Description

THE TOP TEN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
Winner of the August Prize for Fiction

Dazzlingly inventive, witty and mysterious: a writer pieces together the story of a young man’s death in an exhilarating narrative puzzle reminiscent of the hit podcast Serial.

A young man dies in a car crash – accident or suicide? An unnamed writer with an agenda of his own sets out to piece together Samuel’s story. From friends, relatives and neighbours, a portrait emerges of a loving son, reluctant bureaucrat, contrived poser, loyal friend. But who was Samuel really, and what happened to him? In filling out the contours of his existence, the writer grasps at a fundamental question: how do we account for the substance of a life?

‘My books of the year [include] Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s enigmatic novel’ Joyce Carol Oates

Heartbreakingly sad and laugh-out-loud funny . . . Its chorus of drifters, romantics and cynics stick in the memory, each competing to tell their own truth’ Hari Kunzru

‘Unforgettable. In this non-putdownable puzzle of a story, Khemiri manages to both thrill and break your heart’ Gary Shteyngart

‘Khemiri’s audacious and richly drawn novel pushes the boundaries of literary fiction . . . Beneath the structural pyrotechnics lies a broader story of imposition, appropriation and lack of individual agency: that of the immigrant experience’ Lucy Scholes, The National

Publisher Review

'Everything I Don't Remember is an impressive piece of work, and one senses that the novel is exactly what Khemiri intended it to be, which is a feat in itself' * New York Journal of Books * 'Multiple-award winning novelist and playwright Khemiri is revered in his native Sweden. This intelligent, sensitive book explains why' * Big Issue * 'A wonderful exploration of human motivation. Khemiri writes with an acute sense of perspective and his clean, conceptual prose is gripping from start to finish' -- Nikita Lalwani, author of Gifted 'Jonas Hassen Khemiri has crafted an enthralling jigsaw-puzzle of a book. Part love story, part reflection on loss, on memory, Everything I Don't Remember is a smart, one-of-a-kind literary novel that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. This is storytelling at its best' -- Jennifer McMahon, New York Times-bestselling author of The Night Sister 'With its energetic prose and innovative structure, Everything I Don't Remember confirms that Jonas Hassen Khemiri is not only one of Sweden's best authors, but a great talent of our time' -- Vendela Vida, author of The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty 'Khemiri's audacious and richly drawn novel pushes the boundaries of literary fiction . . . Beneath [the] strutural pyrotechnics lies a broader story of imposition, appropriation and lack of individual agency: that of the immigrant experience' -- Lucy Scholes * The National * 'Khemiri's fascinating puzzle of a book is a compelling examination of probity and perspective' -- Carys Bray, author of A Song for Issy Bradley 'A wonderful and mysterious book. Close to a journalistic or criminal investigation, every sentence trembles with Khemeri's electrifying prose. A very original tour de force that vibrated in my mind long after I had read the last page' -- Herman Koch, author of The Dinner 'Unforgettable. In this non-putdownable puzzle of a story, Khemiri manages to both thrill and break your heart' -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story 'My books of the year [include] Jonas Hassen Khemiri's enigmatic novel Everything I Don't Remember' -- Joyce Carol Oates 'Heartbreakingly sad and laugh-out-loud funny . . . Khemiri's wry, sharply observed tales of post-9/11 Swedish life have a huge following. This novel's chorus of drifters, romantics and cynics stick in the memory, each competing to tell their own truth' -- Hari Kunzru, author of Gods Without Men