What do you think?
Rate this book
Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home
From the editor of The Good Immigrant.
We have to believe in hope in these dark uncertain times. Hope brings us together.
How do you find hope and even joy in a world that is racist, sexist and facing climate crisis? How do you prepare your children for it, but also fill them with all the boundlessness and eccentricity that they deserve and that life has to offer?
Nikesh Shukla explores themes of racism, feminism, parenting and our shifting ideas of home. This heartbreaking, compelling, intensely relatable memoir is a love letter to the author’s late mother – who passed away just before his eldest daughter was born – and to his two young daughters. In Brown Baby, Shukla examines, with humour and sharp, beautiful prose, how to raise the next generation with a sense of joy in an often bleak world.
We have to believe in hope in these dark uncertain times. Hope brings us together.
How do you find hope and even joy in a world that is racist, sexist and facing climate crisis? How do you prepare your children for it, but also fill them with all the boundlessness and eccentricity that they deserve and that life has to offer?
Nikesh Shukla explores themes of racism, feminism, parenting and our shifting ideas of home. This heartbreaking, compelling, intensely relatable memoir is a love letter to the author’s late mother – who passed away just before his eldest daughter was born – and to his two young daughters. In Brown Baby, Shukla examines, with humour and sharp, beautiful prose, how to raise the next generation with a sense of joy in an often bleak world.
277 pages, ebook
First published February 4, 2021
58 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 123 reviews
October 24, 2020
Nikesh Shukla’s beautiful and powerful memoir was certainly one of the best books I have ever read. With words full of tenderness, joy and grief, it struck me deep in my bones with revelations and wisdom. I loved it. Highly recommend!
February 7, 2021
Brown Baby is a memoir by Nikesh Shukla that is fashioned as part letter to his daughter, part advice and snippets from the author’s life. At the heart of it is the author’s own grief over his mother’s death that shakes us time and again throughout its pages, it becomes more pronounced while thinking of his daughter, new parenthood and his own struggles.
How to raise a Brown Baby in the current climate is a question that really bothers Nikesh and the struggle to raise a mixed race daughter in the climate of hate, racism and misogyny is definitely at the forefront.
Even though I didn’t agree with the author in places, I could appreciate his writing and feelings and I loved how he talked of his family and what it means to be migrants who try to make their own path in a new country.
There were two things that resonated with me the most, the writer’s association with food (more specifically his mother’s cooking) hit home and another was his struggle to try to give a small child enough space amidst a number of relatives wanting cuddles and kisses, it made me remember the times when people used to pull my cheeks often painfully as a kid.
Another bit that stuck was how his daughter’s initial rejection of a brown doll felt like a rejection to him and the places where he shared his own experience of being called shit skinned or dirty made me want to cry.
This book is a must read for parents, for people dealing with the loss of loved ones, it’s a must read to realise that we must work everyday to overcome biases and stereotypes. It’s all that along with being funny at times.
I highly recommend it and give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5, my only issue would be a particular incident with his friends and the way the ending felt sort of rushed, I think it’s cause the author wanted to say so much more than he initially intended. Keeping that aside, grab a copy and you would not be disappointed.
How to raise a Brown Baby in the current climate is a question that really bothers Nikesh and the struggle to raise a mixed race daughter in the climate of hate, racism and misogyny is definitely at the forefront.
Even though I didn’t agree with the author in places, I could appreciate his writing and feelings and I loved how he talked of his family and what it means to be migrants who try to make their own path in a new country.
There were two things that resonated with me the most, the writer’s association with food (more specifically his mother’s cooking) hit home and another was his struggle to try to give a small child enough space amidst a number of relatives wanting cuddles and kisses, it made me remember the times when people used to pull my cheeks often painfully as a kid.
Another bit that stuck was how his daughter’s initial rejection of a brown doll felt like a rejection to him and the places where he shared his own experience of being called shit skinned or dirty made me want to cry.
This book is a must read for parents, for people dealing with the loss of loved ones, it’s a must read to realise that we must work everyday to overcome biases and stereotypes. It’s all that along with being funny at times.
