A Thousand Threads (shortlisted For The Women's Prize For Non-fiction)

By (author) Cherry, Neneh
Description:

**Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2025**

The joyous and electric memoir from beloved music icon Neneh Cherry

A SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, NEW STATESMAN, EVENING STANDARD, UNCUT AND ROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

‘Intoxicating . . . Seductive’ SUNDAY TIMES
''Inspiring'' ANNIE MACMANUS
‘Fabulous’ VOGUE

Top of the Pops, December 1988. The world sat up as a young woman made her debut: gold bra, gold bomber jacket and proudly, gloriously, seven months pregnant. This was no ordinary artist. This was Neneh Cherry.

Cherry has always been a creative force to be reckoned with. She spent some of her childhood at the iconic Chelsea Hotel; performed with all-girl punk band the Slits as a teenager; was among the pioneers of nineties pop music; and has inspired wave after wave of musicians and artists.

In this joyous and electric memoir, Cherry remembers the collaborations, the highs and lows, the friendships and loves, and the addictions and traumas that have shaped her. At the heart of it, always, is family: the extraordinary three generations of artists and musicians that are her inheritance and her legacy.

''I loved it'' ZADIE SMITH
''Enthralling'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO
''Thrums with life'' GUARDIAN
''A living testament to artistic invention'' OBSERVER

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Inspiring. It made me want to dance harder, turn the volume up, cook a meal for all my friends and hold my family close. It’s a book about culture, creativity, friendships, mothering and the pursuit of an artful life
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Thrums with life . . . A Thousand Threads searches for feelings transient and timeless, keeps keeping on, never says maybe
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Wonderful . . . a rich autobiography wise to all the joys – and the perils – of a creative life
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A living testament to artistic invention . . . A vibrant read, peppered with both delight and moments of darkness
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''Neneh is cool, Neneh is wise, Neneh is a legend. Her memoir is a treasure. I loved it''
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Enthralling . . . An extraordinary mix of abundant creativity and never-ending travel, always with the changing seasons of her music-making, soulful friendships and devotion to family at the heart of it
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This beautifully written memoir resonated deeply with my immigrant heart . . . Cherry is a marvel. Her voice is a bridge-builder, and her honesty is a balm for the soul . . . It is the kind of writing that heals, and by the time you finish reading, you feel richer and a little bit wiser
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Very moving . . . Both a love letter to her mother, Moki, and testament to grabbing life with both hands and throwing yourself at it
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Rich in atmosphere and detail . . . A vivid tale of love, family, chaos and a creative spirit passed through the generations’
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Seductive . . . Intoxicating . . . Bears witness to life’s messy complexities, going beyond platitudes to ask questions about the choices and mistakes a person makes across the years, as well as the endless search for joy and beauty
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A lyrical journey through pain and joy. The answer is always music. And love
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I…devoured the enthralling memoir A Thousand Threads… her [Cherry’s] life has been an extraordinary mix of abundant creativity and never-ending travel
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[A] vibr