Desperate for water and unsure of his survival, shorty keeps himself alert by narrating his harrowing childhood growing up in the violent. Nick lake is the editorial director for fiction at harpercollins childrens books and is the author of the secret ministry of frost and blood ninja. In darkness never really gives us straight answers to these milliondollar questions. Read online in darkness by nick lake book or download in epub.
Through the memories of shorty, a boy caught in the rubble of a hospital after the earthquake, and the eyes of toussaint, the leader of haitis first foray into independence. Nick lake has worked on many books and has sold many copies in different parts of the globe. My name is nick and i write and edit books for young adults. In darkness, set in haiti, is nick s first book for adults and older teen readers.
Shorty is a haitian boy trapped in the rubble of a hospital when an. Author nick lake provides an intertwined story based on two true events. In darkness is a novel written by nick lake that recently won the michael l. Its the story of shorty, a haitian teen jammed under the rubble of a hospital in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2010 eathquake that devastated an already impoverished country. In darkness in darkness by nick lake is the selection for the laiis vamos a leer book group meeting held on may 5, 2014. Nick lakes in darkness is just the kind of book that might attract this brand of unfair criticism. Author interview nick lake, author of in darkness bookpage. When author nick lake heard about the earthquake, he knew he wanted to write a book inspired by the catastrophic event. Jan 04, 2012 author nick lake talks about in darkness, his wonderful new book for adults and children. A modern teen and a black slave, separated by hundreds of years. Through the memories of shorty, a boy caught in the rubble of a hospital after the earthquake, and the eyes of toussaint, the leader of haitis first.
Listen to what the author has to say in this interview. Although in darkness is his first book for adults and teens, he has published a couple of childrens books including the blood ninja trilogy. In darkness is a vivid portrayal of a side of haiti rarely seen by white people except in the most revealing documentaries. Nick became fascinated by haitian culture while pursuing his masters degree in linguistics. As an adult i enjoyed the novel and i didnt feel it pulled any punches or was overly simplistic understandably details of louvertures life and politics have been simplified, something which lake discusses in his afterword. Set in haiti, the story follows shorty, a teenage boy trapped in darkness under the rubble of the 2012 haitian earthquake, as he is left alone to think over the hardships and heartbreak of his life, and the difficult history of his country. He received his degree in english from oxford university. As a young boy lies buried in the rubble of a hospital after the 2010 catastrophic earthquake in haiti, his dreams, memories and thoughts form the dialogue that shapes this book. T his book follows shorty, who wakes to find himself under a pile of rubble. Nick lake is the author of hostage three and printzaward winner in darkness. Raw, harrowing, and peopled with vibrant characters, in darkness is an extraordinary book about the cruelties of man and nature, and the valiant, ongoing struggle for a countrys very survival. Nick lakes novel in darkness, about a boy who survives the earthquake that devastated haiti in 2010, is a harrowing but beautifully written book, the kind of story that can open up a whole new world to its readers. In 2012, his powerful and moving novel in darkness, about t. This award is the teen literature equivalent of the newbery award, which honors the most distinguished book written for children each year.
Shorty is a child of the slums, a teenager who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters who rule his broken city. Nov 23, 2015 nick lake is the author of hostage three and printzaward winner in darkness. As shorty is stuck with no food or water, he begins to hallucinate about toussaint. Nick is a professional writer who is known for his awardwinning book, in darkness. The 2010 devastating earthquake in haiti is dramatically fictionalized and the overthrowing of slavery hundreds of years earlier in haiti is attempted to be told in as true a fashion as possible. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Set in the aftermath of the 2010 haiti earthquake, the novel is literally set in darkness. Read online in darkness by nick lake book or download in. Jun 15, 20 in darkness, author nick lake, book trailer facebook. As he waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, a mystical bridge seems to emerge between him and haitian leader toussaint louverture, uniting the two in their darkest suffering and their hope. In darkness is a stark and vivid rendering of the 2010 haitian earthquakes and deeply affecting. Nick lake is the muchacclaimed author of in darkness, winner of the michael l.
In darkness, set in haiti, is nicks first book for adults and older teen readers. As an adult i enjoyed the novel and i didnt feel it pulled any punches or was overly simplistic understandably details of louvertures life and politics have been simplified, something. Have you ever felt influenced by a major political authority as shorty is influenced by toussaint. Nick lake weaves haitis dark past with its painful present into a story that is gripping, moving, and uplifting. Grab a flashlight, because it gets dark in this book. Raw, harrowing, and peopled with vibrant characters, in darkness is an extraordinary audiobook about the cruelties of man and nature, and the valiant.
