Prayer for the Living

Topical and timely, Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri's new collection of short stories blurs parallel realities and walks the line between darkness and magic.

Is what you see all there is? Look again. Playful, frightening, even shocking - the stories in this collection blur the lines between illusion and reality. This is a writer at the height of his power, making the listener think, making them laugh, and sometimes making them want to look away while holding their gaze.

Stories here are set in London, in Byzantium, in the ghetto, in the Andes, in a printer's shop in Spain. The characters include a murderer, a writer, a detective, a man in a cave, a man in a mirror, two little boys, a prison door, and the author himself. There are 23 stories in all. Each one will make you wonder if what you see in the world is all there is....

©2019 Ben Okri (P)2019 Head of Zeus

Rich portrayal of the human experience

Mesmerizing characters. I felt like Mr. Okri was leading me through plots and cities I’d never before experienced. I knew I’d be safe and that the journey would be worth taking.