The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 5, Issue 1 (February 2021)
Wamuwi Mbao, Lidudumalingani, Efemia Chela, Stephen Langtry, Lebohang Mojapelo, Kopano Maroga, Simon van Schalkwyk, Sanya Osha, Louisa Uchum Egbunike, Tymon…
Blog
To move about in an unkind world under the mark of racial blackness—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Scatterlings, the debut novel by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe
Wamuwi Mbao reviews Rešoketšwe Manenzhe’s novel Scatterlings, winner of the 2020 Dinaane Debut Fiction Award. ScatterlingsRešoketšwe ManenzheJacana Media, 2020 There…
[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…
Poetry as a short circuit in the machine of communication—Lidudumalingani talks to Simon van Schalkwyk about his debut collection, Transcontinental Delay
Guest City Editor Lidudumalingani talks to Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk about identity, memory, psychogeography, and his new poetry collection,…
African literature should be free to remain ‘a question to itself’—Lebohang Mojapelo reviews The Rise of the African Novel by Mukoma Wa Ngugi
In The Rise of the African Novel, Mukoma Wa Ngugi traces the way African literature has been a space to…
[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…
‘You can have all the cathedrals’—Raven Leilani chats to Efemia Chela about her debut novel, Luster
Contributing Editor Efemia Chela speaks to Raven Leilani about desire, contradictions, intimacy, and her debut novel Luster. LusterRaven LeilaniPicador, 2020…
A Cape tragedy—Stephen Langtry reviews Martin Plaut’s new book Dr Abdullah Abdurahman: South Africa’s First Elected Black Politician
Whether we have learnt from the story of Dr Abdullah Abdurahman remains to be seen, writes Stephen Langtry. Martin Plaut’s…
[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…
New poetry by Kopano Maroga, from Jesus Thesis and Other Critical Fabulations
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Kopano Maroga, from their volume Jesus Thesis and Other Critical Fabulations,…
We’re still here—a playlist to kick off 2021, compiled by Tymon Smith
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. So here we are in 2021, a supposed…
[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…
New poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk, from Transcontinental Delay
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk, from Transcontinental Delay, published by Dryad…
[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 ~~~…
In search of Ken Saro-Wiwa—Read an excerpt from Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Shadow, a new book by Sanya Osha
The JRB presents an excerpt from Sanya Osha’s new book, Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Shadow: Politics, Nationalism and the Ogoni Protest Movement….
[Photo Editor] ‘History’, a photograph 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…
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…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 4, Issue 10 (December 2020, The Fiction Issue)
Keletso Mopai • Byron Loker • Wamuwi Mbao • Sebastian Murdoch • Jarred Thompson • Richard de Nooy • Khaddafina…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Loyalty’, a new short story by Khaddafina Mbabazi
The JRB presents a new short story by Khaddafina Mbabazi. Loyalty They were not enemies, but they were not friends…
[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…
[Fiction Issue] ‘The Reservoir’, a new short story by Sebastian Murdoch
The JRB presents a new short story by Sebastian Murdoch. The Reservoir Virginia had just gotten home from her shift…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Six Girls’, a new short story by Keletso Mopai
The JRB presents a new short story by Keletso Mopai. Six Girls I In 2004, we hugged our daughters and…
[Sponsored] Listen to an excerpt from Susanna Clarke’s new novel Piranesi, read by Chiwetel Ejiofor
Jonathan Ball Publishers has shared an excerpt from the audiobook of Piranesi—the new novel from Susanna Clarke, the bestselling author of Jonathan…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Koe(k)sisters’, a new short story by Jarred Thompson
The JRB presents a new short story by Jarred Thompson. Koe(k)sisters after Caroline Peters These days Oupa Ice-cream’s bell rings all…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Cobbled Together—A Lockdown Story’, new writing by Byron Loker
The JRB presents a new short story by Byron Loker. Cobbled Together: A Lockdown Story I live now on a…
[Sponsored] Read an excerpt from Miss Benson’s Beetle—a funny, heartwarming and magical read that’ll lift your spirits
Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from Miss Benson’s Beetle, an uplifting and redemptive story of a glorious female…
[Fiction Issue] ‘In Search of an Exit’, an excerpt from a work-in-progress by Wamuwi Mbao
The JRB presents an excerpt from a work-in-progress by Wamuwi Mbao. In Search of an Exit It was a thoughtful…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Five Parables About My Personality’ by Richard de Nooy
The JRB presents new fiction by Richard de Nooy. Five Parables About My Personality 1. CuriousI steer my school bus…
[Sponsored] Career opportunity: LAPA Publishers is hiring a Christian publisher! Apply before 23 December 2020
LAPA Publishers (a division of Penguin Random House South Africa), has a vacancy for a qualified and dynamic individual to…
[Fiction Issue] ‘I enjoyed occupying blurred lines. Ambiguity was an unsettling yet exhilarating space.’—Read an excerpt from Zaina Arafat’s debut novel, You Exist Too Much
The JRB presents an excerpt from You Exist Too Much, the debut novel from Zaina Arafat. You Exist Too Much…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Were there places in the world where neighbours would have greeted us instead of turning away?’—Read an excerpt from Yaa Gyasi’s new novel Transcendent Kingdom
The JRB presents an excerpt from Transcendent Kingdom, the new novel by Yaa Gyasi. Transcendent KingdomYaa GyasiViking, 2020 Read the…
[Fiction Issue] ‘i feel like my heritage is obstinate’—Read an excerpt from Masande Ntshanga’s new book, Native Life in the Third Millennium
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Native Life in the Third Millennium, a limited edition poetry and short story…
[Sponsored] The how-to-self-publish guide—a Jacana Masterclass (12 Dec)
Jacana Media brings you The How-to-Self-Publish Guide—a Masterclass for those looking to do it for themselves, but who are too…
[Fiction Issue] ‘This is my house! I just paid the money. I showed you the receipt.’—Read an excerpt from TJ Benson’s highly anticipated debut novel, The Madhouse
The JRB presents an excerpt from TJ Benson’s forthcoming debut novel, The Madhouse. The Madhouse TJ BensonPenguin Random House South…