The JRB latest
[The JRB Daily] ‘I’m absolutely stunned, I didn’t expect that’—Douglas Stuart wins the 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction, for his novel Shuggie Bain
Douglas Stuart has won the 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction for his novel Shuggie Bain. Chair of judges Margaret Busby…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 4, Issue 9 (November 2020)
Wamuwi Mbao, Maaza Mengiste, Connor Cogill, Itumeleng Molefi, Adekeye Adebajo, Flora Veit-Wild, Bolu Babalola, Nakhane, Jacob Dlamini, Victor Dlamini, Shanice…
The archive has been rigged—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Patric Tariq Mellet’s The Lie of 1652, uncovering the debased half-truths installed as national narrative
In The Lie of 1652, Patric Tariq Mellet fills in the ‘before’ that was of little interest to those invested…
[Sponsored] Listen to an excerpt from Mantel Pieces—a collection of essays and memoir from twice Booker Prize winner and international bestseller Hilary Mantel
Mantel Pieces by Hilary Mantel is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers. In 1987, when Hilary Mantel was first published in…
‘This is where all the light in the world has settled’—Read an excerpt from The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste
The JRB presents an excerpt from Maaza Mengiste’s novel The Shadow King, shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction. The…
A triumph of a novel—Itumeleng Molefi reviews Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s The First Woman
The First Woman can be read as Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s answer to people who like to defend patriarchal power by…
[Sponsored] Find out more about ‘superstar author’ Angela Makholwa’s new novel Critical But, Stable
Critical But, Stable, the new novel from bestselling author Angela Makholwa, is out now from Pan Macmillan. ‘It’s Angela’s wit…
‘A unique trick of the combination of love and time; the ability to keep one young’—Read an excerpt from Bolu Babalola’s debut collection of short stories, Love in Colour
The JRB presents an excerpt from Love in Colour, the debut collection of short stories by Bolu Babalola Love in…
‘We touch down, and I pray for the land of my ancestors to be good to me’—Read an excerpt from No Be From Hia by Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda
The JRB presents an excerpt from No Be From Hia, the debut novel by Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda. No Be From…
[Sponsored] Watch Barack Obama introducing his presidential memoir A Promised Land
A Promised Land is a riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe…
Tracing the rich tapestry of Black British life—Adekeye Adebajo reviews Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation by Colin Grant
Colin Grant’s Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation is an important and valuable text that has captured the voices that…
‘Oppression and thwarted aspiration are no bar to an appreciation of nature’—Read an excerpt from Jacob Dlamini’s new book Safari Nation: A Social History of the Kruger National Park
The JRB presents an excerpt from Safari Nation: A Social History of the Kruger National Park by Jacob Dlamini. Safari Nation:…
[Sponsored] Celebrate African literature across social media during #ReadingAfrica Week 2020 (6–12 Dec)
LAPA Publishers and Catalyst Press invite you to join in and share the best in African literature this 2020 Reading…
‘As much as you want to have sex with a stranger, this is mostly research’—Read an excerpt from ‘The Fool’, new writing by Nakhane, from Exhale: Queer African Erotic Fiction
The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘The Fool’ by Nakhane, from Exhale, a new anthology of queer writing. Exhale: Queer…
‘I had got involved with Dambudzo Marechera’—Read an excerpt from Flora Veit-Wild’s new memoir, They Called You Dambudzo
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from They Called You Dambudzo: A Memoir by Flora Veit-Wild. They Called You Dambudzo:…
[Sponsored] New book alert! Sol Plaatje’s Mhudi: History, Criticism, Celebration by Sabata-mpho Mokae and Brian Willan
Sol Plaatje’s Mhudi: History, Criticism, Celebration by Sabata-mpho Mokae and Brian Willan is out in November from Jacana Media! Celebrating the…
‘Sometimes I would think, They had better interrogate me. At least there was contact.’—Read an excerpt from Women in Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid by Shanthini Naidoo
