‘In the midst of war, when we are taught too many unbearable lessons, it can be hard to hold onto each other, let alone to hope. In these stories, crafted with care and compassion, Sunny Singh finds a way to hold on. Readers are guided gently and skilfully through the violence to some other place. A moving and memorable collection.’ Sara Ahmed
‘These stories reveal the many sides of war, drawing attention to its unrelenting toll, while also illuminating a quiet dignity that persists in moments of compassion and resilience. An essential collection that reminds us of an enduring hope in our humanity.’ Guy Gunaratne
‘Superb. An incandescent, charged and propulsive work. I inhaled this collection. It’s a testament to Sunny Singh’s considerable talents as a writer.’ Irenosen Okojie
‘In terrible times, our storytellers need to be tender and steely; Singh is this kind of writer, a necessary interlocutor between evil and possibility. We must read stories just like this in these times: small, beautiful, tough ways to remember love despite the wickedness. There are terrible things here, necessary truths and unremitting heart.’ Leone Ross
Short stories showing Sunny Singh at her best: The Tango Bar; Refuge; Knitting Needles and Tea; Diplomatic Immunity Fatigue; Number Nine Bungalow; The Tigress Hunts; The Wait; Faded Serge and Yellowed Lace; In the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens; Tulips; Not My Mountains; Friday Morning Coffee; Amidst the Deodars.
The unifying theme is war – its consequences, its legacies, its victims, its perpetrators, its survivors and the power of humanity’s ability to endure, love and retain dignity and compassion. Delving deep into the darkest parts of the human psyche as well as highlighting the very best in us, this powerful collection spans decades and continents and will live on in the imagination long after the last page. Singh brings to life people shaped by violence and survival with nuance, compassion and an insistence on truth.
Sales
- Footnote Press/Bonnier UK & ANZ (with the title: REFUGE)