Faber to publish Michael Pedersen memoir

Faber is to publish Boy Friends by Michael Pedersen, the first work of non-fiction from the poet and co-founder of Scottish arts collective, Neu! Reekie!. 

Publishing Director Alexa von Hirschberg acquired world all languages rights, including audio, from Becky Thomas at Lewinsohn Literary. Boy Friends is scheduled for Summer 2022.   

 In Boy Friends, Pedersen attempts to deal with the urgency and profundity of grief, following the death of his closest friend and artistic collaborator, Scott Hutchison. Pedersen goes back to his childhood; to the working-class, overly sensitive boy growing up in Edinburgh; to his wild, reckless university days; and to an early career as a lawyer; returning to the bewildering process of digesting Scott’s passing. He recalls all the passionate male friendships that enriched his life, though Boy Friends is primarily a love letter to his most cherished friend, and a powerful depiction of friendship, loss and the beauty of moments shared. 

Von Hirschberg said: ‘Boy Friends is a joy to read and shines a rare light on male friendship as well as grief, at a time when men’s mental health awareness is becoming increasingly visible. Michael is a ravishingly original talent and writes about the pain of losing friendship with beauty, insight and intoxicating energy.’

Michael said: ‘What started as a book about celebrating one magical, coruscating and unforgettable friend became a book about many friendships – perhaps all friendship. Curious that loss was the impetus to take stock of so many gorgeous friendships in my life – those here, those gone, those somewhere off in the celestial ether. I’ve never been so zealously of the opinion that friendships might just be the greatest love affairs of our lives. Working with Alexa and Faber has been the most astoundingly compassionate experience. After meeting Alexa there really was no other home for this book.’

Michael Pedersen is a prize-winning Scottish poet and author. His second collection, Oyster, was published in 2017 and was illustrated by and performed as a live show with Scott Hutchison (of Scottish band Frightened Rabbit). Pedersen has been named one of Canongate’s Future 40; was a finalist for the 2018 Writer of the Year at the Herald Scottish Culture Awards; was awarded the 2014 John Mather Trust Rising Star of Literature Award; and won a 2015 Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Pedersen also co-founded Neu! Reekie!, a prize-winning arts collective that has produced cutting-edge shows around the world for over ten years.