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A new anthology brings together writers who have personally experienced homelessness, offering a powerful collection of stories that challenge common views on poverty and hardship. This project unites both emerging and established voices to share perspectives often unheard, highlighting resilience and the multifaceted nature of life affected by adversity.
Titled *More Than One Story*, the anthology is put together by Cardboard Citizens, an arts and social justice charity. The book features contributions from 37 authors who draw from their personal encounters with housing insecurity and poverty. Chris Sonnex, CEO of Cardboard Citizens, reflected on the response to the call for submissions: “When we asked for the voices of More Than One Story, we weren’t sure who would answer. What we received was a chorus – voices from every corner of the UK, carrying truths shaped by poverty and homelessness, by resilience, by love, by survival, joy, and rage.”
The collection expands on the charity’s successful 2024 film series made in collaboration with the Big Issue, which presented nine monologues written by new writers. From 135 submissions, a panel including Cardboard Citizens members and industry professionals carefully selected 22 stories for publication. These are accompanied by original works from notable authors and playwrights, including former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman, Olivier Award-winner Chris Bush, and T.S. Eliot Prize-winning poet Joelle Taylor.
Despite its serious subject matter, Sonnex, who has experienced homelessness himself, emphasized that the anthology is not solely somber. “It isn’t a book of ‘woe is me’,” he said. Many of the pieces are infused with humor, defiance, and hope, illustrating how humor can serve as a survival strategy. He added, “There’s a humanising factor here; instead of being a statistic, you’re a flawed or funny or whatever actual human. That’s what I think will change the idea of what it means to be homeless, or to come from poverty.” Sonnex also expressed hope that the book encourages the broader arts and cultural sectors to recognize and embrace talent from diverse and often overlooked backgrounds
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