[Sponsored] Who was the ‘Black Victorian’—? Find out in Percy Zvomuya’s definitive new biography of Robert Mugabe
Who was Robert Mugabe, really? Robert Mugabe: The Black Victorian, Percy Zvomuya’s definitive new biography of the man who shaped—and…
Author: The JRB
[Sponsored] Exploring the moral and emotional terrain of fatherhood, memory, and inheritance: Mphuthumi Ntabeni’s new novel, Multitudes
Multitudes, the new novel from Mphuthumi Ntabeni, is out now from Kwela Books! MultitudesMphuthumi NtabeniKwela Books, 2026 When Phila, a…
[Sponsored] The Zuma Effect: in which Mcebisi Ndletyana and Mashupye Maserumule dissect Jacob Zuma’s presidency
The Zuma Effect, the definitive account of the Zuma presidency by leading political scientists Mcebisi Ndletyana and Mashupye Maserumule, is…
[Sponsored] New book alert! Graham Coetzer takes you inside South Africa’s illicit mining underworld in Zama Zama
Zama Zama: Inside the Illicit Mining Underworld, the new book by Graham Coetzer, bestselling author of Hunting with the Hawks,…
‘Race and history are essential twins’—Read an excerpt from Corinne A. Kratz’s award-winning book, Rhetorics of Value
The JRB presents an excerpt from Rhetorics of Value: Exhibition Design and Communication in Museums and Beyond by Corinne A….
‘He surprised them when he didn’t immediately take the Tambo–Huddleston–Gwangwa position [on Graceland]’—Read an excerpt from Zakes Mda’s new biography of Chris Hani
The JRB presents an excerpt from Chris Hani: A Life of Courage and Compassion, the new authorised biography by Zakes…
‘As soon as he saw me, I was the one for him’—Read an excerpt from Martha Evans’s new biography of Lilian Ngoyi
The JRB presents an excerpt from Lilian Ngoyi: A Life, the new biography by Martha Evans. Lilian Ngoyi: A LifeMartha…
‘There are many other things for which he deserves to be remembered’—Read an excerpt from Brian Willan and Brown Maaba’s new biography, Isaiah Bud-M’belle: The Life of Isaiah Budlwana M’belle, 1870–1947
The JRB presents an excerpt from Isaiah Bud-M’belle: The Life of Isaiah Budlwana M’belle, 1870–1947, the new biography by Brian…
‘No one appears to have truly known him’—Read an excerpt from Original Apartheid Hustler: The fiction and fabrications of Dugmore Boetie by Benjamin N. Lawrance and Vusumuzi R. Kumalo
The JRB presents an excerpt from Original Apartheid Hustler: The fiction and fabrications of Dugmore Boetie, the new biography by…
[The JRB Daily] ‘Korea’s Nobel Prize in Literature’—Damon Galgut becomes the first South African to win the Pak Kyongni Prize
Damon Galgut has been awarded the 2026 Pak Kyongni Prize, South Korea’s most prestigious international literary award. The Toji Cultural…
[Sponsored] Listen to an excerpt from Cursed Daughters—the glittering follow-up to the award-winning bestseller My Sister, the Serial Killer
Cursed Daughters—the highly anticipated new novel from Oyinkan Braithwaite—is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers! Braithwaite is a Nigerian–British novelist…
[Sponsored] A chilling portrait of a shadow state—Kyle Cowan exposes 12 of South Africa’s deadliest cartels in Mafia Land
Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from Mafia Land: Inside South Africa’s Darkest Cartels, in which multi-award-winning journalist Kyle…
[Sponsored] Find out more about Song of the Slave Girl, the new novel from award-winning author Ashraf Kagee
Song of the Slave Girl, the new novel from Ashraf Kagee, is out now from Jacana Media. Kagee is a…
‘His father was also a traveller, indeed a determined one’—Read an excerpt from Khumisho Moguerane’s Sunday Times Literary Award-winning biography Morafe
The JRB presents an excerpt from Morafe: Person, Family and Nation in Colonial Bechuanaland, 1880s–1950s by Khumisho Moguerane, winner of…
Poetry by Dawn Garisch, from The Consulting Room
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Consulting Room by Dawn Garisch. The Consulting Room Dawn GarischKaravan Press, 2025 ~~~…
Poetry by Deborah Seddon, from Magnitude
The JRB presents an excerpt from Magnitude by Deborah Seddon. MagnitudeDeborah SeddonDryad Press, 2025 ~~~ Visitations Sliding for cover right…
‘Keep the mzungu out of trouble’—Read an excerpt from ‘Piss Corpse’ by Muthi Nhlema, the debut publication from ZamaShort
The JRB presents an excerpt from Muthi Nhlema’s ‘Piss Corpse’, the debut short story of the ZamaShort imprint series of…
‘I sliced his neck open early on Christmas morning’—Read an excerpt from Kopano Matlwa’s new novel Bosadi
The JRB presents an excerpt from Bosadi, the new novel by Kopano Matlwa. BosadiKopano MatlwaJacana Media, 2025 Naledi I killed…
Read ‘Mr Duiker Sang the Blues’ by Dyondzo Kwinika, winner of the inaugural DALRO Can Themba Short Story Award
The JRB presents Dyondzo Kwinika’s DALRO Can Themba Merit Award-winning short story, excerpted from When Water Wants To. When Water…
‘Little by little, he makes out the forms of things’—Read an excerpt from Wilderness of Mirrors, the debut novel by Caine Prize-winning writer Olufemi Terry
The JRB presents an excerpt from Olufemi Terry’s debut novel, Wilderness of Mirrors. Wilderness of MirrorsOlufemi TerryLes Fugitives (UK), March…
‘Violence would be part of Johannesburg’s lingua franca from the outset’—Read an excerpt from Deborah Posel’s personal journey through forgotten history, Darker Shade of Pale
The JRB presents an excerpt from Darker Shade of Pale: Shtetl to Colony by Deborah Posel. Darker Shade of Pale:…
‘Did you know that a head does bounce like a football?’ Read an excerpt from Shine Your Eye: In Search of West Africa by Adéwálé Májà-Pearce
The JRB presents an excerpt from Adéwálé Májà-Pearce’s forthcoming book Shine Your Eye: In Search of West Africa. Adéwálé Májà-PearceShine…
The impacts of women before, during and after coups—Read an excerpt from Blessing-Miles Tendi’s new book The Overthrow of Robert Mugabe: Gender, Coups, and Diplomats
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Overthrow of Robert Mugabe: Gender, Coups, and Diplomats by Blessing-Miles Tendi. The Overthrow…
[Sponsored] ‘Let me hide in the wind.’ Read an excerpt from Claire Robertson’s sweeping, beautifully written novel The Immortalites
Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from The Immortalites, the highly anticipated new novel by Claire Robertson! The Immortalites follows…
[Sponsored] Listen to the new episode of Pagecast: Nadia Cassim chats about her unique and engaging new book, Not Another Samoosa Run!
