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Chris Cleave

Goodreads Author

Born

in London, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.chriscleave.com

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Psychology

Influences

Virginia Woolf, Cormac McCarthy, Zola Emile Zola, John Steinbeck, Howa ...more

Member Since

September 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/chriscleave

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Dr Chris Cleave is a New York Times #1 bestselling novelist, a chartered psychologist and a psychotherapist. He writes a weekly piece on humanity and healing at http://chriscleave.substack.com

Chris was born in London and spent his early years in Cameroon. His novels are:
INCENDIARY
LITTLE BEE
(THE OTHER HAND)
GOLD
EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN

He lives in London with his wife and some of their three adult children.

Website at http://www.chriscleave.com

...more

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Combine Editions
Chris Cleave’s books

Average rating: 3.72 · 324,894 ratings · 32,807 reviews · 28 distinct works • Similar authors

	Little Bee 3.72 avg rating — 248,071 ratings — published 2008 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Everyone Brave Is Forgiven 3.75 avg rating — 45,454 ratings — published 2016 — 57 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gold 3.71 avg rating — 16,831 ratings — published 2012 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Incendiary 3.62 avg rating — 13,915 ratings — published 2005 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gold: Sneak Preview with Bonus Essays 3.68 avg rating — 88 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Chris Cleave Ebook Boxed Set: Little Bee, Incendiary, Gold 4.03 avg rating — 65 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Something to Read About: A Book Club Sampler from Simon Schuster by Chris Cleave (Goodreads Author), Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author), Sarah Pekkanen (Goodreads Author) 3.48 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Incendiary: A Novel 4.05 avg rating — 44 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	chris cleave 3 book collection bundle set, (little bee, the other hand, incen... 4.25 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gull it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2006 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Chris Cleave…

86 posts
Chris Cleave's Blog: Human Again with Dr Chris Cleave

How to fall back in love with humanity

Being a therapist is a pretty good cure for cynicism. The job lets you meet people from all backgrounds, with unimaginable stories, and to get to a place far deeper than their politics and opinions. You see people’s hearts, and you like what you see. But then you close up the therapy room, step out into the street, and the song freezes on your lips.

In my country, patriotic flags are starting

Related News

Interview with Chris Cleave

A novel of athletic and emotional extremes, Gold pits two close friends and cyclists against each other as they race for the chance to compete in...

Chris is Currently Reading

Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing

Look At You

by Amanda Smyth (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jul 25, 2025 06:25AM

Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing

Time Shelter

by Georgi Gospodinov

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jul 25, 2025 06:24AM

Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing

The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World

by David Abram

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jul 25, 2025 06:24AM

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Chris’s Recent Updates

Chris Cleave added a status update: Here's a short story I wrote this week, about the times we are living through. I hope you enjoy it! https://chriscleave.substack.com/p/ho...
Aug 01, 2025 05:41AM · 4 likes · like · see status
Chris Cleave made a comment on his status " Thank you, Heather! "
Aug 01, 2025 05:39AM
Chris Cleave wants to read Exophony: Voyages Outside the Mother Tongue by Yōko Tawada	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 01, 2025 05:38AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Exophony by Yōko Tawada. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Exophony by Yōko Tawada <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave liked Lillian's review of Exophony: Voyages Outside the Mother Tongue:
Jul 31, 2025 12:32PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Exophony by Yōko Tawada. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Exophony by Yōko Tawada <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave liked Chelsea’s status update Chelsea wants to read How to Change Your Mind: The New Science of Psychedelics
Jul 25, 2025 06:58AM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave is accepting questions on their profile page.
Jul 25, 2025 06:50AM · Be the first to ask Chris Cleave a question
Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing Look At You by Amanda Smyth (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 25, 2025 06:26AM · 3 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Look At You by Amanda Smyth. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Look At You by Amanda Smyth <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 25, 2025 06:25AM · 3 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave rated a book it was amazing The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World by David Abram	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 25, 2025 06:25AM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Cleave is currently reading The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World by David Abram	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 25, 2025 06:24AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Chris's books…

Quotes by Chris Cleave (?)

“On the girl's brown legs there were many small white scars. I was thinking, Do those scars cover the whole of you, like the stars and the moons on your dress? I thought that would be pretty too, and I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived.”
― Chris Cleave, Little Bee

tags: healing, scars

417 likes

“We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, 'I survived'.”
― Chris Cleave, The Other Hand

385 likes

“Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive. The next thing you know something fine will happen to her, something marvelous, and then she will turn around and smile.”
― Chris Cleave, Little Bee

171 likes

See all Chris Cleave's quotes »

Polls

February is literary/general fiction month and since it is Black History Month, we will read a book by a black author, AND/OR centering on the black experience.
Last day to vote - January 10, 2023

White Teeth

Zadie Smith

2 votes, 40.0%

The Nickel Boys

Colson Whitehead

1 vote, 20.0%

The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison

1 vote, 20.0%

The Help

Kathryn Stockett

1 vote, 20.0%

Small Island

Andrea Levy

0 votes, 0.0%

Little Bee

Chris Cleave

0 votes, 0.0%

5 total votes

3 comments

More...

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