How to make photographs that mattered—The JRB Photo Editor Victor Dlamini remembers George Hallett
The JRB Photo Editor Victor Dlamini pays tribute to George Hallett, who passed away today. I first got to know…
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George Hallett, 1942—2020, RIP
Header image: Brother George, by The JRB Photo Editor Victor Dlamini Legendary South African photographer George Hallett has died, according…
[The JRB Daily] ‘We made a mistake’—Media24 Books apologises for lack of diversity in literary awards judging panels
Media24 Books has released a statement in the wake of the outcry over the lack of diversity in this year’s…
[The JRB Daily] Writers condemn the lack of diversity in the 2020 Media24 Books Literary Prizes
Yesterday, the winners of this year’s annual Media24 Books Literary Prizes were announced. When The JRB published the news this…
[The JRB Daily] Media24 Books Literary Prizes winners announced, including Jonny Steinberg, Trevor Sacks and Edyth Bulbring
Header image: Jonny Steinberg, Trevor Sacks, Zirk van den Berg, Loftus Marais, Edyth Bulbring, Fanie Viljoen, Theodore Key The winners…
[The JRB Daily] Zambian author Namwali Serpell shortlisted for Arthur C Clarke Award, the UK’s most prestigious prize for science fiction
The shortlist for the 34th Arthur C Clarke Award has been announced, including The Old Drift by Zambian author Namwali…
Elsa Joubert, 1922—2020, RIP
Acclaimed author Elsa Joubert has died at the age of ninety-seven. Joubert’s son, Nico Steytler, has confirmed that his mother…
[The JRB Daily] Youssouf Amine Elalamy wins 2020 Prix Orange du Livre en Afrique—a prize that celebrates French writing by African writers and publishers
Moroccan author Youssouf Amine Elalamy has won the second annual Prix Orange du Livre en Afrique, for his novel C’est…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize regional winners announced—including Nigerian writer Innocent Chizaram Ilo
The regional winners of the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, known as the world’s ‘most global literature prize’, have been…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 4, Issue 5
Alain Mabanckou • Ama Ata Aidoo • David Goldblatt • Tayari Jones • Jacob Dlamini • Abi Daré • Lidudumalingani…
[Sampler issue] ‘Could I be you?’ Photographs and text from Ex Offenders at the Scene of Crime by David Goldblatt
The JRB presents a selection of photographs and personal stories from Ex Offenders at the Scene of Crime: South Africa…
[Sponsored] Marked down for lockdown—discover over 35 incredible ebooks from Pan Macmillan, now on sale!
Read and stay safe with this unmissable collection of Pan Macmillan SA ebooks! Available for both Amazon Kindle and Kobo ereaders, enjoy non-fiction inspiration,…
[Sampler issue] Read an exclusive excerpt from Silver Sparrow, the new novel from award-winning author Tayari Jones
When did I first discover that although I was an only child, my father was not my father and mine…
[Sampler issue] Read an exclusive excerpt from Alain Mabanckou’s new novel The Death of Comrade President, a tale of family and revolution in postcolonial Congo
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from The Death of Comrade President, the new novel from Alain Mabanckou. The Death…
[Sponsored] Pieter-Louis Myburgh wins Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Reporting for his book Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture
Congratulations to Pieter-Louis Myburgh, who has won the Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Reporting. The Taco Kuiper Award, now in…
[Sampler issue] Read an exclusive excerpt from Jacob Dlamini’s new book The Terrorist Album: Apartheid’s Insurgents, Collaborators, and the Security Police
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from The Terrorist Album: Apartheid’s Insurgents, Collaborators, and the Security Police by Jacob Dlamini….
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from the first South African edition of the previously banned book Malibongwe: Poems from the Struggle by ANC Women, including poetry by Baleka Mbete
The JRB presents an excerpt from Malibongwe: Poems from the Struggle by ANC Women—a new edition of a lost piece…
[Sponsored] Buy the ebook and get the print edition free!
