South Africa

Tuesday – 24th October 2017

2017 Abantu Book Festival line-up revealed!

The line-up for the second annual Abantu Book Festival has been announced!

Selfies, Sexts and Smartphones: The book every South African teenager (and their parents) should read

Essential reading for all South African teenagers on the major issues they face in the digital age.

Monday – 23rd October 2017

A good city for writing – Henrietta Rose-Innes on her home town, Cape Town

Henrietta Rose-Innes has written a piece for The Literary Sofa on Cape Town, the ‘old colonial outpost at the southern tip of a continent, with its complex history and glorious views’.

For the first time a Sepedi poem wins the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award

Moses Seletisha’s Sepedi poem ‘Mahlalerwa’ has won the 2017 Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award – the first time a poem in a language other than English has won the prize.

Don’t miss a book discussion with Angela Makholwa at African Flavour Books

The Literary Alliance will be hosting a launch event for Angela Makholwa’s new book The Blessed Girl at African Flavour Books.

Friday – 20th October 2017

Nelson Mandela’s Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years launched in Johannesburg

Dare Not Linger is the sequel to Long Walk to Freedom, the story of Nelson Mandela’s presidential years, drawing on the memoir he began to write but was unable to finish.

Sisonke Msimang on the difficulty of writing about sexual assault in her new book Always Another Country

Sisonke Msimang’s much anticipated memoir, Always Another Country, was launched this week in South Africa. 

Jacana Pocket Series: Informative, insightful, important reads

The Jacana Pocket Series is meant for those who are looking for a brief but lively introduction to a wide range of topics on South African history, politics and biography.

New novel by SJ Naudé to be published in the UK

Following on the United Kingdom edition of his critically acclaimed short stories, SJ Naudé’s novel The Third Reel by will be published in the UK in April 2018 by Salt Publishing.

Thursday – 19th October 2017

Angela Makholwa chats about researching the ‘blesser phenomenon’ for her new novel, The Blessed Girl

What does the ‘blesser phenomenon’ say about us as South Africans?

African Flavour Books in Braamfontein packed out for the launch of Chwayita Ngamlana’s If I Stay Right Here

BlackBird Books hosted a launch for Chwayita Ngamlana’s If I Stay Right Here at the new African Flavour Books store in Braamfontein last night.

Wednesday – 18th October 2017

Madiba preferred to write longhand – Zelda la Grange chats about Nelson Mandela’s writing process

Dare Not Linger, the sequel to Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, is out from Pan Macmillan South Africa in October.

Join Sisonke Msimang for a coffee morning at Love Books to launch Always Another Country

Literary rockstar Sisonke Msimang is in South Africa to launch her memoir, Always Another Country: A Memoir of Exile and Home.

Celebrating black female writers

Xarra Books and BlackBird Books cordially invite you to a book launch celebrating young black female writers. 

Tuesday – 17th October 2017

The Wren Hunt, the new book by Mary Watson, out from Bloomsbury in February 2018

Mary Watson’s new novel The Wren Hunt will be published by Bloomsbury in February 2018.

Dates and venues announced for the second Abantu Book Festival

The Abantu Book Festival organisers have revealed the first poster for the event, as December approaches.

Thursday – 12th October 2017

Sisonke Msimang to launch Always Another Country at The Troyeville Hotel

Jonathan Ball Publishers and The Troyeville Hotel invite you to the launch of Always Another Country by Sisonke Msimang.

Win a hamper of limited edition books from Pan Macmillan SA!

Pan Macmillan is celebrating 70 years of glorious paperbacks by giving away a hamper of limited edition classics.

Z Pallo Jordan says the assassination of Ruth First was no mistake

Z Pallo Jordan says there is no doubt in his mind that Ruth First was specifically targeted with the letter bomb that took her life.

Wednesday – 11th October 2017

Jonathan Franzen at the Book Lounge!

Jonathan Ball Publishers and The Book Lounge are proud to announce that Jonathan Franzen will be in South Africa in November.