Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space A Literary Mixtape

In this “absolute marvel of a book” (Dinaw Mengestu, author of Someone Like Us), acclaimed author Remy Ngamije offers up a vibrant collection of award-winning short fiction.

Presented as a literary mixtape, Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space is a work that provides you with a uniquely modern reading experience. The A-Side, read as one narrative, tells the story of a soon-to-be thirty-year-old aspiring writer navigating a complicated world. The B-Side, taken as a separate experience, features (seemingly) independent and unrelated short stories.

There’s “Crunchy, Green Apples (or, Omo)”, a story about loss told by the strangest of narrative devices: a shopping list. “Sofa, So Good, Sort Of (or, John Muafangejo)” is a first-person account of a family’s history and a long journey towards hope. A group of friends attempts to navigate a recent breakup in “From the Lost City of Hurtlantis to the Streets of Helldorado (or, Franco).”

When read together, however, a third world emerges—a complex, intergenerational, and interconnected “journey across all genres” (Mukoma Wa Ngugi, author of Unbury Our Dead with Song) that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Rémy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian writer and photographer. He is the cofounder and editor-in-chief of Doek! Literary Magazine, Namibia’s first literary magazine. His work has appeared in Litro Magazine, AFREADA, The Johannesburg Review of Books, Brainwavez, The Amistad, The Kalahari Review, American Chordata, Azure, Sultan’s Seal, Santa Ana River Review, Columbia Journal, New Contrast, Necessary Fiction, Silver Pinion, and Lolwe. He was shortlisted for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing in 2020. He was also longlisted for the 2020 Afritondo Short Story Prize. In 2019, he was shortlisted for Best Original Fiction by Stack. More of his writing can be read on his website RemytheQuill.com.