Contemporary Author -- Cebo Campbell

About Cebo Campbell

 Cebo Campbell is an American author working under Simon & Schuster. His only and major work, Sky Full of Elephants, drew critical acclaim for its meta commentary on racism and the existence of black bodies in a world suddenly without white supremacy (2). He is based out of Brooklyn, New York, though he spent a portion of his time as a writer in London, England. He is also a screenwriter, filmmaker, and designer on top of being a novelist. Despite having only such recent success, he is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Aspen Literary Prize, Mark Twain Prize, and The Black List Best (2). His next project Wells Without Water, is decreibed as a "southern gothic horror" novel based on the atrocities of slavery, with Campbell imbuing elements of cosmic horror into the very real experiences of slaves in nineteenth-century America (2).

Sky Full of Elephants

    As mentioned prior, Sky Full of Elephants, is Campbell's triumphant novel that, upon universal critical praise, has made him an author to keep an eye on in the coming years. (2)The novel follows Charlie, a black man living in America. After getting caught in an affair with a white woman, he is falsely accused of rape. "The event" occurs while he is serving time in prison, where white people across the country, and presumably the world, walk into the nearest body of water and drown. The United States undergoes radical changes with such a large swath of the population gone. Economically, culturally, and politically what was considered normal flips entirely. After this shift, Charlie becomes a professor at Howard University, and strives to create a sustainable power grid. The novel follows him and his family as they struggle to adapt in this new world, so fundamentally changed in ways never thought to be imaginable.

Critical Reception

Critical reception of Sky Full of Elephants was, and remains, largely glowing. Reviews generally praise Campbell's prose and introspectiveness, though Medium's Zachary Houle makes complaint of this, saying, "this novel additionally has endless monologuing by its characters to reveal their inner thoughts and emotions" (1). That criticism did not detract from Houle's praise of the novel, stating how ambitious he found the novel to be, and how well it often finds its mark (1). Dr. Brandale Mills Cox finds the idea of the novel "captivating" (4). She continues to say that the book tackles certain hard truths that must be faced if true equality is desired, and calls it a "must read" for those interested in their Black consciousness (4).

My Thoughts

I've found my delving into Cebo Campbell's work and life very enriching. It is important to keep up with contemporary authors, especially those who are people of color. Amplifying those voices is absolutely conducive to bettering the arts, and creating awareness for other ideas and experiences. I am actually pretty interested in checking out his book after this, as I think that the premise is incredibly out there in a way that I love.

Works Cited

1. “Book Review: ‘Sky Full of Elephants’ by Cebo Campbell | by Zachary Houle | Medium.” Medium, 8 Sept. 2024, zachary-houle.medium.com/book-review-sky-full-of-elephants-by-cebo-campbell-54672ead8686.

2. Campbell, Cebo. “Novelistfilmmakerdesignerscreenwriterfounder.” Cebo Campbell, 2 Sept. 2025, cebocampbell.com/.

3. Campbell, Cebo. Sky Full of Elephants. Simon & Schuster, 2024.

4. Cox, Brandale Mills. “Book Review: Sky Full of Elephants.” Home, Home, 15 July 2025, www.drbrandalemillscox.com/commentary-1/book-review-sky-full-of-elephants.