I highly recommend it and give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5, my only issue would be a particular incident with his friends and the way the ending felt sort of rushed, I think it’s cause the author wanted to say so much more than he initially intended. Keeping that aside, grab a copy and you would not be disappointed.
March 13, 2021
I was pulled from emotion to emotion throughout the entirety of this book. Not only does this book cover racism, stereotypes and racial injustice as the title may suggest; it discusses grief, gender inequality, parenting, climate change and so much more.
April 20, 2022
I finished reading Nikesh Shukla’s memoir Brown Baby and it was an interesting experience. It’s structured almost as conversations and recollections that he wants to have with his daughter when she’s older. He tries to pick apart the complex tangle of race, culture, heritage, identity and sexism that his child, being a mixed race baby and a girl would face growing up in Britain whilst also processing his grief over the passing of his mother, rather suddenly years ago. A lot of it also deals with his own self reflection as a new father and I really appreciated the honesty and frankness with which he narrates the real struggles of new fatherhood. His approach and writing style is very self-aware and at times it bordered on being just a little too indulgent. It is his memoir, so that isn’t quite a fair criticism, but I couldn’t help feeling that he was a little too much in his head and not all of that was necessary to put on the page. Some sections did feel like they were rambling, unending thoughts and it was easy to the loose the thread of the topic he initially set off to unpack. The writing too is very casual and simple. There was nothing particularly distinct or beautiful to his writing style. It is just my personal preference having read so many memoirs that are also lyrical and beautifully written that adds so much more to the reading experience which was missing here. On the whole a good read, thoughtful and heartfelt, and one that I would recommend though far from being a favourite.
May 31, 2021
1.5* So repetitive and unfunny. If one could gauge what a person is like by their memoirs, Nikesh Shukla would be downright annoying. He is a shockingly poor writer whose book needed to be heavily edited. Ever so slightly redeeming at the end hence the additional half star. I’m just glad I didn’t spend a dime on this trash.
February 28, 2021
A really beautiful book that brought me to tears several times. Would recommend to everyone!
February 9, 2021
For a long time I've really admired Nikesh Shukla to me he exudes warmth and speaks with a passion and humility that really makes someone pay attention.
I was super excited to read Brown Baby and it didn't disappoint at all. In fact it's phenomenal.
Shukla's memoir is warm, witty and is exactly what I expected from listening to him talk. Little did I know how much I would learn. Brown Baby is a dedication to his children, a beautifully written book where he shares his knowledge and the lessons he's learnt going through life.
As a third generation Indian, Nikesh speaks candidly about his experiences of racism and discrimination and what it means to be bringing mixed race children up in a world that will only ever see them as brown children. I love the passion Nikesh has for ensuring that his girls love their heritage and their skin and that they are proud to be exactly who they are.
I love that Nikesh made me question myself internally. He seems like genuinely such a great parent and as a white woman raising a mixed race 10 year old boy made me question myself. Am I doing enough? Am I getting this right. How as a parent can I make sure he celebrates and is proud of his heritage.
Nikesh doesn't just talk about Race though. He talks about it all! Feminism to being body positive and having a positive relationship with food to the struggles we can all relate to as parents, SLEEP!
I think what I loved most about this though is the feeling I really got to know Nikesh Shukla. Its intimate and deeply personal. He's not afraid to show vulnerability and the love he had for his Mum really radiates through the whole of this memoir.
Grief is such a powerful, Raw emotion and I feel to harness that and pour all that energy into a book like this is just an absolute credit to him.
Brown Baby is a beautiful, powerful book. It made me laugh and cry often simultaneously It made me furious at times. Its just a sublime reading experience. I honestly feel my review could never do it justice but please read it!
I was super excited to read Brown Baby and it didn't disappoint at all. In fact it's phenomenal.
Shukla's memoir is warm, witty and is exactly what I expected from listening to him talk. Little did I know how much I would learn. Brown Baby is a dedication to his children, a beautifully written book where he shares his knowledge and the lessons he's learnt going through life.
