Pure Men

by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

A literature professor in a conservative Islamic community watches a viral video of a crowd exhuming the body of a queer man. Shaken, he re-examines his religious upbringing, finds his way into Dakar's queer community and comes under public scrutiny himself. Translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud. Finalist, 2026 National Book Award for Translated Literature.