Vivek Shraya

[A man with short-cropped hair stands thigh-deep in a lake, looking over his shoulder into the camera.

God Loves Hair is Vivek Shraya‘s first book, a collection of 21 short stories following a tender, intellectual, and curious child as he navigates complex realms of sexuality, gender, racial politics, religion, and belonging.

Told with the poignant insight and honesty that only the voice of a young mind can convey, the stories are accompanied by the award-winning illustrations of Toronto artist Juliana Neufeld.

God Loves Hair was selected as a finalist in the 2011 Lambda Literary Awards.

Listen to a reading

Read an excerpt: “Eyebrows”

[An illustration of a yellow cartoon character with a bushy “unibrow,” and the word “Eyebrows” written across it in white lettering.]

Beautifully illustrated & tenderly narrated, God Loves Hair enchants the reader from the very first page.

Gaysi Family

A touching, poetic exploration of budding sexuality, the mysticism of religion, and family dynamics.

Brian Francis, author of Fruit

Shraya’s endearing descriptions of childhood and adolescence are both humorous and heartbreaking.

Sara Quin (of Tegan and Sara)

A welcome peek into the complexities, richness, hardship, and even ‘juicy’ moments that make up a life lived not part of the majority.

Ted Kerr, Xtra and Vue Weekly columnist

Winner: Applied Arts Award for Illustration

Finalist: 2011 Lambda Literary Awards

Featured on the American Library Association’s
2011 Rainbow Project and Over the Rainbow book lists

More reviews: Crazy Quilts, Revel & Riot, Trikone, Out in Print,
What is Queer and Asian, The New Gay, Gaysi Family, The Coast.

Interviews with Vivek: Lambda Literary, KQED, Mid Day,
Masala Canada, Xtra!, Eye Weekly, Gaysi Family.

God Loves Hair in the classroom

[A black-and-white illustration of a young boy studying at a desk. A colourful thought bubble shows that he is dreaming of the god Ganesh.]

God Loves Hair is being used as course material in gender and sexuality courses at the University of Alberta, Brock University, and George Brown College. If you are interested in using God Loves Hair in your class as a textbook and/or having Vivek do a reading, workshop, or guest lecture, please contact vivek@vivekshraya.com for more information.

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Bhajans for Mom

[An illustration of a young brown-skinned boy with eyes closed and hands clasped in front of his face in prayer, and the text “I’m only a few days till Sunday.”]

Bhajans for Mom are eight Hindu devotional songs performed and produced by Vivek. Listen to them now, or download them all for free.