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  • The Other Side of Paradise

  • A Memoir
  • Written by: Staceyann Chin
  • Narrated by: Staceyann Chin
  • Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (9 ratings)

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The Other Side of Paradise

Written by: Staceyann Chin
Narrated by: Staceyann Chin
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Publisher's Summary

Staceyann Chin has appeared on television and radio, including The Oprah Winfrey Show , CNN, and PBS, discussing issues of race and sexuality. But it is her extraordinary voice that launched her career as a performer, poet, and activist. Here, she shares her unforgettable story of triumph against all odds in this brave and fiercely candid memoir.

No one knew Staceyann's mother was pregnant until a dangerously small baby was born on the floor of her grandmother's house in Jamaica, on Christmas Day. Staceyann's mother did not want her, and her father was not present. No one, except her grandmother, thought Staceyann would survive. It was her grandmother who nurtured and protected and provided for Staceyann and her older brother in the early years. But when the three were separated, Staceyann was thrust, alone, into an unfamiliar and dysfunctional home in Paradise, Jamaica.

Told with grace, humor, and courage, Chin plumbs tender and unsettling memories as she writes about drifting from one home to the next, coming out as a lesbian, finding the man she believes to be her father, and ultimately, discovering her voice.

©2009 Staceyann Chin (P)2014 Audible Inc.

What the critics say

"The listener, especially one who is familiar with Jamaican patois, will be delighted by the author's narration of this true coming-of-age tale.... The quick shifts in the story and Chin's whip-fast delivery put listeners on a roller coaster ride." (AudioFile)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful written

I traveled through time with Staceyann through this story. it's so vivid, intriguing and captivating.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

How have I never heard of this memoir before?

This book was published in 2009, which seems unbelievable because I have never heard of it before, yet it’s amazing! Both the story and the narration is top notch. This memoir is one of the best I have read, up there with Angela’s Ashes, The Glass Castle, and Educated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • 2019-07-18

Magnificent

Could not stop listening. Staceyann’s story and narration are riveting. Thank you to the author for sharing her life and truth.

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