Corruption, religious intolerance, gratuitous violence and the importance of joy are some of the big themes that underlie Toni Kan’s memorable collection, Nights of the Creaking Bed.

Nights of the Creaking Bed is the first book to be released under Cassava Shorts, a new imprint from Cassava Republic.

‘A necessary addition to the library of any discerning reader.’ – Zukiswa Wanner

‘A brash and vibrant collection that brims all at once with sadness and humour, suffering and compassion, longing and loss.’ – Chika Unigwe

‘These fascinating vignettes of Lagos life showcase an array of peripatetic characters who are hopelessly stuck in their dilemmas’ – Sefi Atta

Nights of the Creaking Bed is full of colourful characters involved in affecting dramas: a girl who is rejected in love because she has three brothers to look after; a middle aged housewife who finds love again but has an impossible decision to make; a young man who can’t get the image of his naked, beautiful mother out of his mind; a child so poor he has to hawk onions on Christmas day – and many others.

Some, initially full of hope, find their lives blighted by the cruelty of others, or by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or by just not knowing the ‘right’ people.

About the author

Toni Kan is an award-winning poet, essayist and short story writer. He is one of Nigeria’s most anthologised young poets and short story writers. Author of the novel Carnivorous City, the critically acclaimed poetry collection When a Dream Lingers Too Long and the novella Ballad of Rage, his works have appeared in Salthill, Drum Voices, Revue, Farafina, Sentinel Poetry Quarterly and ANA Review.

Categories Africa Fiction International South Africa

Tags Cassava Republic Press Cassava Shorts New books New releases Nigeria Nights of the Creaking Bed Pan Macmillan SA Short Stories Toni Kan