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Vanessa Kisuule’s debut non-fiction book ‘teems with rich and complex ideas’
Vanessa Kisuule’s non-fiction debut is being published in July.
Neverland by the Bristol poet and performer is described as a book that asks “big, existential and timely questions”.
Bristol’s former city poet said that “writing this book has been the most humbling and challenging task of my career thus far”.
The synopsis of Neverland from publisher Canongate says: “As conversations about abuse perpetrated by public figures become louder and we reach for moral absolutes, this book examines the nuances, unafraid to examine the ugly and contradictory impulses in all of us.
“Neverland is a love letter to the musicians we adore and an unflinching look at the costs of hero worship.”
Kisuule said: “Knowing the journey of necessary discomfort that I want to take the reader on, I have pushed myself to go into the unthinkable thoughts and unsayable things.
“It’s been a lot of fun, too, and a privilege to be supported in this journey by an independent publisher I admire so greatly.
“I am so scared. I am so excited! I can’t wait for the book to be in people’s hands so we can all have a chat about it.”
Canongate senior commissioning editor, Helena Gonda, told The Bookseller: “Vanessa is a force and this book is no different, teeming as it is with rich, complex ideas.
“Powered by kinetic storytelling, it is Vanessa’s ability to wrestle with such important, contemporary themes and to do so in ways that ask such big, existential and timely questions that make it a fascinating and vital read.”
Vanessa Kisuule performing in the Bristol Old Vic foyer in 2020 – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: Jon Aitken
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