01
Why it matters
Diop centers an African soldier within European war history and uses incantatory repetition to portray the destruction of combat.
A celebrated work
At Night All Blood Is Black
David Diop2021 selection · Translated fiction
At Night All Blood Is Black
Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese soldier fighting for France in World War I, is traumatized by the death of his closest friend in the trenches. His nightly acts of revenge alarm his comrades and draw the narration deeper into memory, guilt, and psychic disintegration.
02
Read this if…
You want short, intense historical fiction about war and a mind under unbearable strain.
03
Ideas inside
World War IColonial soldiersTraumaFriendship
Get or borrow
Continue with this book.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Editorial selections are independent.
Further reading
Read the critics
Independent reviews and criticism from established publications. Links open at the original outlet.
Primary record
Verify the selection
Every inclusion traces back to the organization that made the selection.
International Booker Prize — official winner recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)