Overnight Journeys, Conversations and Stories After Dark
- 27 Mar 2025
- 9781838857509
- £20
- 384 pp
- 159×240mm
- 12 Mar 2026
- 9781838857530
- £10.99
- 384 pp
- 135×204mm
- 27 Mar 2025
- 9781838857516
- £8.79
- 384 pp
In a few words
An exploration of night – the nocturnal world, insomnia, the creative potential of the dark hours, the work that happens at night to keep the modern world moving – by Sunday Times bestselling author Dan Richards
In a few words
An exploration of night – the nocturnal world, insomnia, the creative potential of the dark hours, The work that happens while most of us sleep – by Sunday Times bestselling author Dan Richards
In a few words
An exploration of night – the nocturnal world, insomnia, the creative potential of the dark hours, The work that happens while most of us sleep – by Sunday Times bestselling author Dan Richards
A discourse on the very nature of night-time itself, and its essential relationship to our humanity. This is a beautifully written work of startling brilliance, astonishing the reader page after page
Irvine Welsh
The height of crafted eloquence. The book felt choral to me, all those different nocturnal voices singing at the same time, and the cumulative effect of it is powerful and moving
Samantha Harvey
A discourse on the very nature of night-time itself, and its essential relationship to our humanity. This is a beautifully written work of startling brilliance, astonishing the reader page after page
Irvine Welsh
The height of crafted eloquence. The book felt choral to me, all those different nocturnal voices singing at the same time, and the cumulative effect of it is powerful and moving
Samantha Harvey
A discourse on the very nature of night-time itself, and its essential relationship to our humanity. This is a beautifully written work of startling brilliance, astonishing the reader page after page
Irvine Welsh
The height of crafted eloquence. The book felt choral to me, all those different nocturnal voices singing at the same time, and the cumulative effect of it is powerful and moving
Samantha Harvey
More about
the book
‘A beautifully written work of startling brilliance’ IRVINE WELSH
‘The height of crafted eloquence’ SAMANTHA HARVEY
‘Both gripping and consoling’ SARAH PERRY
There is something special about the night. For many, just the idea of it conjures thoughts of starlit skies, romance, refuge, of being tucked up in bed. For some, the night means fear, vulnerability, danger, sleeplessness. At night things go bump, monsters hide under beds, owls take wing and foxes prowl. For others still, nightfall signals the start of work.
Overnight is a celebration of all things nocturnal, of those who labour while the rest of us sleep: the bakers, health workers, sailors, couriers, broadcasters, drivers, fishers, the emergency services and more. And it is also a hymn to nighttime wildlife, dreams and art. We’ll hang out with bats and look at the stars. We’ll learn what Moomintroll has to teach us. We’ll travel by ship, train, racing car and foot. There will be more than one surprise along the way.
Through a series of personal journeys Dan Richards explores what the night means to a fascinating array of people, taking us from night terrors to the glow of watching the dawn break on the summer solstice. Overnight will change the way you think about the hours after dark.
More about
the book
‘A beautifully written work of startling brilliance’ IRVINE WELSH
‘The height of crafted eloquence’ SAMANTHA HARVEY
‘Both gripping and consoling’ SARAH PERRY
There is something special about the night.
For many, dusk and evening conjure thoughts of starlit skies, romance, bedtime stories and rest. For others, the small hours mean fear, vulnerability and sleeplessness. At night things go bump, the familiar world becomes mysterious and uncanny; owls and bats take wing, foxes prowl.
With new material delving deeper into all things nocturnal, Overnight is a hymn to nighttime wildlife, travel, dreams and art. Along the way, Dan Richards meets a fascinating array of people who labour while the rest of us sleep, and brings their work into the light.
From night terror chills to the warmth of dawn on the summer solstice, Overnight will change the way you think about the hours after dark.
