Description
Book Synopsis: Winner of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature • Named a Best Book of 2022 by Kirkus, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness • Named a Best Book of July by Buzzfeed • A Publishers Weekly Best Nonfiction 2022 Summer Read • Observer Book of the Week • Lammy Finalist
“The most beautiful prose I’ve read in years.”—Alexander Chee, The Atlantic • “Rapturous...Hewitt beautifully illuminates his own darknesses so that we might also see our own.”—Melissa Febos, The New York Times Book Review • “Exquisitely written.”—Claire Messud, Harper’s Magazine
When Seán Hewitt meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe mental illness, they soon come face-to-face with crisis.
All Down Darkness Wide is a perceptive and unflinching meditation on the burden of living in a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds, and a tender and honest portrayal of what it’s like to be caught in the undertow of a loved one’s deep depression. As lives are made and unmade, this memoir asks what love can endure and what it cannot.
Delving into his own history, enlisting the ghosts of queer figures before him, Hewitt plumbs the darkness in search of answers. From a nineteenth-century cemetery in Liverpool to a sacred grotto in the Pyrenees, it is a journey of lonely discovery followed by the light of community. Haunted by the rites of Catholicism and spectres of shame, it is nevertheless marked by an insistent search for beauty.
Hewitt captures transcendent moments in nature with exquisite lyricism, honours the power of reciprocated desire and provides a master class in the incredible force of unsparing specificity. All Down Darkness Wide illuminates a path ahead for queer literature and for the literature of heartbreak, striking a piercing and resonant chord for all who trace Hewitt’s dauntless footsteps.
Details
Are you ready to dive into a mesmerizing tale that will captivate your heart and challenge your perceptions? Look no further than All Down Darkness Wide, the extraordinary memoir that has been hailed as a literary masterpiece. Winner of prestigious literary awards and recognized by leading publications, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a captivating and thought-provoking reading experience.
Prepare to be enchanted by Seán Hewitt's mesmerizing prose, which has been praised as "the most beautiful prose" by esteemed writers and critics. Hewitt fearlessly delves into the depths of his own past and intertwines it with the struggles of a turbulent love story, creating a narrative that is both intimate and universal.
With profound insight and unflinching honesty, All Down Darkness Wide explores the complexities of living as a queer individual in a society that often rejects happiness and queerness. Hewitt's poignant portrayal of navigating the daunting undertow of a loved one's profound depression is sure to strike a chord with readers who have faced their own battles with mental illness or supported someone through their darkest moments.
Embark on a journey with Hewitt as he unravels the secrets of his own history and draws inspiration from the lives of queer figures who paved the way before him. From haunting graveyards to sacred grottos, each step of this quest for understanding leads to an awakening of self-discovery and an appreciation for the enduring power of love amidst the shadows of despair.
Immerse yourself in Hewitt's lyrical descriptions of nature's transcendent beauty, feel the raw intensity of reciprocated desire, and witness the extraordinary resilience born from unsparing specificity. All Down Darkness Wide pushes the boundaries of queer literature, offering an inclusive and heartfelt narrative that will touch the souls of all who follow Hewitt's brave footsteps.
Discover the beauty and resilience of All Down Darkness Wide and join the ranks of readers who have been forever changed by this remarkable memoir. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience a book that challenges conventions, celebrates love, and offers a glimmer of hope in the face of adversity.
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