[How it Works](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up Open Water Caleb Azumah Nelson Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/84139/9780802157942) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Celestial **WINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD** **A NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION 5 UNDER 35** **WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION** A stunning first novel about two young Black artists in London falling in and out of love by a new literary virtuoso and finalist for the BBC Short Story Award, twenty-six-year-old writer and photographer Caleb Azumah Nelson. > “Open Water is tender poetry, a love song to Black art and thought, an exploration of intimacy and vulnerability between two young artists learning to be soft with each other in a world that hardens against Black people.” —Yaa Gyasi, author of _Homegoing_ In a crowded London pub, two young people meet. Both are Black British, both won scholarships to private schools where they struggled to belong, both are now artists—he a photographer, she a dancer—and both are trying to make their mark in a world that by turns celebrates and rejects them. Tentatively, tenderly, they fall in love. But two people who seem destined to be together can still be torn apart by fear and violence, and over the course of a year they find their relationship tested by forces beyond their control. Narrated with deep intimacy, _Open Water_ is at once an achingly beautiful love story and a potent insight into race and masculinity that asks what it means to be a person in a world that sees you only as a Black body; to be vulnerable when you are only respected for strength; to find safety in love, only to lose it. With gorgeous, soulful intensity, and blistering emotional intelligence, Caleb Azumah Nelson gives a profoundly sensitive portrait of romantic love in all its feverish waves and comforting beauty. This is one of the most essential debut novels of recent years, heralding the arrival of a stellar and prodigious young talent. Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Celestial [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 30](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [your friend really, really needs to read these books …](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/r3idbohpqMBIgBSjDAZ0/) your friend really, really needs to read these books … 📚 books mentioned: \- Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes \- Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado \- Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine \- Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington \- Canon by Paige Lewis \- You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado \- Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz \- The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar \- Open Throat by Henry Hoke \- Singer Distance by Ethan Chatagnier \- Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow \- Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson \- Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino \- The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter \- Fury by Shirley Marr 👗💄: \- shirt is from Hill House Home \- eyeshadow is The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite and In A Trance from Colourpop \- eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Ocean) from Pacifica Beauty \- shimmer is a single (Enchanted) from Adriana Nichole Cosmetics \- mascara is Clean Volume from Merit \- lip combo is Suede Matte Lip Liner (Moonwalk) from NYX Cosmetics and Wonder Blading Top Gloss (Holographic) from Wonderskin thank you to Bindery Books, Sourcebooks Landmark, Simon Teen, Viking Books, William Morrow, Tordotcom, and Tin House for the gifted copies! #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @bindery\_books @graywolfpress @sourcebooks @bookmarked @simonteen @vikingbooks @williammorrowbooks @entangledteen @tordotcompub @mcdbooks @tin\_house @fiercereads @groveatlantic @fsgbooks @orbitbooks\_us @hillhouse @glamlite @adriananicholecosmetics @merit @wonderskin @colourpopcosmetics @nyxcosmetics * * * 15 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Sep 20 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [romance recs? from ME? never thought you’d see the day, huh?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/TXHcV1i9DKMPUdwHYatA/) romance recs? from ME? never thought you’d see the day, huh? 📚 books mentioned: \- Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson \- You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi \- Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz 👗💄: \- dress is from @hillhouse, rented from @nuuly \- pink sparkly eyeshadow is Sparklestik from @halfmagicbeauty \- purple duochrome eyeliner is from @moiracosmetics \- (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!) thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy! #romancebooks #romancebookrecs #romancebookreviews #romancebookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @groveatlantic @atriabooks #atriapartner @entangledteen @entangled\_publishing * * * 3 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jan 5 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [book recs based on musicals](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/04V4ehRQfeI6ziy1cizx/) 🎭 books recs based on your favorite musicals! (if anyone comments “just read the books they’re actually based on 🙄”, i’m going to reach through the screen and smack you because you’re a theatre person & you should be more creative than that!!!) 