My Name Is Why & Rebel Without Applause 4 Books Collection Set By Lemn Sissay - Non Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set:
My Name Is Why
Gold from the Stone
Listener
Rebel Without Applause

Condition: BRAND NEW
Format: Paperback

Overview:
Four intimate voices come together in this definitive Lemn Sissay collection. My Name Is Why invites readers into a life shaped by foster care and the search for belonging, revealing a young man’s discovery of his Ethiopian roots and his birth name. Gold from the Stone follows a precocious poet as he crafts a distinctive voice, turning stark realism and lyric ease into a signature style. Listener gathers love poems, urban snapshots, and reflections on history, mystery, and daily delight, all delivered in Sissay’s unmistakable, soaring cadence. Rebel Without Applause marks a turning point when his poetry moved from page to street, with verses already echoing through Manchester and even the London bus network. Together, these four volumes map a powerful arc—from raw origin stories to lyrical reflection, to urban storytelling and public art. This paperback set is ideal for readers discovering contemporary UK poetry, students of modern memoir, and anyone who loves poetry that speaks openly about identity, resilience, and joy. A bold, immersive introduction to one of today’s most distinctive voices.

What Makes This Collection Special:
Each title amplifies a thread of Lemn Sissay’s voice, creating a cohesive reading journey. My Name Is Why anchors the set in autobiography and questions of belonging, while Gold from the Stone shows the early spark of a poet who would redefine contemporary poetry with fearless honesty. Listener offers intimate, musical explorations of love and city life, and Rebel Without Applause demonstrates how poetry can become public art with immediate cultural impact. Together, the books invite readers to move from personal history to universal themes—belonging, dignity, and courage—through a lively, urban cadence. This collection delivers binge‑read appeal for poetry lovers, gift buyers seeking meaningful keepsakes, and classrooms exploring modern British poetry and memoir. Display value and a sense of literary celebration with a set that honours a powerful, influential voice.

Books Included in This Collection:
My Name Is Why
At seventeen, a life in foster care gives way to a startling discovery: the birth certificate points to a different name and ancestry. This memoir‑poem hybrid traces a boy’s journey toward belonging, revealing the ache of separation and the resilience that fuels reinvention. The voice is intimate, direct, and cinematic, blending narrative clarity with lyrical power to illuminate identity, family, and the longing for place. A compelling entry point into Sissay’s work, and a moving meditation on what it means to be seen.

Gold from the Stone
Lemn Sissay wrote his first poetry collection at seventeen, hand‑selling it to the miners and millworkers of Wigan. Gold from the Stone captures a raw, urgent energy that would come to define his career—poems forged in everyday life, sharp social observation, and a rhythm that leaps from the page. The collection stands as a landmark in contemporary British poetry, celebrated for its bravery, clarity, and the brave honesty of a young poet finding his voice on a crowded street and a quiet page alike.

Listener
Listener overflows with love poems, inner-city stories, and reflections on history, mystery, and felicity. Every page sings with Sissay’s distinctive voice—visionary, good‑humoured, and bursting with life. The collection blends tenderness with wit, tenderness with tough truth, offering a panoramic sense of urban experience through intimate, lyrical language. It’s a testament to how one voice can illuminate a wide range of human experience, from quiet moments to big, communal performances.

Rebel Without Applause
Rebel Without Applause is the collection that began Lemn Sissay’s ascent. His poems, once tucked into the streets of downtown Manchester and on the side of a public house, have also graced a central London bus route and major literary outlets. This book captures the energy, social awareness, and raw lyricism that propelled him into the national conversation, showcasing a poet who writes with city walls as canvas and readers as fellow witnesses to human resilience.

Who This Set Is Perfect For:
Fans of modern British poetry, memoir lovers, and readers drawn to authentic, emotionally direct writing will find a home in this four‑book collection. It’s ideal for students exploring identity, belonging, and urban literature, teachers seeking rich discussion material, gift buyers looking for meaningful, lasting keepsakes, and BookTok readers who crave powerful, soul‑stirring verse. Whether you’re building a personal poetry shelf, curating a thoughtful gift, or introducing someone to Lemn Sissay’s work for the first time, this set offers a complete, immersive experience that rewards revisiting from multiple angles.

Key Benefits:

• Comprehensive four‑book collection by Lemn Sissay in one paperback set
• Combines memoir and poetry for a broad reading experience
• Strong, accessible voice with urban, contemporary themes
• Ideal gift for poetry lovers, students, and collectors
• Consistent paperback edition for easy display and stacking
• Perfect for dipping in and rereading, with themes of identity and belonging

About the Author:
Lemn Sissay is a British‑Ethiopian poet, playwright and broadcaster whose work spans memoir, poetry, and performance. Raised largely in foster care, his writing draws on personal history to illuminate themes of identity, belonging and resilience. His memoir My Name Is Why, along with poetry collections Gold from the Stone, Listener and Rebel Without Applause, are celebrated for their voice, energy, and urban sensibility. A prolific performer, Sissay’s words have traveled from page to stage and education settings worldwide, inviting readers to witness life with honesty, warmth, and a generous spirit.

Why You’ll Love This Set:
This collection offers a complete and cohesive introduction to Lemn Sissay’s work—a blend of intimate memory and high‑velocity verse that rewards careful reading and repeated revisiting. Owning the full set provides a satisfying reading journey, consistent design, and a striking display piece for any bookshelf. It’s a thoughtful gift for partners, graduates, or friends who value literature that speaks openly about identity, resilience, and the human capacity to transform life into art. The four titles together create a powerful, immersive entry into a remarkable, boundary‑pushing voice.

Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.