Apr 09, 20 in darkness is nick lake s debut novel and an extraordinarily powerful one at that. Nick lake is editorial director for fiction for harpercollins childrens books and is the author of the secret ministry of frost and blood ninja. In darkness, author nick lake, book trailer facebook. As he waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, a mystical bridge seems to emerge. In darkness by nick lake overdrive rakuten overdrive. In darkness is a ya historical novel by englishborn author nick lake, published in 2012. An excellent example of such a creation is in darkness, which has both brutal and peaceful characters. Nick lake is the editorial director for fiction at harpercollins childrens books uk. The following information comprises a standardsbased educators guide that the laii has produced to support using in darkness bloomsbury, 2012 in the classroom. Nick lake is one writer who is keen on creating stories that are entertaining and yet are based on reallife situations.
Nick lakes novel in darkness spans the traumatic history of haiti, from its origins as the worlds only nation born of a slave revolution to its status today as one of the worlds. In darkness has been marketed as a book for both adults and young adults. In the aftermath of the haitian earthquake, a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital. He discovered haitian culture as part of his masters degree in linguistics and has since been fascinated by it. Nick lake is one writer who is keen on creating stories that are entertaining and. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Printz award for excellence in young adult literature.
Author nick lake talks about in darkness, his wonderful new book for adults and children. Nick lake says his research into toussaints life was thorough although in the author notes lake acknowledges simplifying the story by omitting mention of the spanishcontrolled side of haiti and other complications. He first discovered haitian culture as part of his masters degree in linguistics and has since been fascinated by it. May 01, 20 in darkness is a novel written by nick lake that recently won the michael l. In darkness is nick lakes debut novel and an extraordinarily powerful one at that.
He has been caught in the 2010 earthquake that rocked haiti. In darkness in darkness by nick lake is the selection for the laiis vamos a leer book group meeting held on may 5, 2014 the following information comprises a standardsbased educators guide that the laii has produced to support using in darkness bloomsbury, 2012 in the classroom. Nick lake was born in britain but grew up in luxembourg, where his father worked for the european parliament. The standards are not included here, but are included with the lesson. Shorty is a child of the slums, a teenager who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters. January 23, 2012 shorty, a young teenage boy, is trapped under the rubble of a hospital during the aftermath of the 2010 haitian earthquake. We can tell that darkness is not just about shortys physical surroundings, though. My first ya novel in darkness, was published by bloomsbury in 2012 and won. In darkness by nick lake packs a lot of story into its pages. In darkness is a harrowing and compelling read because, as mentioned in the authors note, much of it is true. As you might have guessed, in darkness, published in 2012, is that book. Jan 11, 2012 nick lake is the muchacclaimed author of in darkness, winner of the michael l. Set in haiti in both the past and present, in darkness focuses on two important events in the countrys history.
In darkness book by nick lake 14 available editions. Sure, hes stuck under the rubble and cant see anything, but he uses this to make us realize how twisted. In darkness book trailer, author nick lake youtube. Feb 12, 2012 nick lakes novel in darkness spans the traumatic history of haiti, from its origins as the worlds only nation born of a slave revolution to its status today as one of the worlds. It has a complex structure, deals with sometimes brutally unsympathetic characters, and tells the story, both modern and historical, of haiti, a country that doesnt figure high on most school curricula. In darkness, by nick lake wondering what the kids are. In darkness i count my blessings like manman taught me. In darkness has 14 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace.
Nick works in publishing by day and writes in every spare moment he can find. In darkness, by nick lake, is an intertwined story about a 15 year old boy, shorty, who gets trapped in a hospital after an earthquake in haiti, and toussaint louverture, who is leading one of the greatest slave revolutions in haiti in the late 1700s. The last thing he remembers is being in the hospital after he was shot in a gang. Its easy for us to make judgments on the characters when were safely reading the book in our homes, but its much more complex than that in the site. In fact, in darkness starts out, well, in darkness, and it pretty much ends in it, too. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. The blood ninja trilogy was inspired by his interest in the far east, and by the fact that he is secretly a vampire ninja himself. This novel dances with extraordinary confidence from one era to another, mixing the contemporary with the historical to create a rich and fascinating dialogue across the centuries. I had never read one of nick lanes books before reading in darkness, which i read as it was one. Written by nick lake, audiobook narrated by benjamin l. Watch nick lake talk about his book, in darkness a story of courage and betrayal, of freedom and of hope.
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