Heads of the Colored People

A satirical and daring collection of short stories exploring black life from one of America's rising stars.'Makes you shake your head in delight... Her stories feel simultaneously like the poke of a stick and a comforting balm; a smack followed by a kiss. I’m so into it' Bim Adewunmi, GuardianHeads of the Colored People interrogates our supposedly post-racial era to wicked and devastating effect, exposing the violence that threatens black Americans, no matter their apparent success. A teenager is insidiously bullied as her YouTube following soars; an assistant professor finds himself losing a subtle war against his office mate; a nurse is worn down by the demand for her skills as a funeral singer. And across a series of stories, a young woman grows up, negotiating and renegotiating her identity.This electric collection of short stories marks the arrival of a remarkable writer and an urgent new voice.*Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction 2019**Shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize 2019*