The JRB presents an excerpt from Shanthini Naidoo’s book Women in Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid. Women in…
‘The morning that followed was crisp and clear. The air was sweet as only after slaughter’—Read an excerpt from Shanice Ndlovu’s debut collection of short stories, The Pride of Noonlay
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Pride of Noonlay, the debut collection of short stories by Shanice Ndlovu. The…
Four new poems by Connor Cogill
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Connor Cogill. ~~~ Light through Water Now here, in this perfect pool, so new…
Boiling heat, followed by spectacular electric storms, followed by more boiling heat—a playlist for a Joburg summer, compiled by Tymon Smith
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. I’m moving so all the records have…
[Photo Editor] A portrait of Pumla Dineo Gqola by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. See this ten-year retrospective of his work. View this…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 South African Literary Awards winners announced
The winners of the 2020 South African Literary Awards have been announced. The winning writers were announced in a virtual…
Stephen Gray, 1941—2020, RIP
Prominent writer, academic and critic Stephen Gray has died. Gray passed away in Johannesburg on Thursday, 22 October, at the…
Angifi Dladla, 1950—2020, RIP
The poet Angifi Proctor Dladla has died, at the age of sixty-nine. The news was confirmed by Dladla’s family on…
[The JRB Daily] Anna Burns wins the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award for her novel Milkman
Irish author Anna Burns has won the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award—known as the world’s richest annual literary prize—for her…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 4, Issue 8 (October 2020)
Makena Onjerika, Wamuwi Mbao, Christa Kuljian, Shayera Dark, Sanya Osha, Sihle Ntuli, Zoë Wicomb, Sibongile Fisher, Nkiacha Atemnkeng, Nicky Falkof,…
An oddly moving piece of fiction—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Burnt Sugar, Avni Doshi’s Booker Prize-shortlisted novel
Wamuwi Mbao reviews Avni Doshi’s Booker Prize-shortlisted novel Burnt Sugar. Burnt SugarAvni DoshiPenguin, 2020 The rather selfish belief that one’s…
[Sponsored] ‘This story is bigger than me, it’s bigger than all of us’—Read an excerpt from So, for the Record: Behind the Headlines in an Era of State Capture by Anton Harber
Jonathan Ball Publishers has shared an excerpt from So, for the Record: Behind the Headlines in an Era of State Capture by…
Remembering Myesha Jenkins, a revolutionary in politics, poetry and jazz, by Christa Kuljian and Makhosazana Xaba
By Christa Kuljian and Makhosazana Xaba Transformation Who I was is not who I am.And who I amis not who I…
[The JRB Daily] 2019 Short Story Day Africa Prize ‘Disruption’ longlist announced—featuring 21 African writers from nine countries
This longlist for the seventh annual Short Story Day Africa Prize has been announced! The prize was founded in 2013,…
[Sponsored] Read an exclusive excerpt from A Family Affair, the new novel from bestselling author Sue Nyathi
A Family Affair, the new novel by bestselling author Sue Nyathi, will be out from Pan Macmillan in October 2020! ‘A…
To overthrow Europatriarchy, logic and emotion must work in tandem—Shayera Dark reviews Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone by Minna Salami
Europatriarchy takes centre stage in Minna Salami’s elegant book of essays Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone, writes…
The dialectic of connectedness—remembering Harry Garuba in Ibadan
Sanya Osha remembers the late Harry Garuba, who died earlier this year. Since he passed in February this year, friends…
[Sponsored] New book alert! VBS: A Dream Defrauded by Dewald van Rensburg—a compelling account of the epic VBS Mutual Bank heist
VBS: A Dream Defrauded by Dewald van Rensburg is out now from Penguin Random House. Originally the Venda Building Society, VBS…
New short fiction: ‘Black Beauty’ by Makena Onjerika
The JRB presents a new short story by Makena Onjerika. ~~~ Black Beauty Our housegirl Scolastica only ever wore a…
Remembering Achmat Dangor
Achmat Dangor, one of The JRB’s founding Patrons, died in September. Ben Williams remembers him. It is a year of…
