“People You Know, Places You’ve Been is a spellbinding collection of poems and drawings that thoughtfully describes the discomfort and beauty of everyday life. Shafi skillfully pairs humour and tenderness to depict familiar people and places through a lens of nostalgia, rage, and feminist thought.” —Ambivalently Yours, author of Fire and Other Feelings

“People You Know, Places You’ve Been is a touching and engaging collection of everyday moments and connections seen through the viewfinder of Hana Shafi’s glorious and immensely creative mind. A joy to read.” —Farzana Doctor, author of You Still Look the Same

“People You Know, Places You’ve Been brings ‘little signs of magic in such / an un-whimsical world.’ In this collection of poetry and visual art, hazy telephone poles against sky-rise buildings are a sight of beauty, a diner down the road has the best breakfast, and a subway commute is a scene from a movie. You are the main character in a world full of encounters with antiheroes, supporting characters, and nemeses. From aunties to teenage couples in vacation towns to hot professors, each moment makes life more alive. Shafi’s words guide us to ‘romanticize your ugly life’ and to ‘think of small blessings / as grand gestures.’ In this collection, and the world Shafi creates, ‘loving you is so wonderfully easy.’” —Manahil Bandukwala, author of MONUMENT