📚 books mentioned: \- The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings (Wicked) \- Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) \- Fury by Shirley Marr (Heathers) \- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (Hadestown) \- All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle (Come From Away) \- The Sunbearer Trials (The Lightning Thief) #bookrecsfrommusicals #broadwaybooks #ifyoulikethismusicalreadthisbook #musicaltheatre #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #IGShareYourPassion @amistadbooks @groveatlantic @blackdogbooks @sagapressbooks @grandcentralpub @fiercereads * * * 5 books 1 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 30](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [your friend really, really needs to read these books …](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/r3idbohpqMBIgBSjDAZ0/) your friend really, really needs to read these books … thank you to Bindery Books, Sourcebooks Landmark, Simon Teen, Viking Books, William Morrow, Tordotcom, and Tin House for the gifted copies! * * * 15 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Sep 20 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [romance recs? from ME? never thought you’d see the day, huh?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/TXHcV1i9DKMPUdwHYatA/) romance recs? from ME? never thought you’d see the day, huh? 📚 books mentioned: \- Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson \- You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi \- Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy! * * * 3 books [JemilaBeReadin\\ \\ JemilaBeReadin\\ \\ • Feb 20 2025](https://jemilabereadin.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [the BANGERS of 2024](https://jemilabereadin.binderybooks.com/item/dVc4CgLAKk7rb6cwj1lA/) You can find trigger/content warnings here: \\* Storygraph \\* https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=Welcome PETITIONS & FUNDRAISERS: \\* Support Palestine: https://linktr.ee/resourcesforpalestine \\* Operation Olive Branch: https://www.instagram.com/operationolivebranch/?hl=en \\* Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ \\* Around the World: https://the2020world.carrd.co/ \\* Help the Quileute Tribe Move to High Ground: https://mthg.org/ \\* Tigray Crisis: https://linktr.ee/Tigraycrisis FIND ME ELSEWHERE: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jemilabereadin/ 🤳🏾 TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdMBQSbg/ 🐥 Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/jemilando 📚 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4150099-jemila 📧 Email: jemilabereadin@gmail.com OUTRO: \\* Outro Music by Sejji Bonz https://bit.ly/3oG668L \\* Outro Template by Sukhasha Dhar https://bit.ly/3nEQHED * * * 22 books 4 [JemilaBeReadin\\ \\ JemilaBeReadin\\ \\ • Feb 20 2025](https://jemilabereadin.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [october & november wrap up](https://jemilabereadin.binderybooks.com/item/q64bW4driVw1iqvuidBL/) You can find trigger/content warnings here: \\* Storygraph \\* https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=Welcome OUTRO: \\* Outro Music by Sejji Bonz https://bit.ly/3oG668L \\* Outro Template by Sukhasha Dhar https://bit.ly/3nEQHED * * * 11 books 3 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jan 5 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [book recs based on musicals](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/04V4ehRQfeI6ziy1cizx/) 🎭 books recs based on your favorite musicals! * * * 5 books 1 [Boneyard Picnic\\ \\ Natalie Meagan\\ \\ • Dec 30 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Book Club Reads of 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/pyN8zD8a22clIc9E9pg8/) We read 19 books together this year, let's see what they were! * * * 14 books 2 [Boundless Press\\ \\ Jananie\\ \\ • May 10 2024](https://boundless.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Hello loves! I hope you’re having a wonderful start to your month! See below for what’s up with me :)\\ \\ ​\\ \\ **What’s going on with me:**\\ \\ I am in the process of revamping what my daily schedule looks like and how I want to set the tone for the summer. A few things I’m hoping to change for the summer:\\ \\ - Start going to the gym 4-5 times a week rather than my regular 2-3. I recently upgraded my gym membership so that I can attend unlimited classes per month so I’m excited to make use of that!\\ - Start waking up at the crack of dawn to write lol. I’m hoping to tap into some manic energy this summer and start waking up at 5am to write before I go to the gym and before I start the work day. Despite wanting to get started with writing again this month I’ve been struggling to find the time, so I think getting it out of the way in the morning is the way it has to go down if I’m ever going to finish this book.\\ - I want to scroll less on my phone and also reduce some time on my devices. I’ve been having nasty evening headaches from staring at my computer or phone screens so I want to alleviate those by taking more breaks to get up and walk—and using pen and paper to do the initial ideation for my videos rather than my computer.