Latest news
Find and share the best in books – daily!
Friday – 14th July 2017
Margie Orford steps down from PEN South Africa presidency, welcomes Nadia Davids to the role
Margie Orford is standing down from the presidency of PEN South Africa, with Nadia Davids set to take over.
Thursday – 13th July 2017
First look at Nelson Mandela’s unfinished memoir – Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years
Drawing on Nelson Mandela’s own unfinished memoir, Dare Not Linger is the remarkable story of his presidency told in his own words and those of distinguished South African writer Mandla Langa.
South African youngsters beat world’s best at ‘the Olympics of reading’
A team of four South African boys has won the World Final of the global Kids Lit Quiz in Toronto, Canada – an event widely known as ‘the Olympics of reading’.
Thandeka Gqubule talks about using African proverbs and history in her biography of Thuli Madonsela
Thandekqa Gqubule explains the use of proverbs and stories in her new biography of the former Public Protector, No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela.
Win a copy of the new book Africa’s Billionaires: Inspirational stories from the continent’s wealthiest people
Penguin Random House SA has three copies of Africa’s Billionaires: Inspirational stories from the continent’s wealthiest people to give away!
Wednesday – 12th July 2017
Two new Zadie Smith books announced, including her first historical novel
Two new books by Zadie Smith have been announced: a collection of her best short fiction over almost two decades, and her first work of historical fiction.
The latest and hottest new local fiction from Penguin Random House SA
Love local? Check out the new local fiction published by Penguin Random House South Africa this year so far.
Changing the way we think about African fiction: See what’s out from Cassava Republic Press
Teju Cole, Elnathan John, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Olumide Popoola and more – check out what Cassava Republic Press has to offer!
Celebrate 20 years of Harry Potter magic with four special editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw … to mark the 20th anniversary of first publication, Bloomsbury is publishing four House Editions of JK Rowling’s modern classic, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Submissions Call for Children’s and YA Books
Imagnary House is a boutique publishing house for children’s books and young-adult literature in Cape Town, South Africa. They have opened their submissions for 2017, and are looking to build up their publication list for the next 2 years.
Tuesday – 11th July 2017
Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death in development at HBO with George RR Martin as executive producer
Nnedi Okorafor’s novel Who Fears Death is in development as a TV series at HBO, with George RR Martin executive producing.
Call for entries: The 2017 Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Award & Anthology
The Jacana Literary Foundation has announced that submissions for the seventh annual Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award and Anthology will be open from 1 to 16 July 2017!
Hamba kahle, Emma Mashinini
The feisty and inspirational Emma Mashinini has passed away at age 87. Emma’s memoir, Strikes Have Followed Me All My Life was originally published by The Women’s Press UK in 1989 and republished by Picador Africa in South Africa in 2012 with a new foreword by Jay Naidoo.
Don’t miss the launch of Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were by Philip Lymbery
‘Dead Zone is a must-read book for everyone who loves the wondrous wild creatures with whom we share our precious planet.’ – Joanna Lumley OBE
Chizi’s Tale: The story of how one of Africa’s fiercest animals was raised by a remarkable family
On an August day, in Zimbabwe, a newborn black rhino lost his mother. Black rhinos are critically endangered. Knowing that the calf would not survive without help, a park ranger made an astonishing decision: he took the rhino home.
Monday – 10th July 2017
Sisonke Msimang on writing her memoir: ‘The dissonance between the SA of our dreams and the SA we have built’
Sisonke Msimang chatted to Heather Robertson of Nal’ibali recently about stories, activism, and her forthcoming memoir, Always Another Country.
New book sets the record straight about Mandela’s last years
Mandela’s Last Years by Vejay Ramlakan is out now from Penguin Random House SA.
South Africa and the world are at an economic crossroads – Lorenzo Fioramonti
Lorenzo Fioramonti, author of Wellbeing Economy: Success in a World Without Growth, explains why you should buy his new book.
Friday – 7th July 2017
‘The most fun I’ve ever had on a novel’ – Deon Meyer describes writing his new book Fever
Deon Meyer says writing his new book, Fever, was eighteen months of ‘pure joy, and intense enjoyment’.
Win a copy of Softness of the Lime, the new novel by Maxine Case
Penguin Random House SA is giving away three copies of Softness of the Lime, the new novel from Maxine Case!