tom newlands' reading tip
During the summer, we close the doors of the international house of literature for a few weeks. In the meantime, we’re happy to help you complete your summer reading list with book tips from several authors who took part in this literary season's events. This week, Tom Newlands gives you a glimpse into his rich library. The Passa Porta team wishes you a wonderful summer and looks forward to welcoming you back for the next literary season.
Readingtip
A Drop of Patience by William Melvin Kelley
This is a life in miniature, tracing the journey of Ludlow Washington, a blind jazz musician, through the Deep South and to New York City. Kelley explores how hisprotagonist is othered by his race and disability - as well as his prodigious talent - in this beautiful, pioneering novel.
Tom Newlands (1980) is a writer from the United Kingdom. His debut novel, Only Here, Only Now (Orion, 2024) relates the life and challenges of a working-class, neurodivergent teenager in Scotland. The novel was awarded the McKitterick Prize for first time authors over forty and nominated for the shortlist of the ADCI Prize for authors with a disability or chronic illness. Newlands’ second novel, Something Like Happiness, appears in August 2026. In line with his debut, it is a funny but profound book about social housing. During his residency at Passa Porta last June, Tom Newlands worked on a third, art-inspired novel.