\\ - Be more mindful of my time. This goes in hand with the previous goal but I want to spend less time going down the rabbit hole of comparing myself against other people. I want to read more, write more, and create more. I’ve been looking into upgrading my video equipment and I’m hoping to spend some time learning to create more cinematic/aesthetic videos for my own creative pleasure.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ **How I’m doing ~ mentally ~**\\ \\ It’s honestly been a bit on and off for me these days. I had way too many YouTube related work meetings and just personal social plans this past week or so and it’s definitely taken a toll. I’m a very strict ambivert, so depending on the social situation I can either gain or lose a lot of energy. I had a full mix of those situations this past week so I’m definitely feeling a bit tired but also inspired!\\ \\ One of these social activities was an event with other YouTubers and creators in Toronto which was super fun, really inspiring and got me thinking a lot about my content and where I want to take my content in the future. I’ve been noodling with the idea of a mini rebrand and even changing my channel name 🫢 It wouldn’t be anything crazy, probably just my name—Jananie K. Velu. I would love to hear your thoughts on it though!\\ \\ Otherwise, I’m hoping to have a quiet week ahead and take some time to ground myself again.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ **What I’m working on this week:**\\ \\ Last week I got my “sad hot girls” vlog up and I’m currently editing my March-April wrapup to post asap. I also finally filmed that Bridgerton video I’ve been talking about for ages so I’ll be editing that as well this weekend.\\ \\ I’m still on the fence as to whether I’ll do a video talking about my thoughts on season 3 of the show once it’s out so let me know if you’d be into that!\\ \\ Upcoming videos for May:\\ \\ - My favourite books by Asian authors (recommendation video for Asian Heritage Month / AAPI month)\\ - Are Ottessa Moshfegh books worth the hype? Reading vlog for her backlist\\ - Queer/LGBTQIAP+ book recs\\ \\ ​\\ \\ **What I’m currently reading:**\\ \*\*A Passage North \*\*by Anuk Arudpragasam — I just started this today and I’m already in love with the writing. I know this is going to be a heavy one since it deals with the Sri Lankan civil war but I have a feeling it’s going to be a new favourite\\ \\ **Open Water** by Caleb Azumah Nelson — I started this on my eReader the other day and was liking the opening but I’m not sure how I feel about the second-person narration. At times it feels a bit confusing so I think I just need to get used to it.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ **What I’m watching:**\\ \\ I’m back on my Desperate Housewives train and we’ve only got one more season left after the current one I’m on. I honestly don’t know what I’ll do once I’m done this show because it’s seriously gotten me through some tough days 😱\\ \\ I’ve also been watching a lot of YouTube videos recently—from booktube to other spheres and it’s been interesting to see different kinds of content and what trends are circulating.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ Anyways that’s all from me for today! Hope you’re all doing well! Let me know what your weekend plans are and what you’re reading <3\\ \\ ​\\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://boundless.binderybooks.com/item/owpLodHTtpYCwrVrmaMQ/) [05.10.24 - journal update #8](https://boundless.binderybooks.com/item/owpLodHTtpYCwrVrmaMQ/) open for this week's journal entry! :) * * * 2 books 4 [Boneyard Picnic\\ \\ Natalie Meagan\\ \\ • Apr 25 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Yes or No Book Reccs](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/morce4sbC31NGCPEjlCD/) Short and sweet, do I recommend buying these books? Yes or no!? * * * 18 books [Boneyard Picnic\\ \\ Natalie Meagan\\ \\ • Apr 8 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/J8Lztr1JNEel1vcL4ikB/) [Everything I've Read This Year (so far & no spoilers)](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/J8Lztr1JNEel1vcL4ikB/) Can you believe I am somewhat on time with putting out a recap video?! Me either! I recorded a short and sweet, yes or no video including all of these books but if you want a little more (no spoilers!) here is the longer version! ALL THE LINKS YOU COULD EVER WANT 🛍 Shop my wares? https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCrybabyClub 📚 Join the book club? https://bit.ly/3Hgz1ex You can also find me here: Newsletter: https://weirdobookclub.substack.com/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weirdobookclub Bookstagram: http://instagram.com/weirdobookclub StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3TWDw5N GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3TTHpYX * * * 16 books 2 [Violetear Books\\ \\ Kevin\\ \\ • Jan 16 2024](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/item/Mw3xupRbKvG3FBJSE0xv/) [Reading Update](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/item/Mw3xupRbKvG3FBJSE0xv/) Here's everything I read last week! What have you been reading? Will be posting this on socials later this week, but you get it first! * * * 3 books 6 [2](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/item/Mw3xupRbKvG3FBJSE0xv/#comments)