[The JRB Daily] 2021 Booker Prize longlist announced—including Damon Galgut, Karen Jennings and Nadifa Mohamed
The 2021 Booker Prize longlist has been announced, with this year’s crop of thirteen novels described by the judges as…
Author: The JRB
[The JRB Daily] Tsitsi Dangarembga wins 2021 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for her ‘inimitable storytelling’
Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga, who recently won the PEN Pinter Prize, has been awarded the 2021 Peace Prize of the German…
[Sponsored] ‘When he spoke, he sounded as if his throat was full of buzzing bees’—Read an excerpt from Robert Muponde’s memoir The Scandalous Times of a Book Louse
Penguin Random House has shared an excerpt from The Scandalous Times of a Book Louse by Robert Muponde—a magical coming-of-age…
[Sponsored] Find out more about Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel Of Women and Salt—an instant New York Times bestseller (PLUS: Audiobook excerpt)
Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt is a sweeping, masterful debut about a daughter’s fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own…
[Sponsored] VIP intrigue at Decameron—Read an excerpt from Fortunes: The Rise and Rise of Afrikaner Tycoons by Ebbe Dommisse
The restaurant Decameron in the centre of Stellenbosch remains a popular meeting place for some of the country’s top businessmen….
Poetry by Keith Lewis, Nqobile Lombo, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Mthabisi Sithole and Xabiso Vili from Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry
The JRB presents poems by Keith Lewis, Nqobile Lombo, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Mthabisi Sithole and Xabiso Vili, selected from Yesterdays and…
[Sponsored] New book alert! The hotly anticipated It’s The Answers For Me by Khaya Dlanga—one of South Africa’s favourite authors
It’s The Answers For Me, the new book by Khaya Dlanga, is out in August from Pan Macmillan. With three…
[Sponsored] New book of short stories by Nthikeng Mohlele announced! (PLUS new edition of Small Things)
A new book of short stories by Nthikeng Mohlele will be published by Jacana Media in October 2021! The deal was signed…
View an excerpt from African Cosmologies: Photography, Time, and the Other, including work by Zanele Muholi, Hélène A Amouzou and Wilfred Ukpong
The JRB presents an excerpt from African Cosmologies: Photography, Time, and the Other. African Cosmologies: Photography, Time, and the OtherFotofestSchilt…
[The JRB exclusive] Read an excerpt from a new edition of Lewis Nkosi’s one-act play Flying Home!, and a note by the editor
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Lewis Nkosi: The Black Psychiatrist | Flying Home: Texts, Perspectives, Homage. The book,…
‘Miriam Tlali understood the complicated meanings of being “the first” for a black woman’—Read an excerpt from Pumla Dineo Gqola’s new book Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom
The JRB presents an excerpt from Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom, the latest book by Pumla Dineo Gqola, which brings together…
‘I share me so you can know you’—Read an excerpt from Thirty Five Poems by the late Myesha Jenkins
The JRB presents an excerpt from Thirty Five Poems, a posthumously published collection of poetry by Myesha Jenkins, who passed…
Pushkin’s African heritage—Read an excerpt from African Europeans: An Untold History by Olivette Otele
The JRB presents an excerpt from Olivette Otele’s African Europeans: An Untold History, which was recently shortlisted for the Orwell…
‘Temporary madness, in war, is bravery’s sister’—Read an excerpt from David Diop’s International Booker Prize-winning novel At Night All Blood Is Black
The JRB presents an excerpt from At Night All Blood Is Black, recent winner of the International Booker Prize. At…
‘You’re lucky, you know,’ her mother once told her. ‘She’s a very easy baby’—Read an excerpt from Naledi Mashishi’s debut novel, Invisible Strings
The JRB presents an excerpt from Invisible Strings by Naledi Mashishi. Invisible StringsNaledi MashishiBlackBird Books, 2021 Read the excerpt: Chapter…
Johannesburg’s Place of Good Hope—Read an excerpt from Amakomiti: Grassroots Democracy in South African Shack Settlements by Trevor Ngwane
The JRB presents an excerpt from Trevor Ngwane’s forthcoming book Amakomiti: Grassroots Democracy in South African Shack Settlements. Amakomiti: Grassroots…
[Sponsored] Facing racism as young doctor—read an excerpt from The Boy Who Never Gave Up: A Refugee’s Epic Journey to Triumph by Emmanuel Taban
Jonathan Ball Publishers has shared an excerpt from The Boy Who Never Gave Up: A Refugee’s Epic Journey to Triumph…
[Sponsored] ‘The book takes you on a journey of strange and wonderful adventures’—Shubnum Khan introduces How I Accidentally Became a Global Stock Photo
Pan Macmillan has shared a video of Shubnum Khan introducing her new book How I Accidentally Became a Global Stock Photo: And…
[Sponsored] Meet internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben at the South African exclusive launch of Win! (21 Apr)
Don’t miss your chance to meet Harlan Coben LIVE and answering YOUR questions! Penguin Random House and Exclusive Books invite…
