Niven Govinden
Niven Govinden worked in the music industry for many years after leaving art college. He has recently become a full-time writer. Niven’s first novel – We Are the New Romantics – was published by Bloomsbury.
‘Witty, sharp and effortlessly readable, I devoured it in two evenings. Fizzy with pop-cultural references and chock-full of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll (or house and disco at least), you could mistake it for a well-written beach read, were it not for the intelligent handling of the nature of friends and relationships.’
The Guardian (Books of the Year)
Recent news:
Short story ‘Cake Before Country’ is in the new issue of Stimulus Respond magazine http://www.stimulusrespond.com
Short Story ‘My Cinephilic Shame’ published in Bad Idea Anthology:The Best Non-Fiction Writing from the Magazine of Modern Storytelling (Anova Books), described by the Observer as ‘a Granta for the My Space Generation’. http://www.badidea.co.uk
Interview up on http://www.britishhiphop.co.uk/features/interviews/niven_govinden.html
Books by Niven Govinden
Graffiti My Soul
This is Surrey where nothing bad ever happens. Except somehow 15 year-old Veerapen, half Tamil, half-Jew and the fastest runner in the school has just helped bury Moon Suzuki, the girl he loved. His Dad has run off with an optician and his Mum’s going off the rails; then there’s his trainer, who’s has been accused of kiddie-fiddling. Since when did growing up in the suburbs get this complicated?
As the knots of Moon and Veerapen’s tragic story unfold, Niven Govinden brings to life a misfit hero of the school gates, bristling with tenderness, venom and vigour. Graffiti My Soul is a hip, rich big-hearted book full of unexpected twists and inspiring humanity.
PRAISE FOR GRAFFITI MY SOUL
‘a sharp update on JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye - incriminating JPEGS, Britney and all’ ~ Arena
‘In a thunderous rollercoaster of a book, Govinden charts the casual violence and depravity of contemporary Britain. A deliciously subversive, happy-slap of a book’ ~ Attitude
‘one to watch...Graffiti My Soul’ is quite an achievement ... Govinden has provided us with a powerful and sobering social commentary’ ~ Independent on Sunday
‘a captivating novel...a fizzy, witty, horrific take on being a British youngster...Govinden’s eye for the atmosphere on the streets and ear for the accompanying dialogue will prove difficult to better’ ~ The List
‘a remarkable look into the minds of youth ... I can see this becoming required reading in schools’ ~ The London Paper
‘a worryingly exact take on youth culture...paints a picture of the 21st-century schoolyard, full of bitter enmity, boredom and text bullying...thoughtful stuff’ ~ (4 stars - Fiction Of The Week) Metro
‘witty and compassionate...Govinden adopts brilliant street jargon that immediately communicates the 15-year-old mentality’ ~ New Statesman
World Rights: Canongate Books