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EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WOCS

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WALKING ON COWRIE SHELLS is a “raucous and thoroughly impressive” with "stories to get lost in again and again” (New York Times). This kaleidoscopic collection is a New York Times Editor's Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and been feted in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR, Buzzfeed, and Thrillist; amongst others. The work garnered a 2022 Whiting Award and was a William Saroyan International Prize for Writing finalist. Originally published by Graywolf (North America/June 2021), there are three international editions available: Indigo Press (UK/Commonwealth/May 2022), BAKWA Books (Cameroon/Sept. 2023), and Über Muscheln Laufen published by Peter Hammer-Verlag (Germany/Sept. 2024).  
The book focuses on the lives of hyphenated-Americans with multi-culti roots in the United States and Africa, spanning genres – literary realism, horror, mystery, YA, science fiction – and featuring complex, fully embodied characters: tongue-tied linguistic anthropologists, comic book enthusiasts and even water goddesses. The stories aim to entertain readers while also offering a counterpoint to prevalent “heart of darkness” writing that too often depicts a singular “African” experience plagued by locusts, hunger, and tribal in-fighting.

INDIE AMAZON WALMART BARNES & NOBLE

PRAISE

“Full of stories that weave together love and friendship, horror and comedy, all with great deftness.”

— YAA GYASI, AUTHOR OF TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM

PRAISE

“A virtuosic, kaleidoscopic debut . . . It would be impossible to overstate how much I love this book, and its author.”

— Karen Russell, author of Orange World

PRAISE

“Funny and heartbreaking and wonderfully ferocious; it’s been ages since I’ve read sentences with this much verve and snap.”

— Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream House

PRAISE

“Magical, funny, inventive and joyous, Nkweti’s tales remind us what storytelling can be.”

— Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less

PRAISE

“Nana Nkweti’s words are dazzlingly energetic, world-ranging and straight-up brilliant.”

— Samantha Hunt, author of The Dark Dark

PRAISE

“ i finished this story collection and wondered, “is there anything nana nkweti can’t do?”

— deeshA philYAw, author of the secret lives of church ladies / new york times review of books

 
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STORY SPOTLIGHT: THE LIVING INFINITE

“His eyes coast over the indigo-trellised gold scales plating her hips and thighs, glimmering like blue-ray limpets in strong flows. Taking his sweet, molasses-drip time to take it all in—from her feather-fine fins to the gills at her breastbone.”

STORY SPOTLIGHT: IT JUST KILLS YOU INSIDE

“After that thing took teeth to the meat of my hand, I hadn’t really felt anything for a moment, just the shock of finding myself rent from reality, thrust into the starring role of some direct-to-video, B-movie reel. Then the gen d’armes took a machete in hand—those banana republic cops always seemed to have one at the ready—and cut mine clean off.”

STORY SPOTLIGHT: KINKS

“She walked down an embassy row of beauty care shops: Dominican pelo salons, South Asian eyebrow threaders, and Korean beauty supplies purveying its mine cause I bought it hair—human, synthetic, pre-packed or by the pound, colors rainbowing from acid green ombré to #60’s icy blonde.”

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WOCS