At Night All Blood Is Black

The prize-winning story of a Senegalese soldier in the trenches, told in hypnotic, powerful prose.

Alfa diaye and Mademba Diop are two of the many Senegalese tirailleurs who fight in the Great War under the French flag. Whenever Captain Armand blows his whistle they climb out of their trenches to attack the blue-eyed enemy. But one day Mademba is mortally wounded, and without his friend, his more-than-brother, Alfa is alone amidst the savagery of the trenches, far from all he knows and holds dear. He throws himself into combat with renewed vigour, but soon he begins to scare even his own comrades in arms.

Here David Diop captures the tragedy of a young man's mind hurtling towards madness and tells the little-heard story of the Senegalese who fought for France on the Western Front.

About the Author

David Diop was born in Paris in 1966 and grew up in Senegal. He currently lives in France, where he is head of the Arts, Languages and Literature Research Department at University of Pau. At Night All Blood is Black is his second novel. It was shortlisted for ten major prizes in France and won the Prix Goncourt des Lyc'ens and the Prix Patrimoines. It is currently being translated into 11 languages and has already won the Strega European Prize in Italy.