Listen to a sample
Life as a Unicorn
- Author
- Amrou Al-Kadhi
- Narrator
- Amrou Al-Kadhi
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 3 October 2019
- Run Time
- 7 hours 32 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Memoirs, LGBTQIA+ Studies / topics, Autobiography: arts and entertainment, Social groups: alternative lifestyles / subcultures, True stories of discovery, Drag culture and performance, Humour, Religious aspects of sexuality, gender and relationships, Sex and sexuality, social aspects
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
A heart-breaking and hilarious memoir about the author’s fight to be true to themself
WINNER OF THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE 2020 WINNER OF A SOMERSET MAUGHAM AWARDAmrou knew they were gay when, aged ten, they first laid eyes on Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. It was love at first sight.
Amrou’s parents weren’t so happy…
From that moment on, Amrou began searching in all the wrong places for ways to make their divided self whole again.
Life as a Unicorn is a hilarious yet devastating story of a search for belonging, following the painful and surprising process of transforming from a god-fearing Muslim boy to a queer drag queen, strutting the stage in seven-inch heels and saying the things nobody else dares to ….
Critics Review
-
‘This book is as rare, fabulous and beautiful as the creature it is named for. A masterpiece of psychology, a major study of Islam and a definitive study of drag, it made me cry, it made me rage and it made me hoot. Full of anger, insight and philosophy, along with some cracking great gags, this is a magnificent and essential document of the twenty-first century. It moved my heart and soul’ Russell T Davies
-
‘A heartbreaking, healing book. it will make you better' Simon Amstell
-
‘Astonishingly brave and engaging, Unicorn shows us a side of life seldom explored’ Joanna Lumley
-
‘Amrou’s book is slightly magical, I think. They are a survivor, a storyteller and yes, a unicorn’ Juno Dawson
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
‘Amrou's story is at times painful, at times hilarious, but always completely resonant. If you've ever felt like an outsider, or caught among several identities, this book is a light in the dark and a soothing balm on the pain of loneliness and alienation’ Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
-
‘This is a masterpiece, an incredible emotional voyage, moving, funny, provocative, educational, a book you must read whatever your ethnicity or your sexual or gender identity. Beautifully written by an author whose voice must be heard’ Owen Jones
-
‘Amrou writes with a confidence and lightness of touch, meaning you will laugh and you will cry and you will see real tender moments in a life fully lived. An incredibly adept writer and performer, Amrou brings to readers an important story unlike anything else you will read for a long, long time, and yet so incredibly universal.’ Nikesh Shukla, author of Coconut Unlimited and editor of The Good Immigrant
-
‘Tender and hilarious in equal parts, this is a memoir like no other. A beautiful, honest account of what it is like to grow up between multiple expectations, and an uplifting reminder that it is possible to find happiness by being yourself. I was gripped at every page’ Angela Saini, author of Superior
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
- No written reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Amrou Al-Kadhi
- Narrator
- Amrou Al-Kadhi
- Duration
- 7 hours 32 minutes
- Release Date
- 3 October 2019
- ISBN
- 9780008306090
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Memoirs, LGBTQIA+ Studies / topics, Autobiography: arts and entertainment, Social groups: alternative lifestyles / subcultures, True stories of discovery, Drag culture and performance, Humour, Religious aspects of sexuality, gender and relationships, Sex and sexuality, social aspects
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
A heart-breaking and hilarious memoir about the author’s fight to be true to themself WINNER OF THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE 2020 WINNER OF A SOMERSET MAUGHAM AWARD Amrou knew they were gay when, aged ten, they first laid eyes on Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. It was love at first sight. Amrou’s parents weren’t so happy… From that moment on, Amrou began searching in all the wrong places for ways to make their divided self whole again. Life as a Unicorn is a hilarious yet devastating story of a search for belonging, following the painful and surprising process of transforming from a god-fearing Muslim boy to a queer drag queen, strutting the stage in seven-inch heels and saying the things nobody else dares to ….
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.