This week on Pagecast, the podcast from Jonathan Ball Publishers, Janine Jellars interviews Nadia Cassim about her new book, Not Another…
[Sponsored] New book alert! Together Apart: The Story of Living in Apartheid – more than just a history book – it’s a call to action
Together Apart: The Story of Living in Apartheid by Athambile Masola and Xolisa Guzula is out now from Jacana Media! Discover…
New poetry by Sarah Uheida, from Not This Tender
The JRB presents an excerpt from Not This Tender, a new poetry collection by Sarah Uheida. Sarah UheidaNot This TenderDryad…
‘This was the last thing she needed, and yet …’—Read an excerpt from Elleke Boehmer’s new novel, Ice Shock
The JRB presents an excerpt from Ice Shock, the new novel by Elleke Boehmer. Ice ShockElleke BoehmerKaravan Press, 2025 HERE 2010–2011…
‘Friendship has splendours that love knows not’—Read an excerpt from a new edition of Mariama Bâ’s So Long a Letter
The JRB presents an excerpt from So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ, part of Apollo Africa’s new collection of…
‘My ultimate overpacked beach bite has to be a pilchard sandwich’—Read an excerpt from Pravasan Pillay’s offbeat new food memoir Curry and Bread
The JRB presents an excerpt from Curry and Bread, Pravasan Pillay’s new memoir. Curry and BreadPravasan PillayDye Hard Press, 2025…
‘They built a roaring, roistering town, and called it Johannesburg’—Read ‘The City of Gold’, from The Early Writings of Alex La Guma
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Early Writings of Alex La Guma: Reflections on Cultcha, Identity and Freedom in…
Does South Africa have a problem with occult crime? Read an excerpt from The Devil Made Me Do It by Nicky Falkof
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Devil Made Me Do It: Understanding Occult Crime in South Africa by Nicky…
Men’s livelihoods are only one aspect of what it means to make a life—Read an excerpt from Making a Life: Young Men on Johannesburg’s Urban Margins
The JRB presents an excerpt from Making a Life: Young Men on Johannesburg’s Urban Margins by Hannah J Dawson. Making…
Joburg’s biggest river, and its most charismatic (for better or worse)—Read an excerpt from Johannesburg from the Riverbanks: Navigating the Jukskei
The JRB presents an excerpt from Johannesburg from the Riverbanks: Navigating the Jukskei, edited by Mehita Iqani and Renugan Raidoo….
‘They say there is a bad spirit here.’—Read an excerpt from The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City by Tanya Zack
The JRB presents an excerpt from Tanya Zack’s new book The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City. The Chaos…
[Sponsored] Find out more about Mary Watson’s new novel The Cleaner (Plus: Listen to an excerpt!)
Mary Watson’s addictive, page-turning new thriller The Cleaner is out now from Penguin Random House SA! Watson is from South…
[Sponsored] ‘Arrival in the Cape’—Read an excerpt from John Stewart’s new book Sir Herbert Baker: A Biography
Jonathan Ball Publishers has shared an excerpt from Sir Herbert Baker: A Biography by John Stewart. Stewart is an award…
[Sponsored] New book alert! The Black Atlantic’s Triple Burden: Slavery, Colonialism and Reparations
The Black Atlantic’s Triple Burden: Slavery, Colonialism and Reparations, edited by Adekeye Adebajo, is out now from Jacana Media. The…
Read William Kentridge’s essay ‘It Will Always Be You’, excerpted from Your History with Me: The Films of Penny Siopis, edited by Sarah Nuttall
The JRB presents an excerpt from Your History with Me: The Films of Penny Siopis, edited by Sarah Nuttall. Your…
‘The centre of my world is going to be where I say it is’—An interview with Ellah Wakatama on African publishing, excerpted from Imprint Africa
The JRB presents an interview with Ellah Wakatama, facilitated by Joel Cabrita, excerpted from Imprint Africa: Conversations with African Women…