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Canongate acquires Manni Coe's 'heart-mending' memoir
Canongate has acquired the "heart-mending" memoir from British Book Awards shortlistee Manni Coe. Simon Thorogood acquired world rights to Little Ruins from Dotti Irving at Greyhound Literary and edited it before his departure. Canongate will publish in hardback, ebook and audiobook in August 2025 with a paperback to follow. Jamie Byng and Claire Reiderman will be publishing the book.
Coe’s earlier book brother. do. you. love. me. was both a Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Month and shortlisted for Book of the Year at the British Book Awards.
The book follows Coe and his partner as they take a risk and buy The Corner, a crumbling but beautiful 150-year-old farmstead tucked into a remote valley in Andalusia. The synopsis continues: "It’s perfect for their unconventional family of three: Jack, Manni and his youngest brother, Reuben. Secluded from the village by a river and in awe of the extraordinary Spanish landscape, Manni watches their land teem with mountain goats and wild boar, red deer and seasonal swallows. He begins to feel that this might be the place where each of them will find their peace.
"But nothing is ever so simple. Though their hilltop village offers food, fellowship and guidance, many visitors bring their own problems and troubled pasts over the river. While Manni and Jack work to afford rebuilding The Corner, who will care for Reuben in the way that he deserves? And as Manni starts to realise that the scars from his childhood – kept hidden for all these years – might not have healed at all, a single, terrible event threatens everything the three of them have spent so long building together."
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The publisher described Little Ruins as "a heart-mending exploration of human connection, nature’s gifts and the power of love in all its forms".
Coe said: "Trauma rips us away from the person we might have been, separating us from our sense of purpose and meaning. Healing from trauma is the long, complicated and often painful path of returning to the centre of ourselves. Little Ruins is my memoir of a journey of healing from abuse and trauma. I had to walk back to my little boy self and bring him home. I was finally able to find peace and healing in my new church, an auditorium of nature, wildlife and silence. In the wild, far from the civilisation that hurt me, I was finally able to heal."
Irving said: "Manni has already touched the hearts of people around the world with brother. do. you. love. me., his unforgettable story of the journey he and his brother Reuben undertook together in the wake of Reuben’s Covid breakdown. Little Ruins will similarly speak to readers everywhere, as it touches on universal themes – home and belonging, trust and friendship, courage and truth, the power of forgiveness. It’s a truthful, moving and beautifully poetic book and I’m delighted that Canongate is publishing it."
Byng and Reiderman said: "We had the great pleasure of welcoming Manni and Reuben to Canongate for the paperback of their debut, brother. do. you. love. me. We were blown away by their incredible story and deep love for each other. The support that booksellers brought to it was testimony to its raw, emotive power and a desire to read stories of love in all its forms prevailing against the odds. Manni’s next and solo book, Little Ruins, has been years in the making but confirms him as a writer capable of telling difficult stories with a tender, intimate and deeply humane touch. Little Ruins is a transformative tale of found family and personal triumph that you’ll want to press into your loved ones’ hands. We can’t wait to share it with you."
