A cultural, social and sexual exploration of the night: who and what we find in it, why we fear it, and how it can seduce, transform and liberate, from the author of the Costa-shortlisted memoir, Consumed.
13th October 2025
Hardcover
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
A cultural, social and sexual exploration of the night: who and what we find in it, why we fear it, and how it can seduce, transform and liberate, from the author of the Costa-shortlisted memoir, Consumed.
Description
'A beautifully written combination of personal reflection and broader thought . . . at once atmospheric and touching'
Louise Doughty, author of Apple Tree Yard'Had me entranced from start to finish . . . an absolute joy'Lucy Atkins, author of Windmill Hill'A deft, rich and intimate exploration of darkness in all its varied guises'Annabel Abbs, author of Sleepless'Truthful, lyrical and unforgettable'Yasmin Alibhai-BrownThe night is a time of darkness and nightmares, fear and vulnerability, especially for women. And, yet, it is another world, full of beauty and possibility, too.After the sun goes down, insomnia and sleep paralysis do threaten. But some have always walked the nocturnal landscapes, with more or less confidence. Others have worked, night shifts and hidden night work: nurses, security guards, sex workers. And some have found solace in the darkness, from queer rave culture to religious pre-dawn traditions.From dusk through to day, Arifa Akbar elegantly explores how the night shapes our bodies, minds and cultures. A personal and artistic journey from fear and into hope, Wolf Moon embraces the dark before bringing us, once more, into the light.Praise for Consumed:? 'Beguiling . . . this one stands out for its eccentricity and elegiac splendour' Diana Evans, Guardian? 'Moving, engrossing, elegantly written' Sunday Times? 'I have rarely read a memoir with such a combination of powerful, tender feelings and cool-headed analysis' Mail on SundayCritic Reviews
Arifa Akbar's fascinating exploration of the night had me entranced from start to finish. It is wide-ranging, thoughtful, intelligent and so elegantly written, an absolute joy -- Lucy Atkins, author of Windmill Hill
In this intense psychic and physical exploration of the black hours, Arifa Akbar opens up about her insomnia - which is both destructive and creative - gets to know night-time workers and lightless places, tries to understand the mysteries of sleep and mines her own life. Truthful, lyrical and unforgettable -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
A deft, rich and intimate exploration of darkness in all its varied guises . . . bold, and beautifully written, Akbar captures the multiple facets of darkness through the lens of a woman alone -- Annabel Abbs, author of Sleepless: Discovering the Power of the Night Self
A beautifully written combination of personal reflection and broader thought, learned without being earnest, moving without being mawkish, at once atmospheric and touching, quite haunting in fact - and a worthy follow up to the brilliant Consumed -- Louise Doughty, author of Apple Tree Yard
About the Author
Arifa Akbar is chief theatre critic for the Guardian. She has previously been literary editor at the Independent, as well as a news reporter and arts correspondent. She has served as a trustee on the boards of the Orwell Foundation and English PEN. She is currently a fellow of the London Centre for the Humanities. Her first book, Consumed: In Search of my Sister, was shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards, PEN Ackerley Prize and Jhalak Prize, and it was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize. Wolf Moon is her second book.
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13th October 2025
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