About the book
WINNER OF THE 2022 ROONEY PRIZE FOR IRISH LITERATURE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2022
'A remarkable memoir of love and sorrow' Observer
A luminous and haunting memoir from the prize-winning poet - a story of love, heartbreak and coming of age, and a fearless exploration of queer identity and trauma.
When Seán meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe depression, the couple comes face-to-face with crisis. Wrestling with this, Seán Hewitt delves deep into his own history, enlisting the ghosts of queer figures and poets before him. From a nineteenth-century cemetery in Liverpool to the pine forests of Gothenburg, Hewitt plumbs the darkness in search of solace and hope.
All Down Darkness Wide is an unflinching meditation on the burden of living in a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds, and a tender portrayal of what it's like to be caught in the undertow of a loved one's suffering. By turns devastating and soaring, it is a mesmerising story of heartache and renewal, and a work of rare and transcendent beauty.
*Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize 2023*
*Longlisted for the Polari Book Prize 2023*
'A stunning meditation on love and heartbreak, this feels like an essential work of the new Irish queer canon' Sunday Times
Editions of All Down Darkness Wide
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787333383
Read an Excerpt
WINNER OF THE 2022 ROONEY PRIZE FOR IRISH LITERATURE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2022
'A remarkable memoir of love and sorrow' Observer
A luminous and haunting memoir from the prize-winning poet - a story of love, heartbreak and coming of age, and a fearless exploration of queer identity and trauma.
When Seán meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe depression, the couple comes face-to-face with crisis. Wrestling with this, Seán Hewitt delves deep into his own history, enlisting the ghosts of queer figures and poets before him. From a nineteenth-century cemetery in Liverpool to the pine forests of Gothenburg, Hewitt plumbs the darkness in search of solace and hope.
All Down Darkness Wide is an unflinching meditation on the burden of living in a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds, and a tender portrayal of what it's like to be caught in the undertow of a loved one's suffering. By turns devastating and soaring, it is a mesmerising story of heartache and renewal, and a work of rare and transcendent beauty.
*Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize 2023*
*Longlisted for the Polari Book Prize 2023*
'A stunning meditation on love and heartbreak, this feels like an essential work of the new Irish queer canon' Sunday Times
Frequently Asked Questions
What is All Down Darkness Wide about?
WINNER OF THE 2022 ROONEY PRIZE FOR IRISH LITERATURE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2022
'A remarkable memoir of love and sorrow' Observer
A luminous and haunting memoir from the prize-winning poet - a story of love, heartbreak and coming of age, and a fearless exploration of queer identity and trauma.
When Seán meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe depression, the couple comes face-to-face with crisis. Wrestling with this, Seán Hewitt delves deep into his own history, enlisting the ghosts of queer figures and poets before him. From a nineteenth-century cemetery in Liverpool to the pine forests of Gothenburg, Hewitt plumbs the darkness in search of solace and hope.
All Down Darkness Wide is an unflinching meditation on the burden of living in a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds, and a tender portrayal of what it's like to be caught in the undertow of a loved one's suffering. By turns devastating and soaring, it is a mesmerising story of heartache and renewal, and a work of rare and transcendent beauty.
*Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize 2023*
*Longlisted for the Polari Book Prize 2023*
'A stunning meditation on love and heartbreak, this feels like an essential work of the new Irish queer canon' Sunday Times
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in All Down Darkness Wide?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Memoirs
Where can I read a sample of All Down Darkness Wide?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787333383
Who is/are the Author/s of the book All Down Darkness Wide?
Seán Hewitt
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
All Down Darkness Wide is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787333383)
Where can I buy All Down Darkness Wide online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy All Down Darkness Wide from below
Where can I buy All Down Darkness Wide?