Named

‘Utterly fascinating, insightful and meaningful. Balshaw has sensitively unpicked the loaded act of naming and carrying a name through her own story.’ Bonnie Burke-Patel, author of I Died at Fallow Hall

‘Gutsy, entertaining and thought-provoking, a valuable meditation on the origins and politics of what we call ourselves, on what is both lost and gained in naming. A marvellous book.’ Diana Evans

‘Bold and wise, Balshaw’s intimately wry voice invites us to explore our identity, our names and their meaning in a captivating hunt for a past and for a self’ Miranda Doyle, author of A Book of Untruths

‘A smart new voice that has mined intimate detail with in-depth research to create pure alchemy. Named is both tender and fierce in the way it beckons you to look at what is important about being human. A universal story that will lodge itself in your heart long after you have turned the last page’ Tanya Frank, author of Zig Zag Boy: Madness, Motherhood and Letting Go

‘Named is required reading by anyone wanting to explore their place in society and the world in general’ Yvonne Innes

‘Funny, insightful, meticulously researched and full of warmth. Camilla Balshaw is a natural storyteller and this is an astonishingly assured and impressive debut’ Jenny Boyd, author of Jennifer Juniper: A journey beyond the muse

Camilla Balshaw grew up in Luton. Her work has been published in the Observer and the Guardian. She has an MA in Creative & Life Writing from Goldsmiths and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham.