A Father Is Born: A Memoir by Tumiso Mashaba is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

‘A gripping, poetic, vivid and deeply entertaining memoir.’ – Niq Mhlongo, author

The death of Neo ‘Snowy’ Mashaba at 55 provokes an intense emotional reaction in his son, Tumiso, the author of this moving portrait of a relationship between a father and son.

Tumiso is stunned by his emotional response, as his father was a distant and often brutal presence in his childhood. This launches him down the road of personal investigation of his childhood, but also what it means to him now as a father to his own children.

Will he repeat the sins of his father?

The author digs deep into his own psychology, providing a deeply satisfying read with well-drawn characters and moments of intense anguish and catharsis.

Covering themes of fatherhood, black masculinity, toxic masculinity, generational trauma, infidelity, abuse, and suicide and mental health, Mashaba creates a realistic backdrop of a gritty modern South Africa.

About the author

Tumiso Mashaba is a journalist, writer, producer and entrepreneur. In 2011 he was awarded the United Nations Foundation prize for his documentary, Forging Utopia, about refugees. He also worked as a Special Broadcasts producer for the SABC for a number of years, where he was responsible for coordinating and overseeing special broadcasts of national interest. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Journalism from the Tshwane University of Technology.

Categories Non-fiction South Africa

Tags A Father Is Born Jonathan Ball Publishers New books New releases Tumiso Mashaba