[Fiction Issue] Read ‘Let That Sink In’, a psest by Ben Williams
The JRB presents a psest by Ben Williams. Let That Sink In A writer once told me he carried around…
Author: Ben Williams
The JRB: five years, 50 issues, 425 contributors
‘Africa writes back.’ With these words, The Johannesburg Review of Books debuted in May 2017, announcing an ambitious programme to…
How to write like a white person—Ben Williams presents notes towards a framework for reading white fiction’s ‘literature of success’
In the context of increasing scrutiny on the literary production of white writers, Ben Williams offers up some ideas on…
Remembering Achmat Dangor
Achmat Dangor, one of The JRB’s founding Patrons, died in September. Ben Williams remembers him. It is a year of…
Pan-African Anti-Racism and Solidarity Reading List: A Resource from The JRB
In continuing solidarity with the progressive literary community and all who fight racism and anti-Black violence, The JRB presents this…
[Conversation Issue] ‘I wanted to throw back the curtain on some of the things and places that “nice” people avoid talking about’—Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan talks to Ben Williams about her bestselling Singlish novel Sarong Party Girls
As part of our January Conversation Issue, The JRB Publisher Ben Williams chats to Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan about her debut…
Sandile Dikeni, 1966–2019, RIP
Poet and activist Sandile Dikeni died in Cape Town on Saturday, it has been widely reported. Dikeni was the author…
[The JRB Daily] 2019 South African Literary Awards winners announced—The JRB collects three
The 2019 South African Literary Awards winners were announced tonight at a gala ceremony in Johannesburg, with The JRB’s nominees—Editor…
[The JRB Daily] Terry Kurgan and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu win the 2019 Sunday Times Literary Awards
The winners of the 2019 Sunday Times Literary Awards have been announced. Terry Kurgan has won the Alan Paton Award…
[Conversation Issue] To save the Earth, ‘we need to think beyond national democracy’—George Monbiot discusses his book Out of the Wreckage
British author and noted environmentalist George Monbiot took The JRB’s questions on his new book, Out of the Wreckage: A…
[City Editor] Niq Mhlongo: Spinach, under my own apricot tree
Since the publication of City Editor Niq Mhlongo’s latest work of short stories, Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree, it has…
[Conversation Issue] ‘The family is a great convenience for a writer’—Jonathan Franzen talks to Ben Williams in South Africa
As part of our January Conversation Issue, Ben Williams talks to Jonathan Franzen. Purity Jonathan Franzen Fourth Estate, 2016 American…
Ten years, thirty portraits: A Victor Dlamini retrospective
The JRB is honoured to present a selection of Victor Dlamini’s finest photographs, spanning 2007 to 2017. Publisher’s note: I…
Listen to Paul Beatty read from The Sellout
The Sellout Paul Beatty One World 2015 The JRB recorded this reading by Paul Beatty during his recent visit to…
The JRB exclusive: Karel Schoeman’s final pilgrimage, detailed in a guesthouse visitors’ book
Before he took his life on the first of May this year, author Karel Schoeman made a final pilgrimage to…
A knockout crime debut from Lagos: Ben Williams reviews Leye Adenle’s Easy Motion Tourist
Easy Motion Tourist Leye Adenle Cassava Republic Press/Pan Macmillan South Africa 2016 1. On September 21st 2015, a Monday, a…
Welcome to The Johannesburg Review of Books
It gives me great pleasure to introduce The Johannesburg Review of Books, a new literary review from southern Africa. Our…