We are delighted to share that Tomasz Jedrowski’s debut novel, SWIMMING IN THE DARK, has been selected by international chart-topping singer-songwriter Dua Lipa as the May title for her Service95 Book Club. Writing about the selection on Instagram, Dua Lipa said ‘reading SWIMMING IN THE DARK is a bit like peering into someone’s most intimate moments of self-discovery. It’s poetic and tender, burning with a quiet rage at the persecution the LGBTQIA+ community in Poland has suffered for decades and continues to fight against today. It’s a beautiful story – I hope you love it as much as I do’.
Launched in February 2022, Service95 is a global editorial platform founded by Dua Lipa, with over 300,000 followers on Instagram. The Book Club connects readers from around the world through both classic and contemporary books, by writers from all around the world. Throughout the month of May, Service95 will not only be introducing SWIMMING IN THE DARK to new readers, but sharing interviews, pieces of historical context, and reading guides for fans of the book old and new.
First published by Bloomsbury in 2020, SWIMMING IN THE DARK has since become a worldwide sensation, embraced by both critics and new generations of fans on BookTok. The novel was a finalist for the Polari First Book Prize in 2021, has so far been translated in eighteen languages, with film/TV, theatre and opera rights all under option for adaptation. It was published in the USA by William Morrow.
Poland, 1980. Shy, anxious Ludwik has been sent along with the rest of his university class to an agricultural camp. Here he meets Janusz – and together they spend a dreamlike summer falling in love.
But with summer over, the two are sent back to Warsaw. Confronted by the scrutiny, intolerance and corruption of life under the Party, Ludwik and Janusz must decide how they will survive; and in their different choices, find themselves torn apart.
Photo: Kuba Dubrowski
About Tomasz Jedrowski
Tomasz was born in West Germany to Polish parents and studied law at Cambridge. He lives in France, exploring local history, national identity, and ecology.
His debut novel SWIMMING IN THE DARK was published by Bloomsbury in the UK and William Morrow in the USA, and has been translated into eighteen languages. Film/TV rights and opera rights have been optioned. The novel was a finalist for the Polari First Book Prize (2021).
Praise for SWIMMING IN THE DARK
‘Marvellous, precise, poignant writing; the reader is happy to be overwhelmed. The highest talent at work.’ – Sebastian Barry
‘A lyrical exploration of the conflict between gay love and political conformity. Jedrowski is an authentic new international star.’ – Edmund White
‘Heartbreak – yes, I’m a romantic – is what we get from Tomasz Jedrowski’s exquisite debut novel, SWIMMING IN THE DARK. Set in 1980s Poland, this love story captivates and is so beautifully written I return to it again and again.’ – Guardian
‘Readers will relish the indelible prose, which approaches the mastery of Alan Hollinghurst. Jedrowski’s portrayal of Poland’s tumultuous political transformation over several decades makes this a provocative, eye-opening exploration of the costs of defying as well as complying with social and political conventions.’ – Publishers Weekly
‘A stupendous read: I could not put the book down. I urge you to order this book now. Its eloquence, its understanding of identity, belonging, loneliness and love is second to none. Powerful and uplifting.’ – Lord Michael Cashman, co-founder of Stonewall