Small Worlds: THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER - Softcover

Nelson, Caleb Azumah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 024199604X ISBN 13: 9780241996041

Publisher: Penguin, 2024

Synopsis

THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL

WINNER OF THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2024

Dancing is the one thing that can solve Stephen's problems.

At Church with his family, the shimmer of Black hands raised in praise. With his band, making music speaking not just to their hardships, but their joys. Grooving with his best friend, so close their heads might touch. Dancing alone to his father's records, uncovering parts of a man he has never truly known. His youth, shame and sacrifice.

Stephen has only ever known himself in song. But what becomes of him when the music fades?

Set over the course of three summers, from South London to Ghana and back again, SMALL WORLDS is a novel about the worlds we build for ourselves. The worlds we live, dance and love within.

*****

'Caleb Azumah Nelson's stunning second novel confirms his status as a literary star' Observer

'Beautiful, unforgettable and all-consuming' Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie

'SMALL WORLDS is a book for everyone . . . an uplifting symphony of a summer read' Times


Top 10 Sunday Times bestseller, May 2023

About this title

About the Author

Caleb Azumah Nelson is a British-Ghanaian writer and photographer living in South East London. His first novel, OPEN WATER, won the Costa First Novel Award and Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards, and was a number-one Times bestseller. It was also shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, Waterstones Book of the Year, and longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and the Desmond Elliott Prize. He was selected as a National Book Foundation '5 under 35' honoree by Brit Bennett.

From the Back Cover

The one thing that can solve Stephen's problems is dancing. Dancing at Church, with his parents and brother, the shimmer of Black hands raised in praise; he might have lost his faith, but he does believe in rhythm. Dancing with his friends, somewhere in a basement with the drums about to drop, while the DJ spins garage cuts. Dancing with his band, making music which speaks not just to the hardships of their lives, but the joys too. Dancing with his best friend Adeline, two-stepping around the living room, crooning and grooving, so close their heads might touch. Dancing alone, at home, to his father's records, uncovering parts of a man he has never truly known.

Stephen has only ever known himself in song. But what becomes of him when the music fades? When his father begins to speak of shame and sacrifice, when his home is no longer his own? How will he find space for himself: a place where he can feel beautiful, a place he might feel free?

Set over the course of three summers in Stephen's life, from London to Ghana and back again, Small Worlds is an exhilarating and expansive novel about the worlds we build for ourselves, the worlds we live, dance and love within.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 024199604X
• ISBN 13: 9780241996041
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272