Africa
Thursday – 8th June 2017
Young and queer in London and Port Harcourt: Olumide Popoola’s debut novel When We Speak of Nothing
When We Speak of Nothing launches a powerful new voice onto the literary stage. The fluid prose, peppered with contemporary slang, captures what it means to be young and queer in London and Port Harcourt. If grime music were a novel, it would be this.
First round of international authors announced for 2017 Open Book Festival
The Open Book Festival has announced the first round of authors for 2017 – including Paul Beatty, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Nathan Hill and Fiston Mwanza Mujila.
Wednesday – 31st May 2017
Don’t miss the launch of No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela by Thandeka Gqubule
Exclusive Books and Jonathan Ball Publishers invite you to the book launch of No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela, by Thandeka Gqubule.
Read an extract from No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela
News24 has published an extract from No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela, an unauthorised biography written by Thandeka Gqubule, published by Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Monday – 29th May 2017
Independent feminist publisher Modjaji Books turns 10 – read an interview with founder Colleen Higgs
How have things changed in the ten years that independent feminist publishing house Modjaji Books has been around?
The Carnivorous City by Toni Kan: A story of love, family and just desserts
Toni Kan’s new novel Carnivorous City is a story about love, family and just desserts but it is above all a tale about Lagos and the people who make the city by the lagoon what it is.
Thursday – 25th May 2017
10 African writers on Africa, writing, and writing in Africa
To celebrate Africa Day, read a selection of quotations on the continent by African writers.
Celebrate Africa Day by reading Nat Nakasa, Thando Mgqolozana, Phaswane Mpe, Gcina Mhlophe and others
What better way to celebrate Africa Day than with these Picador Africa Classics? These time-honoured titles are available as ebooks from Amazon.
Wednesday – 24th May 2017
Mozambique’s Festival Literatas 2017 announced for October
Mozambique’s Festival Literatas 2017, the third edition of the literary festival, will be running from October 6-8, 2017, James Murua reports.
Tuesday – 23rd May 2017
15 themes on feminism From Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Saqi Mehta rounds up key takeaways from the Nigerian author’s latest.
Monday – 22nd May 2017
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.
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.