(Paperback)

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Description

For centuries, Black women have been written out of the dominant narrative, their stories untold, their art appropriated. Many of them found ways to resist. Some of these acts of resistance happened in secret, in kitchens, churches, through trusted networks. Others were projected onto a global stage through art, politics and activism.

Cat White's book is an attempt to correct the historical record and to inspire a generation of readers. From Malinda Russell, the author of the earliest known cookbook by a Black woman to Negritude - a literary, cultural and intellectual movement aimed at raising Black consciousness across Africa and its diaspora, Cat features women from across time and space, liberating them from stereotypes ('strong Black woman') allowing them emotional nuance, individual motivation and richness of expression.

Reviews

For centuries, black women have been written out of the dominant narrative, their stories untold, their art appropriated. This Thread of Gold ... attempts to correct the record and inspire the next generation of readers. -- Lucy Popescu * Camden New Journal *
profiles a series of remarkable black women in order to restore their place in the "dominant narrative" -- Tom Gatti * New Statesman *
Catherine Joy White is an extraordinary writer, the kind who turns non-fiction into poetry. her forthcoming book This Thread of Gold reveals beautifully how the legacy of Black women's writing across generations has woven itself into her heart and soul, and the power of their legacies. It's a stunning debut from a young author, and yet feels, and reads, like it has been decades in the making. -- Afua Hirsch * The Soho House Book Club *
Catherine is not only an incredible writer but a much needed voice in our current cultural landscape. This Thread of Gold shines a spotlight on previously untold stories with grace and nuance - I couldn't put it down -- Ione Gamble
From the moment I heard about this book, I was dying to read it, and when I got a hold of it I could not put it down. The passion of White's words is infectious. I was constantly fascinated and moved by the way she interwove the stories of the Black women who came before her, with her own experiences and her reflections on the two. I know this book will find many loving readers and I am very excited for them all. -- Okechukwu Nzelu
An essential and overdue meditation on black womanhood. In offering us this beautifully written work - part memoir, part paean, part call to arms - Catherine Joy White has done herself and our ancestors justice. It manages to be poetic yet punchy, enraging yet uplifting, and it transforms our mechanisms for survival and resistance into high art. -- Sara Collins
Monumental. A refusal to back down to an oppressive, reductive version of history. It's even more radical to do this with a tone of pure unadulterated joy; smiling rather than screaming in the face of those who would try and whitewash a rich, beautiful and momentous tapestry. What a fly kick in the face! Kill your masters one symphony at a time. -- Nima Taleghani
This book is a poetic journey through Black Womanhood. It is beautiful. And fragile. And worth its weight in gold. More, actually. -- Parker Sawyers
In her astonishing celebration of Black Womanhood, Catherine Joy White celebrates life itself. Her debut book vividly unleashes the stories of little-known, remarkable Black women and we hear their voices crackle off the pages as if they are being channelled through her. Reading this book makes you want to be a part of a future which lengthens the Thread of Gold, making it last forever. -- Angus Imrie
A poetic meditation on women hood. A blending of the personal with the political, the magical with reality, and contemporary thinking with ancient stories. It has the spirit of hope and change but with a grounding in what we can learn from those who have walked the Earth before us. -- Rhea Norwood
The stories Catherine weaves are enchanting and inspiring. To be held by her words is an absolute pleasure. -- Ruby Rare

Author Bio

Cat White is an actor, writer and gender expert for the United Nations.