Publisher Description

A much-anticipated debut collection of beautifully crafted and powerful poems, from a writer of tremendous talent and promise*Winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize 2018**Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award 2018*'A brilliant debut - a tender, nostalgic and, at times, darkly hilarious exploration of black boyhood, masculinity and grief. A gorgeous and necessary collection from one of my favourite writers' Warsan ShireTranslating as 'initiation', kumukanda is the name given to the rites a young boy from the Luvale tribe must pass through before he is considered a man. The poems of Kayo Chingonyi's remarkable debut explore this passage- between two worlds, ancestral and contemporary; between the living and the dead; between the gulf of who he is and how he is by a love of music, language and literature, here is a powerful exploration of race, identity and masculinity, celebrating what it means to be British and not British, all at once.*Shortlisted for the Costa Poetry Prize; Seamus Heaney Centre First Poetry Collection Prize; Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry; Roehampton Poetry Prize; Jhalak Prize 2018*

Review

A brilliant debut – a tender, nostalgic and, at times, darkly hilarious exploration of black boyhood, masculinity and grief. A gorgeous and necessary collection from one of my favourite writers -- Warsan Shire
A remarkable year for first collections. The best, for this reader, was Kayo Chingonyi's Kumukanda… Whether recalling his parents' deaths or celebrating the art of the mixtape, Chingonyi's poise is astonishing -- Tristram Fane Saunders * Daily Telegraph *
His poems are intelligent and moving and find the perfect balance between intricacy and directness -- Joe Dunthorne * The Observer *
Chingonyi thrillingly integrates…rhythms and rhymes with more conventional poetic metrics…with a rare energy, intelligence and sophistication -- Nicholas Wroe * Guardian *
[A] wonderful debut… A subtle and affecting, lyrical and powerful collection that explores boyhood, rites of passage, the ancient and the modern world -- Jackie Kay * Observer *
Chingonyi's poetic voice and style are both highly entertaining and adaptable mixing form with free verse and jargon with slang … These terse, memorable poems are testament to the best of Chingonyi's gifts. Impassioned, witty, socially and politically engaged... Kumukanda is an intricate and intense collection, heady with feeling but guided by thoughtful reflection * Guardian *
Navigating the experience of growing up with music, flair and a jaw-dropping formal range, this collection is a thing of beauty -- Maria Crawford * Financial Times *
Full of nostalgia and gentleness as well as being sharply observant * Stylist *
Chingonyi's poems are full of questions that need asking. His gift is for pushing poems further than you expected them to go. [A] striking quest of a debut -- Poetry Book of the Month, Kate Kellaway * Observer *
Powerful… These poems are essential and urgent and shine a light on British culture in an unique and spellbinding way * Elle, '10 'Woke' Works Of Literature You Need To Add To Your Reading List This Year' *

Promotional

A much-anticipated debut collection of beautifully crafted and powerful poems, from a writer of tremendous talent and promise

Prizes

Winner of Dylan Thomas Prize 2018 (UK)
Short-listed for Costa Poetry Award 2018 (UK)
Short-listed for Jhalak Prize 2018 (UK)
Short-listed for Ted Hughes Poetry Award 2018 (UK)
Short-listed for Seamus Heaney Prize for first full collection 2018 (UK)

Review Text

A brilliant debut - a tender, nostalgic and, at times, darkly hilarious exploration of black boyhood, masculinity and grief. A gorgeous and necessary collection from one of my favourite writers

Review Quote

"One of the most resonant new voices rising out of these turbulent times...his verse is grounded in the human heart." -- Booklist Online Exclusive

Promotional "Headline"

A much-anticipated debut collection of beautifully crafted and powerful poems, from a writer of tremendous talent and promise

Details