A Broken People's Playlist
Nigeria

A Broken People's Playlist

by Chimeka Garricks

Friendship Literary Fiction Short Stories 2023

Summary

Set primarily in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, A Broken People’s Playlist is a collection of twelve interconnected short stories about love, loss, family, betrayal, and the possibility of redemption. Each story takes its title from a song, using music as an emotional thread that connects the characters and their experiences. Together, the stories form a portrait of a city and its people, revealing the beauty and brokenness of everyday life.

The collection introduces a diverse cast of characters navigating personal crises and complicated relationships. A teenage boy dreams of becoming a DJ while his family falls apart, only to reappear years later as a troubled middle-aged man. Elsewhere, a dying man attempts to organise his own funeral while he is still alive, and a husband struggles to cope with the aftermath of his wife’s miscarriage. Other stories explore infidelity, friendship, grief, and the consequences of choices that cannot easily be undone.

Through its music-inspired structure and interconnected narratives, the collection explores how people endure heartbreak, make mistakes, and search for meaning amid life’s disappointments. It is ultimately a reflection on human imperfection and the possibility of finding connection and hope even when life feels irreparably broken.

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Country
Nigeria
Africa
About the author
Chimeka Garricks
Chimeka Garricks

Chimeka Garricks is a Nigerian-Irish writer, editor, lawyer, and screenwriter. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he grew up in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, a city that has significantly influenced his fiction. His writing often explores relationships, identity, social tensions, and the complexities of contemporary Nigerian life. Garricks made his literary debut with Tomorrow Died Yesterday (2010), a novel set in the Niger Delta that examines the impact of oil exploration, militancy, and political corruption on ordinary people. His second book, A Broken People’s Playlist, was first published in Nigeria by Masobe Books in 2020 and later acquired for international publication by HarperVia, an imprint of HarperCollins. Known for his interest in music and storytelling, Garricks uses popular songs as inspiration for fiction that explores the emotional experiences of everyday people. His work combines intimate character studies with a broader examination of Nigerian society, capturing both its difficulties and its enduring humanity.

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Details
Published
2023
Author
Chimeka Garricks