Jacana Media is running a special offer: buy the ebook and get the print edition free as soon as it…
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from a new short story by Ama Ata Aidoo, from the book Between the Generations: An Anthology for Ama Ata Aidoo at 80
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Between the Generations: An Anthology for Ama Ata Aidoo at 80. Between the…
[Sampler issue] Read an exclusive excerpt from Abi Daré’s debut novel The Girl with the Louding Voice, ‘a celebration of girls who dare to dream’
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Girl with the Louding Voice, the debut novel by Abi Daré. The Girl…
[Sponsored] Video: Anneleigh Jacobsen’s thriller Corporation Games explores the greed, sex and power imbalance of the corporate world
The Boekemakranka team Trisa and Analize recently chatted to Anneleigh Jacobsen about her fictional corporate thriller, Corporation Games. Anneleigh’s debut is…
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell—a fictionalised account of the short life of William Shakepeare’s son
The JRB presents an excerpt from Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. HamnetMaggie O’FarrellHeadline, 2020…
[Sampler issue] ‘She wasn’t listening this time. She wasn’t stopping. This time she was running.’—Read an excerpt from a work in progress by Margie Orford
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Last Weekend, the working title of a novel in progress by Editorial Advisory…
[Sponsored] ‘It starts with the striking of a match’—Read an excerpt from Firewatching, the ‘clever and compulsive’ debut thriller by Russ Thomas
Jonathan Ball Publishers has shared an excerpt from Firewatching, the debut novel from Russ Thomas! Firewatching is a taut investigative thriller bursting with…
[Sampler issue] When Kim Jiyoung was born, her mother held her in her arms and wept—Read an excerpt from Cho Nam-joo’s multi-million copy bestseller Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
The JRB presents an excerpt from Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo, originally published as 82년생 김지영 by Minumsa…
[Sampler issue] ‘At the beginning, it wasn’t called feminism. It was called an attitude problem.’—Read Neliswa Tshazi’s essay from Living While Feminist
The JRB presents an excerpt from Living While Feminist: Our Bodies, Our Truths, a new collection of essays edited by…
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from a new edition of DDT Jabavu’s travelogue In India and East Africa / E-Indiya nase East Africa, in isiXhosa and English
The JRB presents an excerpt, in isiXhosa and English, from DDT Jabavu’s travelogue In India and East Africa / E-Indiya…
[Sampler issue] ‘The last moments before the downfall of any dictator are all surprisingly similar’—Read an excerpt from The Dictatorship Syndrome by Alaa Al Aswany
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Dictatorship Syndrome by noted author Alaa Al Aswany. Alaa Aswany first and foremost…
[Sampler issue] ‘I was outed before I was ready, but there was nothing I could do’—Read an excerpt from Jamil F Khan’s new book Khamr: The Makings of a Waterslams
The JRB presents an excerpt from Khamr: The Makings of a Waterslams, the forthcoming book by Jamil F Khan. Khamr:…
[Sampler issue] ‘I would stare at this monstrous building trying to visualise my uncle falling to his death’—Read an excerpt from The Murder of Ahmed Timol by Imtiaz A Cajee
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Murder of Ahmed Timol: My Search for the Truth by Imtiaz A Cajee….
[City Editor] Home, for me, for writers before me, for writers after me—Lidudumalingani makes a pact with post-lockdown Joburg
Melville’s legendary haunt Xai Xai is for writers part restaurant, part sanctuary, writes guest City Editor Lidudumalingani. In Kazuo Ishiguro’s…
[Photo Editor] A joint portrait of Imraan Coovadia and Mongane Wally Serote 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. Visit victordlamini.com. Header…
‘Greed—the Poem as Deadly Sin’, a new poem by Andries Bezuidenhout
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Andries Bezuidenhout. ~~~ Greed—the Poem as Deadly Sin If it…
[Sampler issue] Small-town living during the height of the Border War—Read an excerpt from Mark Winkler’s new novel Due South of Copenhagen
The JRB presents an excerpt from Due South of Copenhagen, the new novel from Mark Winkler. Due South of CopenhagenMark…
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from Sifiso Mzobe’s new short story collection, Searching for Simphiwe
The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘The Worst That Could Happen’, a short story by Sifiso Mzobe, from his new…
[Sampler issue] ‘A good pickpocket is also a semiotician’—Read an excerpt from Barbara Adair’s new novel WILL, the Passenger Delaying Flight …
The JRB presents an excerpt from Barbara Adair’s new novel WILL, the Passenger Delaying Flight … WILL, the Passenger Delaying…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Caine Prize for African Writing shortlist announced—including Rémy Ngamije’s ‘The Neighbourhood Watch’, first published in The JRB
The shortlist for the 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing has been announced, including ‘The Neighbourhood Watch’ by Rémy…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Nommo Awards for Speculative Fiction by Africans—shortlists announced
The shortlists for the 2020 Nommo Awards for Speculative Fiction by Africans have been announced. The Nommo Awards are presented…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Pulitzer Prize winners announced—Colson Whitehead becomes only the fourth author to win fiction prize for the second time
American author Colson Whitehead has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel The Nickel Boys. Whitehead becomes only…
[The JRB Daily] ‘A role model for an entire generation of African writers’—Zukiswa Wanner wins prestigious Goethe Medal, along with Elvira Espejo Ayca and Ian McEwan
Header image: Elvira Espejo Ayca, Zukiswa Wanner and Ian McEwan Writer, publisher and curator Zukiswa Wanner has been awarded the…