‘The final chapter was the most difficult’—Read an interview with Peace Adzo Medie and an excerpt from her debut novel His Only Wife
Ghanaian author Peace Adzo Medie chatted to The JRB about writing, reading and her debut novel His Only Wife. His…
[Sponsored] Watch Rešoketšwe Manenzhe in conversation with Jennifer Malec about her award-winning novel Scatterlings
‘Some stories start in the middle because no one wants to hear the beginning.’ Rešoketšwe Manenzhe chatted to Jennifer Malec recently…
Read ‘Seasons Change’, a short story by the late Phumlani Pikoli, from his book The Fatuous State of Severity
Multidisciplinary artist and award-winning author Phumlani Pikoli passed away tragically this week, aged thirty-three. Phumlani was an inspiring and passionate…
Poetry by Ayanda Billie, Siza Nkosi Mokhele, Maneo Mohale and Masai Sepuru from Years of Fire and Ash: South African Poems of Decolonisation
The JRB presents a selection of poetry from Years of Fire and Ash: South African Poems of Decolonisation, a new…
‘Call me December, it’s my name at work.’—Read an excerpt from Kololo Hill, the debut novel by Neema Shah
The JRB presents an excerpt from Neema Shah’s debut novel Kololo Hill. Kololo HillNeema ShahPicador, 2021 Outside the train station…
‘If you must learn to love a man, he is probably not the man you should be loving.’—Read an excerpt from How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
The JRB presents an excerpt from Cherie Jones’s debut novel How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, recently longlisted for…
‘My mother does not remember how old she was when she buried the first of her children.’—Read an excerpt from Thenjiwe Mswane’s debut novel All Gomorrahs Are The Same
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from All Gomorrahs Are The Same, the debut novel from Thenjiwe Mswane. All Gomorrahs…
Chris Mann, 1948—2021, RIP
The noted South African poet, playwright, academic and performer Chris Mann has died, it has been reported. According to a…
[Sponsored] Read an excerpt from Catherine Menon’s Fragile Monsters, a spellbinding debut about what happens when secrets fester through the generations
Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from Catherine Menon’s debut Fragile Monsters, a thrilling novel of war and…
[Sponsored] What does it take to be successful? Watch Carice Anderson reading an excerpt from her new book Intelligence Isn’t Enough
Intelligence Isn’t Enough: A Black Professional’s Guide to Thriving in the Workplace will empower young Black graduates entering the workforce and…
[Sponsored] ‘Great novels force us to think beyond our prejudices and to question where our empathies lie’—Brent Meersman
Brent Meersman ruminates on the power of a good novel. Meersman’s new book Rattling the Cage: Reflections On Democratic South Africa is…
[Sponsored] ‘Welcome to Eldorado Park.’—Read an excerpt from Those Who Live in Cages, the acclaimed debut novel by Terry-Ann Adams
Jacana Media has shared an excerpt from Terry-Ann Adams’s debut novel Those Who Live in Cages, a story about Coloured…
‘White male mediocrity harms us all.’—Read an excerpt from Ijeoma Oluo’s new book, Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power
The JRB presents an excerpt from Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power by Ijeoma Oluo, the bestselling author…
[Sponsored] Now available as audiobook—The Krugersdorp Cult Killings: Inside Cecilia Steyn’s Reign of Terror by Jana Marx
Great news for fans of true crime and real-life South African stories: Jana Marx’s explosive exposé of convicted murderer Cecilia…
‘Calls for television grew louder in 1969, after the rest of the world got to see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon’—Read an excerpt from William Dicey’s new book 1986
The JRB presents an excerpt from 1986, the new book by William Dicey. 1986William DiceyPenguin Random House SA, 2021 ~~~…
Read an excerpt from ‘Buchi Emecheta: The Burden of Exile’ by Louisa Uchum Egbunike, from The Pan-African Pantheon: Prophets, Poets and Philosophers
The JRB presents an excerpt from Louisa Uchum Egbunike‘s chapter examining the life and work of Buchi Emecheta from the…
‘August winds, unlike those of other months, always came armed with a purpose’—Read an excerpt from Lindiwe Nkutha’s debut short story collection 69 Jerusalem Street
The JRB presents an excerpt from the title story of 69 Jerusalem Street, the debut collection of short fiction by…
‘The water in the buckets was as dark as tar’—Read an excerpt from Real Life, the acclaimed debut novel by Brandon Taylor
The JRB presents an excerpt from Brandon Taylor’s debut novel Real Life, which was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize….
Gus Ferguson, 1940—2020, RIP
The publisher, poet, cartoonist and humourist Gus Ferguson has died in Cape Town. Born in 1940 in Scotland, Ferguson moved…
[The JRB Daily] Top 10 of 2020—a look back at our most popular articles of the year
This December marked the The JRB’s forty-second issue, the final issue of our fourth volume. With the new year just…
[Sponsored] Listen to an excerpt from the audiobook of Shuggie Bain, the Booker Prize-winning debut novel by Douglas Stuart
Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain is the talk of the town, after it was recently awarded the 2020 Booker Prize. ‘This heartfelt and…