More about
the book
‘A beautifully written work of startling brilliance’ IRVINE WELSH
‘The height of crafted eloquence’ SAMANTHA HARVEY
‘Both gripping and consoling’ SARAH PERRY
There is something special about the night.
For many, dusk and evening conjure thoughts of starlit skies, romance, bedtime stories and rest. For others, the small hours mean fear, vulnerability and sleeplessness. At night things go bump, the familiar world becomes mysterious and uncanny; owls and bats take wing, foxes prowl.
With new material delving deeper into all things nocturnal, Overnight is a hymn to nighttime wildlife, travel, dreams and art. Along the way, Dan Richards meets a fascinating array of people who labour while the rest of us sleep, and brings their work into the light.
From night terror chills to the warmth of dawn on the summer solstice, Overnight will change the way you think about the hours after dark.
Whether braving gales on a night ferry or joining early risers at a bakery, Richards’ engaging book illuminates the nocturnal workings of the nation. [ . . . ] Throughout this guide to that realm, he finds that where there’s darkness there’s often light
'paperback Of The Week'
ObserverCreatures of the night rejoice – this is the book we've been waiting for! A truly addictive read
Kevin Barry
A revelatory journey into the teeming life of the night. Moving, engrossing, essential
Katherine May
A paean of gratitude to every form of labour in the wee small hours, packed with enough fun facts for an entire pub quiz . . . Curiosity and boundless enthusiasm are what the reader is paying for here. It’s the author’s infectious sincerity that really makes Overnight work
Whether braving gales on a night ferry or joining early risers at a bakery, Richards’ engaging book illuminates the nocturnal workings of the nation. [ . . . ] Throughout this guide to that realm, he finds that where there’s darkness there’s often light
'paperback Of The Week'
ObserverCreatures of the night rejoice – this is the book we've been waiting for! A truly addictive read
Kevin Barry
A revelatory journey into the teeming life of the night. Moving, engrossing, essential
Katherine May
A paean of gratitude to every form of labour in the wee small hours, packed with enough fun facts for an entire pub quiz . . . Curiosity and boundless enthusiasm are what the reader is paying for here. It’s the author’s infectious sincerity that really makes Overnight work
Whether braving gales on a night ferry or joining early risers at a bakery, Richards’ engaging book illuminates the nocturnal workings of the nation. [ . . . ] Throughout this guide to that realm, he finds that where there’s darkness there’s often light
'paperback Of The Week'
ObserverCreatures of the night rejoice – this is the book we've been waiting for! A truly addictive read
Kevin Barry
A revelatory journey into the teeming life of the night. Moving, engrossing, essential
Katherine May
A paean of gratitude to every form of labour in the wee small hours, packed with enough fun facts for an entire pub quiz . . . Curiosity and boundless enthusiasm are what the reader is paying for here. It’s the author’s infectious sincerity that really makes Overnight work
Dan Richards
View profileDan Richards is the co-author of Holloway (with Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood), and the author of The Beechwood Airship Interviews, Climbing Days, Outpost and Overnight. Only After Dark, a BBC Radio 4 series about the nocturnal world, was broadcast to acclaim in 2022. Dan has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Economist and Esquire.
@Dan_Zep
Dan Richards
View profileDan Richards is the co-author of Holloway (with Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood), and the author of The Beechwood Airship Interviews, Climbing Days, Outpost and Overnight. Only After Dark, a BBC Radio 4 series about the nocturnal world, was broadcast to acclaim in 2022. Dan has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Economist and Esquire.
@Dan_Zep
Dan Richards
View profileDan Richards is the co-author of Holloway (with Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood), and the author of The Beechwood Airship Interviews, Climbing Days, Outpost and Overnight. Only After Dark, a BBC Radio 4 series about the nocturnal world, was broadcast to acclaim in 2022. Dan has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Economist and Esquire.
@Dan_Zep
Featured in
these articles
See the music mentioned in Overnight by Dan Richards, as well as the music that soundtracked its writing and research. Or you can also listen to the Spotify playlist.
