Standing Heavy (Biblioasis International Translation #42) (Paperback)
Staff Reviews
A thoughtful and satirical take on Franco-African History that was shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize. There is a lot to learn from these three security guards as they stand heavy.
— From Carrie's Book ListDescription
Shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize - One of The Walrus' Best Fall Books of 2023
A funny, fast-paced, and poignant take on Franco-African history, as told through the eyes of three African security guards in Paris.
All over the city, they are watching: Black men paid to stand guard, invisible among the wealthy fl neurs and yet the only ones who truly see. From Les Grands Moulins to a Sephora on the Champs- lys es, Ferdinand, Ossiri, and Kassoum find their way as undocumented workers amidst political infighting and the ever-changing landscape of immigration policy. Fast-paced and funny, poignant and sharply satirical, Standing Heavy is a searing deconstruction of colonial legacies and capitalist consumption and an unforgettable account of everything that passes under the security guards' all-seeing eyes.