Manchester Happened

SHORTLISTED FOR THE HEARST BIG BOOK AWARDS 2019THE STUNNING SHORT-STORY COLLECTION FROM PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR JENNIFER NANSUBUGA MAKUMBIIf there's one thing the characters in Jennifer Makumbi's stories know, it's how to field an uncomfortable question.'Let me buy you a cup of tea...what are you doing in England?''Do these children of yours speak any Luganda?''Did you know that man Idi Amin?'But perhaps the most difficult question of all is the one they ask themselves: 'You mean this is England?'As hilarious as they are compassionate, these vibrant stories re-imagine the journey of Ugandans who choose to make England their home. Weaving between Manchester and Kampala, this dazzling collection will captivate anyone who has ever wondered what it means to truly belong. 

'A thoughtful writer who quietly, engagingly, pierces the reality of relocating to Britain. Manchester Happened explores the emotional nuance of the immigrant experience.', 'Majestic...exactly the stories we all need.', 'Written with energy, passion and conviction, each one of the 12 stories is a jewel in its own right; collectively, they are a fascinating interrogation of the nature of identity and the pressing need for greater cultural integration.', 'A masterpiece. This collection of short stories will resonate...with those who know intimately that the space between "here and back home" is more than just distance.', 'Manchester Happened glitters with… Makumbi’s terrific turn of phrase… Dedicated to the 'fearless Ugandans in the diaspora' [Manchester Happened] provides an entertaining insight into their lives. It is a fascinating collection and confirms Makumbi as an exciting new voice.'

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, a Ugandan novelist and short story writer, has a PhD from Lancaster University. Her first novel, Kintu (Oneworld, 2018), won the Kwani? Manuscript Project in 2013 and was longlisted for the Etisalat Prize in 2014. She was awarded the 2014 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for her story Manchester Happened, and her first full story collection, Manchester Happened, will be published by Oneworld in 2019. Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi was awarded the prestigious Windham-Campbell Prize for Fiction 2018 to support her writing. She lives in Manchester with her husband and son, and lectures in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.