True Biz: 'Warm, complex and compelling' Bridget Collins

True Biz is a novel by Celeste Ng that follows a year of seismic romantic, political, and familial shifts for a teacher and her students at a boarding school for the deaf. It is a tender, beautiful, and radiantly outraged novel that delves into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where students want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 06 April 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Reese Witherspoon's True Biz:

Part tender coming-of-age story, part electrifying tale of political awakening, part heartfelt love letter to Deaf culture, "True Biz" is a wholly wondrous novel by Celeste Ng.

"True Biz" follows a year of seismic romantic, political, and familial shifts for a teacher and her students at a boarding school for the deaf. The students, who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, just want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies.

This revelatory novel plunges readers into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where they'll meet Charlie, a rebellious transfer student who's never met another deaf person before; Austin, the school's golden boy, whose world is rocked when his baby sister is born hearing; and February, the headmistress, who is fighting to keep her school open and her marriage intact, but might not be able to do both. As a series of crises both personal and political threaten to unravel each of them, Charlie, Austin, and February find their lives inextricable from one another and changed forever.

This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, disability and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. "True Biz" is absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, and an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection.

Author Celeste Ng:

Celeste Ng is a celebrated author known for her powerful and thought-provoking novels. Her previous works, including "Girl at War" and "Little Fires Everywhere," have received critical acclaim and numerous awards.

Ng's writing is characterized by its tenderness, beauty, and radiant outrage. She explores complex themes of love, loss, identity, and social justice with a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of human emotions.

"True Biz" is a testament to Ng's talent and her ability to create compelling characters and narratives that resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling and wants to explore the complexities of the human experience.

In conclusion, "True Biz" by Celeste Ng is a remarkable novel that combines tenderness, beauty, and political awakening. It offers a unique perspective on the Deaf community and celebrates the power of human connection. Ng's writing is powerful, thought-provoking, and relatable, and her characters are unforgettable. This is a must-read for anyone who appreciates exceptional storytelling and wants to explore the complexities of the human experience.

Weight: 312g
Dimension: 126 x 196 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349144993