A Wild and Precious Life
A Recovery Anthology
Featuring a foreword by Will Self.
We all experience recovery at some point in our lives, whether from addiction, physical illness, mental health issues, or loss. Many of us heal, and we may discover ways to live with our changed selves, to reclaim a life. We may find a new voice, or unearth a voice that has been submerged. Vitally, recovery can mean community. This anthology — which grew out of a small creative writing class run by Lily Dunn at Hackney Recovery Service, and was later broadened into a nationwide call for submissions by Dunn and her teaching partner, Zoe Gilbert — represents a community of writers: new, unheard voices alongside emerging and established authors. Theirs are stories from the dark back alleys, the deep crevices of the mind, and from the wild, ecstatic heights of life before, during and after recovery. These are voices that urgently need to be heard, in all their variety.
Lily Dunn is an author, mentor and editor. Her first novel was published by Portobello Books and she is currently writing a memoir about the legacy of her father’s various addictions. Her creative nonfiction has been published by Granta, Aeon and Litro. She co-runs London Lit Lab, with fellow writer and friend, Zoe Gilbert.
Zoe Gilbert is the author of two novels, Folk (Bloomsbury, 2018) and Mischief Acts (Bloomsbury, forthcoming 2021). Her short stories have been broadcast on BBC radio, published internationally, and won prizes including the Costa Short Story Award. She is the co-director of London Lit Lab, where she teaches and mentors creative writers.