As a third generation Indian, Nikesh speaks candidly about his experiences of racism and discrimination and what it means to be bringing mixed race children up in a world that will only ever see them as brown children. I love the passion Nikesh has for ensuring that his girls love their heritage and their skin and that they are proud to be exactly who they are.
I love that Nikesh made me question myself internally. He seems like genuinely such a great parent and as a white woman raising a mixed race 10 year old boy made me question myself. Am I doing enough? Am I getting this right. How as a parent can I make sure he celebrates and is proud of his heritage.
Nikesh doesn't just talk about Race though. He talks about it all! Feminism to being body positive and having a positive relationship with food to the struggles we can all relate to as parents, SLEEP!
I think what I loved most about this though is the feeling I really got to know Nikesh Shukla. Its intimate and deeply personal. He's not afraid to show vulnerability and the love he had for his Mum really radiates through the whole of this memoir.
Grief is such a powerful, Raw emotion and I feel to harness that and pour all that energy into a book like this is just an absolute credit to him.
Brown Baby is a beautiful, powerful book. It made me laugh and cry often simultaneously It made me furious at times. Its just a sublime reading experience. I honestly feel my review could never do it justice but please read it!
December 7, 2020
RATING: This book gets four stars because it’s entertaining yet thought-provoking as it deals with a myriad of issues seamlessly. From recounting racist slurs thrown at his child to humorous anecdotes about his Indian heritage (note – in Nigerian households the butter and ice creams tubs are filled with rice too), Shukla opens up his life on the page.
GOOD BITS: At its’ heart, this is a book about grief. The loss of Shukla’s mother is infused in every single page and you can feel him grappling to comprehend her passing in all of his actions. Their relationship was complex but there’s so much love, which makes it beautiful to read. As much as it’s a book for his daughter, it’s an attempt to explain himself – the core of who he is and what he stands for – to his mother, expressed through how he is choosing to raise his own child.
OVERALL: This is not a traditional memoir. Do not expect an account of Shukla’s life from birth. Instead, this book is something more. It’s part-question, part-advice, with intimate snippets from a life that gives you raw and honest insight into Shukla as a person. It asks: what do you do when your four-year-old daughter says brown is a dirty colour or asserts imbibed differences between girls and boys? And, it provides some realistic ruminations instead of answers. I’d highly recommend this book if you are a burgeoning or new parent, particularly to a mixed-race child, and wondering how to raise them in such confusing times. But I’d particularly suggest you read this if you are dealing with the loss of a parent. I hope it gives you some comfort.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for Life for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Brown Baby will be published on 4th February 2021 and is available for pre-order online.
GOOD BITS: At its’ heart, this is a book about grief. The loss of Shukla’s mother is infused in every single page and you can feel him grappling to comprehend her passing in all of his actions. Their relationship was complex but there’s so much love, which makes it beautiful to read. As much as it’s a book for his daughter, it’s an attempt to explain himself – the core of who he is and what he stands for – to his mother, expressed through how he is choosing to raise his own child.
OVERALL: This is not a traditional memoir. Do not expect an account of Shukla’s life from birth. Instead, this book is something more. It’s part-question, part-advice, with intimate snippets from a life that gives you raw and honest insight into Shukla as a person. It asks: what do you do when your four-year-old daughter says brown is a dirty colour or asserts imbibed differences between girls and boys? And, it provides some realistic ruminations instead of answers. I’d highly recommend this book if you are a burgeoning or new parent, particularly to a mixed-race child, and wondering how to raise them in such confusing times. But I’d particularly suggest you read this if you are dealing with the loss of a parent. I hope it gives you some comfort.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for Life for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Brown Baby will be published on 4th February 2021 and is available for pre-order online.
January 30, 2021
I wasn’t prepared for the opening of this memoir and the immediate effect it had on me. When I say that within the first five pages of this book I had already cried, I’m not exaggerating. Yes, I am a highly sensitive, emotional person, and it was one of *those* days but even so. It was the instant step into grief and new parenthood all at once that I didn’t see coming and it was all too relatable.
