Africa
Yesterday
The Jalada collective: Charting Africa’s linguistic multiverse
Aaron Bady has written an article for Pacific Standard about Jalada Africa, a pan-African literary collective with a radical mission: ‘an ongoing translation effort to unite – and elevate – African literature’.
Sunday – 21st May 2017
Jowhor Ile wins Etisalat Prize for Literature for his novel And After Many Days
Nigerian author Jowhor Ile has won the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature for his novel And After Many Days.
Friday – 19th May 2017
A young reader edition of Hope in a Ballet Shoe available in English, isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans
Beautifully and gently illustrated by Ella Okstad, Ballerina Dreams is the younger-reader edition of Michaela DePrince’s highly moving memoir, Hope in a Ballet Shoe.
Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday shortlisted for 2017 Betty Trask Prize
The Society of Authors has announced the 2017 shortlist for the Betty Trask Prize and Awards. This year’s shortlist of six debut literary novels by authors under the age of 35 includes a self-published novel for the first time.
Thursday – 18th May 2017
Nigeria-based publisher Cassava making international waves
In Nigeria, a country with millions of potential book buyers, publishing is a tough business.
Tuesday – 16th May 2017
Read an excerpt from Rotten Row by Petina Gappah
The Old Familiar Faces are unhappily gathered at a once-elegant four-star golf resort and conference centre to which tourists no longer come.
2017 Caine Prize shortlist announced
The five-writer shortlist for the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing has been announced by Chair of judges, award winning author, poet and editor, Nii Ayikwei Parkes. The list includes a former Caine Prize shortistee and features a story translated
Friday – 12th May 2017
Don’t miss the launch of new short story collection Queer Africa 2
Queer Africa 2, the follow-up anthology to Queer Africa: new and collected fiction, will be launched at Wits University on 3 June.
Cover and title revealed for new Caine Prize anthology
The cover and title of the 2017 Caine Prize anthology have been revealed!
Wednesday – 10th May 2017
Namwali Serpell chats to Efemia Chela about writing, and her upcoming novel
Namwali Serpell spoke to Efemia Chela recently for a Short Story Day Africa interview.
Monday – 8th May 2017
Roland Glasser describes the process of translating Fiston Mwanza Mujila’s award winning Tram 83
In a wonderful article in the new issue of Asymptote, Roland Glasser writes about the experience of translating Fiston Mwanza Mujila’s award winning debut novel Tram 83 from French into English.
Friday – 5th May 2017
Zakes Mda’s message for Africa Month
The theme for Africa Month this year is ‘The Year of OR Tambo: Building a Better Africa and a Better World’.
Africa’s best new poems are ready for the reading
The 2016 installment of the Best “New” African Poets Anthology, from editors Tendai Rinos Mwanaka and Daniel da Purificação, seeks to give exposure to even more rising talents from Africa and its Diasporas.
Thursday – 4th May 2017
Bookshy features 22 short story collections by African women writers
Bookshy has curated a list of short story collections by African women writers, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Helen Oyeyemi, Sofia Samatar, Bessie Head, Petina Gappah and Lauren Beukes.
The Public Medievalist uncovers the African presence in Medieval Europe
The Public Medievalist’s current series on Race, Racism and the Middle Ages, by Adam Simmons, is worth a read. were sub-Saharan African people present in medieval Europe? Despite their glaring absence from many histories, both popular and academic, t
Tuesday – 2nd May 2017
Peter Kimani chats to Africa is a Country about historical fiction
Peter Kimani spoke to Africa is a Country recently about how historical fiction has been having a bit of moment recently, especially among authors from the African continent and its diaspora.
Clouds In The Wind
The captivating story of an ambitious young financial executive who, by force of circumstance, is drawn to a country embroiled in civil war.
Monday – 1st May 2017
Issue 1 of The Johannesburg Review of Books is out
We are delighted to present the first issue of The Johannesburg Review of Books—comprising almost twenty reviews, essays, articles, stories, poems, photographs and other items.
Friday – 28th April 2017
10 essential African novels, chosen by 5 African writers
We asked five novelists, each from a different African country and with a new novel out this spring, to select two of their favorite African novels. Here’s what each picked. Links to PW reviews are provided when available.
Thursday – 27th April 2017
Chinelo Okparanta, Dinaw Mengestu and Yaa Gyasi make Granta’s list of the best young American novelists
Granta has chosen its third list of the ‘Best of Young American Novelists’, including the Nigeria-born Chinelo Okparanta, Ethiopia-born Dinaw Mengestu and Ghana-born Yaa Gyasi.