They Dream In Gold

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'A mouth-watering delight . . . subtle yet striking' - Sarah Jessica Parker 'One of the most beautiful debuts I've ever read - musical, magical, and full of tenderness' - Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev TWO DREAMERS. ONE LOVE STORY. A WORLD OF SOUND. Bonnie and Mansour are meant to be: two children abandoned by their mothers from opposite sides of the Black Atlantic, who find each other in New York in 1968 and set about making music that will change the world. Mansour's sound is unique: a fusion of Senegalese prayer songs, and the wild beats of East Coast American jazz. His voice soars and lifts, carrying away the hearts of all who hear him; carrying away Bonnie, a lost American girl with her own troubled past. As they travel together from New York to Paris, to Rio and Switzerland, Mansour's music forges connections and breaks new ground. Soon it seems as though fame and unimaginable riches are only a heartbeat away. But suddenly Mansour is missing. And Bonnie, pregnant with his child, sets out to find him. Her journey and their story will take the reader across the globe and into a world of sound, as we chart the rocky course that led to their stars colliding.

Reviews

A mouthwatering delight. A reader traverses half the globe through this story, becomes a singer and a dancer and a chef; and is welcomed into a formidable community of women where love is the unshakeable glue. Subtle yet striking, They Dream in Gold is a remarkable comment on motherhood, diaspora, and ambition. -- Sarah Jessica Parker
One of the most beautiful debuts Ive ever read musical, magical, and full of tenderness for the unique histories and identities entwined in love.' -- Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
They Dream in Gold sends us on a journey around the world with a remarkable cast of women in search of belonging and the realization of their dreams. Sennaar tells their story with a musicians ear for rhythm and subtlety, and indeed, music and love beat strong in the heart of this powerful debut. I would follow these characters anywhere. -- Laura Warrell, author ofSweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm
A symphonic feat of wisdom and breathtaking verve, They Dream in Gold is a revelation of a novel that readers won't soon forget. Spanning continents and decades of sociopolitical changes, this wholly original, whirlwind story deftly illuminates the tensions of art and humanity with fresh language and vivid characters. Mai Sennaar is a rare, daring talent who wrings emotion and beauty from each page, each word, and leaves you thirsting for more still -- Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon
Exquisitely written, They Dream in Gold is an epic and hauntingly-beautiful story, each page shimmering like gold, woven by Mai Sennaars astounding talent as a debut author whose work I look forward to reading during the years to come. -- Nguyn Phan Que Mai, internationally best-selling author ofThe Mountains Sing

Author Bio

Mai Sennaar is an honours graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her first play, The Broken Windows Theory opened at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and starred Tony award-winner Tonya Pinkins and directed by Tony nominee Michele Shay. The Smithsonian Affiliate Museum of the African Diaspora, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and the Classical Theatre of Harlem are among other venues that have presented her plays. Her short film Wax Lovers' Playlist, premiered at AFI Silver and was an Official Selection of the HBO Sponsored Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival. She lives between Baltimore and Dakar, and she speaks French and Wolof. Taste is her debut novel.