When you have a child of your own after you’ve lost a parent, you’re met by a whole new dimension of grief that you didn’t even know existed, that you couldn’t even comprehend until it greets you. That was what Nikesh so keenly captured in the beginning of his memoir, and whenever the loss of his mother would come up throughout.
Not only in his writing on grief, and the added pain because of a less than perfect last exchange, but Nikesh also spoke with searing honesty about so many other things. His relationship with food. The realities of early parenthood. Sleep deprivation and what it does to you. The frank openness with which he spoke of all these topics was refreshing.
This memoir was written to his daughters, and he often returns to the questions and concerns he has about raising brown girls in the UK. Along with all the usual worries and obstacles that parents face, there’s so many more things to think about when raising children of colour and this is something that Nikesh centred.
There were many relatable moments throughout this memoir. The anecdotes of parenthood without the sugarcoating. The ongoing grief. The minority head nod! An informal and conversational tone throughout made it even more relatable, even when I wasn’t on the same wavelength or agreeing with his outlook, I appreciated his personal thoughts. What I loved most of all, if it wasn’t clear enough already, was the honesty.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for the proof copy
When you have a child of your own after you’ve lost a parent, you’re met by a whole new dimension of grief that you didn’t even know existed, that you couldn’t even comprehend until it greets you. That was what Nikesh so keenly captured in the beginning of his memoir, and whenever the loss of his mother would come up throughout.
Not only in his writing on grief, and the added pain because of a less than perfect last exchange, but Nikesh also spoke with searing honesty about so many other things. His relationship with food. The realities of early parenthood. Sleep deprivation and what it does to you. The frank openness with which he spoke of all these topics was refreshing.
This memoir was written to his daughters, and he often returns to the questions and concerns he has about raising brown girls in the UK. Along with all the usual worries and obstacles that parents face, there’s so many more things to think about when raising children of colour and this is something that Nikesh centred.
There were many relatable moments throughout this memoir. The anecdotes of parenthood without the sugarcoating. The ongoing grief. The minority head nod! An informal and conversational tone throughout made it even more relatable, even when I wasn’t on the same wavelength or agreeing with his outlook, I appreciated his personal thoughts. What I loved most of all, if it wasn’t clear enough already, was the honesty.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for the proof copy
November 15, 2021
The best chapter in this book was the one about Nikesh's mum's snack cupboard and all the treats it used to contain and how he had a need to recreate a nostalgic tea time from his childhood. He could have built on this aspect of his past instead of turning this memoir into a diatribe of a sensitive new age guy (remember that one?) in the late 2000's.
June 20, 2025
Whilst I do think this book displays a specific type of experience. I think the themes apply to us all. Every immigrant dealing with society today and coming to terms with how we navigate society and our relationships with family and our culture. Every chapter had me in tears and it was so raw and inspiring. The writing is very conversational which makes this even more engaging to read. Feeling so grateful for my heritage and for my family and for this country for teaching me how to persevere through it all. Had many a realisation reading this and I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone who is interested.
April 15, 2021
4.25 stars.
Review soon!
Review soon!
December 8, 2020
Brown Baby is a funny and beautifully-written memoir which delves into what it means to grieve, to parent and to live as a brown person in the UK today.
Shukla writes movingly about the loss of his mother and is unflinching in his examination of their complex relationship before her death - and indeed, after it. He also openly explores his role as a father and I loved the way the book addresses his daughter, nicknamed 'Ganga' for the purposes of this book, throughout. Through the chapters, we are taken on Shukla's personal journey to parent his own 'brown baby', looking at how to navigate race, gender and other societal pressures.
As a British Gujarati, it's also refreshing for me to see my own culture, language and food reflected in a book - all the rarer in a memoir rather than fiction.
