Hanif Kureishi and his son co-write essays on life after paralysis

The Sansasyonel - International (English) · Oct 29, 2026 · 1m

Hanif Kureishi’s latest essay collection, “Are You with Me Now?”, is co-written with his son Carlo, who helps him dictate each chapter in conversations from ten in the morning until one in the afternoon. Kureishi became tetraplegic after a fall on Boxing Day 2022, losing movement in his hands and legs. The book looks outward more than his earlier memoir, “Shattered,” and sometimes takes the form of dialogue. Its title comes from a song Kureishi listened to while driving in Italy and also echoes a question his iPad asks in “Shattered” when paralysis leaves him unable to hit refresh.

The essays…