“One of the finest young writers working today . . . Brinkley is a skilled, patient prose stylist and deft writer of character who isn’t afraid to engage with the difficult moral complexity of contemporary life. Reading Witness will make you consider your place in the world as both a bystander and a participant.” —Isle McElroy, Vulture

“[Witness] contains stories about people who choose to speak on behalf of others—or fail to do so. Brinkley is immensely talented, making this one of the year’s most anticipated works of American fiction.” —Michael Schaub, NPR

“These brilliant and heart-wrenching stories, bound by the act of bearing witness, capture moments of loss and grief.” —Lauren LeBlanc, The Boston Globe

★ “Short stories that in their depth of feeling, perception, and sense of place affirm their author’s bright promise . . . [They] carry a rich veneer worthy of such exemplars of the form as Chekhov, Eudora Welty, Alice Munro, and James Alan McPherson . . . After just two collections, Brinkley may already be a grand master of the short story.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ “In his dazzling sophomore collection, Brinkley digs into the promises and dangers of intimacy and the costs of speaking up or staying silent . . . Throughout, Brinkley crafts unforgettable portraits, humming with barely restrained tension, of Black men and women exploring what it means to be part of families and communities that are awash in hope and disappointment alike. These intimate vignettes have the power to move readers.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Brinkley keenly explores [his characters’] predicaments with grace and wit.” —Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times

“[Witness] probes the nature and cost of doing something. Brinkley’s short fiction can be found in just about all of the biggest short story outlets, and his previous collection was nominated for a National Book Award. So, I think it’s safe to say we can expect great things from this one as well.” —Shelbi Polk, Shondaland

“Portraits of intimacy and friendship, grief and mourning . . . Expect this to be one of the standout collections of the year.” —Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub (Most Anticipated Books of 2023)

“Jamel Brinkley is one of the best story writers we have. Witness is a book of psychological acuity, of graceful sentences, of devastation and heart. Read everything this man writes, and know the world anew.” —Justin Torres, author of We the Animals 

“Jamel Brinkley reminds one of iconic short-story writers Edward P. Jones and Mavis Gallant. His characters, full of mysteries and secrets, do not strive to be something larger than life, nor do they allow themselves to be reduced into categorizable and explicable figures. Each story in Witness brings a novel’s worth of richness and complexity. This is a dazzling collection by a masterful storyteller.” —Yiyun Li, author of The Book of Goose

“In Witness, Jamel Brinkley explores the longings and fears of his characters with a tenderness and generosity of spirit that makes the reader hurt when they hurt, and rejoice in life’s surprising moments of joy alongside them. He renders worlds both familiar and new with precision and clarity, showing the many ways that place has the power to mark people, whether they be young boys, old men or the people society pushes to its margins. Read Witness and allow yourself the pleasure of seeing the world as Brinkley sees it.” —Angela Flournoy, author of The Turner House

“Brinkley’s sentences are daggers. He writes about the shifting intimacies of community and love with wit and warmth.” —Raven Leilani, author of Luster