Small Joys

Product Information

We find Harley at a particularly low point, out in the woods, alone and about to do something drastic. This is when Muddy enters his life, introduces himself as Harley’s new flat mate and begins to change his life and outlook.

A beautiful, moving story of love, male intimacy, chosen family and finding self worth.' Paul Mendez, author of Rainbow Milk Kind, careful, beautiful, and profound. . . Elvin James Mensah has an uncanny ability to give voice to the most delicate nuances of the human experience.His characters will stay in your heart forever.” —Allison Larkin,author of The People We Keep

ABOUT ELVIN JAMES MENSAH

I had never thought much about birds before I met Muddy. Any interest that I had in them, and the various species that inhabited Britain, was because of him. There were a lot of things I hadn’t considered before I met him. Muddy is everything Harley is not: ostensibly heterosexual, freewheeling, confident in his masculinity. Despite their differences, a deep friendship blossoms between them when Muddy takes Harley under his wing and shows him everything that, in his eyes, makes life worth living: bird-watching, karaoke, rugby, and the band Oasis. This book itself is a small joy, a lovely and quiet love story. (So small though that it might be more like a 3.5 for me?) I enjoyed the tenderness of the story and the relationships at play, but it did seem to wander a bit and some of my big questions never got answered.

This funny and bighearted debut is an ode to queer friendship and chosen family. . . . A tender and generous novel about finding your people, getting vulnerable, and celebrating every joy—big or small.”— BuzzFeed Many thanks to @scribneruk @simonandschusteruk for the arc via @netgalley. Small Joys was published this month and is available on audio on @scribd. Starting in 2005, protagonist Harley has returned to rural England, where he works at a movie theater after dropping out of college. With an estranged father and a feeling of hopelessness, Harley attempts suicide but is saved by his new roommate Muddy. Despite their differences, a deep friendship develops between the two as Muddy shows Harley the joys of life. However, their friendship is complicated by their romantic entanglements with their friends Chelsea, Finlay, and Noria. As secrets and jealousy threaten their friendships, Harley falters again. It’s been a couple of months since I read this now and I still find myself thinking about it, Harley and Muddy often. This is a quiet novel with a big impact and I can’t wait to see how the world reacts now that it’s finally been released.NA: Well since you can’t share the secret, could you tell us a little bit about your writing process? You come across as someone who's very formulaic... I adored Small Joys – a sweet, moving, funny, strikingly open story. I don’t know if I’ve ever rooted so much for a protagonist as I did for Harley – what a gorgeous novel.’ Jennifer Saint, No. 1 bestselling author of Elektra I adored Small Joys—a sweet, moving, funny, strikingly open story. I don’t know if I’ve ever rooted so much for a protagonist as I did for Harley. . . . What a gorgeous novel.” —Jennifer Saint,author of Ariadne He catches a break. Muddy, a straight white man “holding a pair of binoculars,” approaches Harley, sees that he’s bleeding and stops him from proceeding further. Fortuitously, Muddy is more than just a devoted bird-watcher who happened to walk by. He’s also about to become Harley’s roommate.

So Small Joys is about finding happiness - it’s about finding that thing in life that just keeps you going. And it's also about prioritising kindness and compassion above everything else. Because, again, that's what I needed at the time, so that's what I wanted this character to have. I really really enjoyed listening to this book. The interesting thing about listening to audiobooks is that it is simpler to just focus on the story and not the prose, and that is just what I did here. I could not tell you if it was beautifully written throughout, but there were certain parts that were lyrical and really moved me. NA: I think many people can relate to your experience, but how did you keep yourself focused on the vision when people around you expressed doubt? Harley’s story is one of self-acceptance, self-love, and healing. As he opens up and shares his struggles with his friends and family, he finds the support he needs to move forward. Mensah’s portrayal of Harley’s journey is moving and powerful, capturing the emotional depth and complexity of human relationships. The novel is full of engaging characters, each with struggles and secrets, and their interactions are realistic and authentic. Small Joys is a thought-provoking and heart-warming read that will leave readers contemplating the power of friendship, the importance of support, and the resilience of the human spirit.

BOOKS ON THE TBR STACK

Be aware that this is not a romance. Small Joys is a story of anxiety and depression, followed by healing and growth, and above all it’s a story about a beautiful friendship. The characters in this story are fully fleshed out, and I loved the interactions between the friend group, especially those between Harley and Muddy. Muddy was such a great guy and so sweet and kindhearted with his own stuff to deal with. My heart ached and was full of love simultaneously, and sometimes tears sprang into my eyes. Honestly, it is quite hard to describe Small Joys by our guy @elvinjamesmensah, though I suppose its title really is the perfect summary of feelings lingering here.

As secrets and jealousies endanger all that Harley has come to depend on, he finds himself faltering once again, even though he finally has something—and someone—to live for. Soul-stirring and witty, full of hope and peopled with characters who feel like close friends, Small Joys explores a young man’s turbulent journey toward happiness and announces the arrival of an exciting voice in fiction. there are those rare bird moments (😉) where a book reveals a world you weren’t looking for, but now it’s where you crave to be. NA: A lot of British-Ghanaian writers are killing it at the moment. We've got Derek Owusu, Krystle Zara Appiah, Jessica George, Caleb Azumah Nelson – what's in the waayke you guys are eating? Tell us the secret. Elvin James Mensah's Small Joys is breathtaking and heartrending, by turns hilarious and devastating and surprising and wild. Mensah's prose makes the intangible deft and tremendous — from the balm of friendship, to the beauty of queerness, and the all-encompassing elixir of community. Tender, thrilling, and honest; Small Joys is a beam of light.' Bryan Washington, author of MemorialNA: Let’s start from the beginning – when and where was the writing seed planted, and how did the idea for Small Joys come to you? This week we spoke to Elvin James Mensah about the experiences that led to his joyful debut novel . Listened to the audiobook as read by Paul Mendez, and found it really enjoyable. There was a little range of British accents and they were all performed really well. I adored his rendition of Muddy. He just made him sound like someone that I desperately want to be friends with: crass and sweet and loud and just wonderful. This was such a good debut, and I'd love to read more from the author. Oh,” I said, trying to be nonchalant. “I was just out and about earlier, and I had a little accident. It isn’t—­”