Yes, in a sense, you could say that this memoir covers births, deaths and marriages but it is far more than that. It provides a unique insight into what it means to live as a British Asian, with a searingly honest view on life after grief, parenthood and race. I loved it.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for Life for a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Brown Baby will be published on 4th February 2021.
Shukla writes movingly about the loss of his mother and is unflinching in his examination of their complex relationship before her death - and indeed, after it. He also openly explores his role as a father and I loved the way the book addresses his daughter, nicknamed 'Ganga' for the purposes of this book, throughout. Through the chapters, we are taken on Shukla's personal journey to parent his own 'brown baby', looking at how to navigate race, gender and other societal pressures.
As a British Gujarati, it's also refreshing for me to see my own culture, language and food reflected in a book - all the rarer in a memoir rather than fiction.
Yes, in a sense, you could say that this memoir covers births, deaths and marriages but it is far more than that. It provides a unique insight into what it means to live as a British Asian, with a searingly honest view on life after grief, parenthood and race. I loved it.
Thank you to Bluebird Books for Life for a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Brown Baby will be published on 4th February 2021.
December 19, 2021
Brown Baby is full of wise nuggets, brutal honesty, and heartwarming, tender moments from a father to his daughter as he raises her to be the best version of herself.
I've lost track of the amount of times I've cried, laughed, and nodded in agreement and solidarity as a fellow Gujarati while reading this.
I've lost track of the amount of times I've cried, laughed, and nodded in agreement and solidarity as a fellow Gujarati while reading this.
October 17, 2021
Nikesh Shukla has an honest conversation about family, race and feminism, addressed to his young daughter. It is beautifully written and as a daughter myself, I’m proud of him and I’m grateful for him for writing Brown Baby.
I also loved seeing Gujarati words in a book, the warming relationship to food and the ‘End of credits sting: how to eat a mango properly’ page at the end!
I also loved seeing Gujarati words in a book, the warming relationship to food and the ‘End of credits sting: how to eat a mango properly’ page at the end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2021
Brilliant and heartbreaking look at what it means to navigate loss of a mother but more than that what it means to exist as a brown person in a xenophobic and racist world but to never lose joy.
https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/loss-an...
https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/loss-an...
August 4, 2021
As I embarked upon making my own writing dreams a reality, I stumbled upon author Nikesh Shukla, a fellow Indian of Kenyan descent, who was of similar age, and though he was Gujerati, and Male, to my Punjabi and Female, there were enough similarities to make his career interesting to me.
Brown Baby is a memoir, as well as a guide to life for his own Brown Baby, Ganga, and her sister, but the memories he recounts, the feelings he encounters, growing up as a British-born Indian, a child of immigrant parents, displaced by society, not really getting why, but then, yeah, getting it, were all emotions I've felt, too.
The passages about his mother and those feelings of love, loss, and guilt were overwhelming.
Add in the fact that his own Brown Baby has a mother who isn't brown, so there are so many other questions, and hurdles to overcome. Again, close to home, as my own brother married a Finnish girl, and their boys are 'Finndian', so yup, more intriguing questions as they grow up, inquisitive.
A heartfelt tribute to a strong mother, a memoir filled with lessons. All in all, a good read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Brown Baby is a memoir, as well as a guide to life for his own Brown Baby, Ganga, and her sister, but the memories he recounts, the feelings he encounters, growing up as a British-born Indian, a child of immigrant parents, displaced by society, not really getting why, but then, yeah, getting it, were all emotions I've felt, too.
The passages about his mother and those feelings of love, loss, and guilt were overwhelming.
Add in the fact that his own Brown Baby has a mother who isn't brown, so there are so many other questions, and hurdles to overcome. Again, close to home, as my own brother married a Finnish girl, and their boys are 'Finndian', so yup, more intriguing questions as they grow up, inquisitive.
A heartfelt tribute to a strong mother, a memoir filled with lessons. All in all, a good read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
August 1, 2025
This book was different that what I expected (though I'm not sure what I was expecting). At some points in frustrating ways, at others more pleasantly. I particularly like Shukla's expression of grief, his prose seems the strongest when writing about grief. The repetition there felt intentional and it worked. However, when other phrases and wording were repeated, unrelated to grief, it jarred me.
