Standing Heavy

Ferdinand arrives in 1960s Paris from Côte d'Ivoire with dreams of becoming someone significant, only to find himself a security guard observing the world from the margins decades later. Gauz weaves together intimate moments—like the quiet bond between the guard and the babies who pass through his days—with the larger historical currents that shaped a generation. This rare, transformative novel balances humor and poignancy as it traces one man's journey through hope, displacement, and unexpected grace.