In the beautifully intricate tale, The Rainy Moon by French author Colette, the narrator recounts a gathering with cherished friends and their profound discussions which leave her with an uneasy yet awe-inspired feeling. She is shaken, her understanding of the world not as firm as she previously considered it. The same sense of amazement and unease is experienced while reading Some of Our Parts, the debut book by Laura Kennedy. This insightful book compels you to question established beliefs. With extraordinary literary dexterity, Kennedy delves from her own personal occurrences to broader societal evaluations of the defining labels we uphold. She makes you question your and others’ identity.
Laura Kennedy, a writer, philosopher, and frequent guest on shows, discusses her inaugural book, Some of Our Parts. It’s a memoir and an exploration of self-identity through societal labels. Over time, Laura’s labels have included ‘feminist’, ‘Irish’, ‘neurodiverse’, and ‘poor’ and she contends they only represent a fragment of a more intricate narrative. In a discussion with Róisín Ingle, Kennedy reflects on various labels she’s been identified with during her life. She examines them in relation to her upbringing in Limerick, her mental health challenges, and her profession as a beauty editor.
Several private identities, including being a feminist, depressive, working-class, poor, part of an interracial marriage, of Irish origins, an expatriate, a beauty journalist, and a philosopher are scrutinised by Kennedy. Her hardworking single mother, Emma, and her black British husband, J are depicted as central characters in her life. Emma passed away a decade ago, when Kennedy was in her mid-twenties, and J, who was a significant support to her. The transformative effect of these people’s love allows Kennedy to evolve beyond self-inflicted and societal limitations.
Kennedy’s introspective examination of her recent diagnosis of autism gestures towards a potential oversaturation of adult diagnoses which may inadvertently undermine the needs of those autistic individuals who require greater support. As a parent to an autistic 21-year-old son, who is nonverbal but amongst the pioneers in expressing himself through letter-pointing as a form of communication, I would be delighted if Kennedy were to delve into the perspectives of nonverbal autistics, as they shatter the traditional “high-functioning/low-functioning” labels associated with the spectrum.
‘Some of our Parts’ by Laura Kennedy is a cleverly written autobiographical reflection on the multifaceted aspect of our identities. Asides from her thought-provoking points, Kennedy’s work also serves as an intellectual stimulant, tracing new cognitive trails in its readers. This book is not just intellectually challenging, but also humourous, unconventionally delightful, aesthetically pleasing and healing. Echoing William Blake’s sentiment that the highest act of nobility is to place another before oneself, Kennedy turns the mirror on us, allowing us to perceive the incomparable and distinct enigma each of us embodies, all through her empathetic lens.