The humour was hit and miss (moreso, miss for me personally), and sometimes became too distracting, but towards the end of the book, it felt it had found its balance.
With every chapter the book felt more intimate and personal and the sort of thing most artistically incline kids would probably want a parent to write for them.
The humour was hit and miss (moreso, miss for me personally), and sometimes became too distracting, but towards the end of the book, it felt it had found its balance.
With every chapter the book felt more intimate and personal and the sort of thing most artistically incline kids would probably want a parent to write for them.
March 9, 2021
Just read it!
December 10, 2021
Can totally relate to half the book as a brown baby myself. Mind blowing revelations as the other half.
January 31, 2023
Good memoir full of sincerity, humour, love, and wisdom. I enjoyed how real it was and how I could relate to some of the struggles the author went through with his baby.
January 12, 2021
Brown Baby is unlike any memoir I have read, it is littered with questions and answers and does not follow a traditional birth-present overview of the author. This worked perfectly with Shukla's writing style as it allowed his honesty and humour to shine through.
Brown Baby is structured in chapters that discuss how to talk about certain topics with his daughter(s), these chapters go from race and death to feminism and climate change. Whilst there is a lot of sadness and grief, especially with regards to the death of Shukla's mother, the book is filled with hope, joy and love. There is not a single paragraph that feels superfluous and I did not want to put this down - I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Brown Baby is structured in chapters that discuss how to talk about certain topics with his daughter(s), these chapters go from race and death to feminism and climate change. Whilst there is a lot of sadness and grief, especially with regards to the death of Shukla's mother, the book is filled with hope, joy and love. There is not a single paragraph that feels superfluous and I did not want to put this down - I cannot recommend it highly enough.
February 3, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
This is a deeply personal and emotional book. I applaud the author for the openness and vulnerability displayed. Dissecting topics such as race, feminism, familial relationships and more, set against the backdrop of becoming a new father to a brown baby in this crazy world we are living in. The self-deprecating humour was not too my taste, but will be enjoyed by others.
Grief was also a big focus within this book. And the many displays of grieving shows just how difficult that process is. However, at times it felt like I was intruding into a private space, Maybe that was deliberate, but i found it a little uncomfortable. Although, I appreciate that it may provide comfort to those going though similar experiences, to know that they are not alone.
This is a deeply personal and emotional book. I applaud the author for the openness and vulnerability displayed. Dissecting topics such as race, feminism, familial relationships and more, set against the backdrop of becoming a new father to a brown baby in this crazy world we are living in. The self-deprecating humour was not too my taste, but will be enjoyed by others.
Grief was also a big focus within this book. And the many displays of grieving shows just how difficult that process is. However, at times it felt like I was intruding into a private space, Maybe that was deliberate, but i found it a little uncomfortable. Although, I appreciate that it may provide comfort to those going though similar experiences, to know that they are not alone.
March 20, 2021
Such a lovely, lovely read. So human, poetry in parts and a beautiful memoir. Made me want to cosy up in bed and not put it down.
May 2, 2021
A moving memoir with lots of repetition
January 30, 2022
More thoughts on this tomorrow! A super intimate memoir which reflected on so many important topics but wasn't a super compelling read to me, possibly due to yhe writing style?
July 8, 2021
This memoir covers a lot: losing a parent, becoming a parent, leaving one home and creating another, and experiences of racism. All of these experiences are detailed thoughtfully and sensitively, but I was impressed with how the memoir drew me into Nikesh's world. He describes his experiences in such a visceral way, encompassing, touch, taste and smell that I had a such a vivid image of the memories he was describing, I really felt like I was there. The way he described the physical impact that his mother's absence had on him was incredibly moving. I haven't read any of Nikesh's fiction before, but I will definitely now.
February 8, 2021
I never thought mild cheddar would actually make me cry. The book is a masterpiece.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 123 reviews