[The JRB Daily] Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo jointly win the 2019 Booker Prize
Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo have jointly won the 2019 Booker Prize, for their novels The Testaments and Girl, Woman,…
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[The JRB Daily] Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke win the 2018 and 2019 Nobel Prizes in Literature
Polish author Olga Tokarczuk and Austrian author Peter Handke have won the Nobel Prizes in Literature. The announcement was made…
[The JRB Daily] How is the Nobel Prize in Literature decided? The Nobel Committee reveals new, less ‘Eurocentric’ and ‘male-centred’ criteria
Every year, speculation abounds about which author will win the Nobel Prize in Literature. This year, the Nobel Committee have…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 3, Issue 10
Koleka Putuma • Ta-Nehisi Coates • Khanya Mtshali • Siyanda Mohutsiwa • Mphuthumi Ntabeni • Efemia Chela • Sandile Ngidi…
Jia Tolentino is a moral voice for the secular world—Khanya Mtshali reviews Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, a collection of essays that explores how we survive our late-capitalist hellscape
In Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, Jia Tolentino presents her cosmopolitan obsessions with piercing insight and authority, writes Khanya Mtshali. Trick…
[Sponsored] Find out more about Phumlani Pikoli’s debut novel Born Freeloaders – PLUS read an excerpt, hot off the press!
Pan Macmillan has shared an excerpt from Born Freeloaders, the highly anticipated first novel from Phumlani Pikoli. Born Freeloaders is in stores…
American Spy reimagines the American spy, bringing gender and race into the war room—Jennifer Malec reviews Lauren Wilkinson’s new Cold War thriller
The JRB Editor Jennifer Malec reviews Lauren Wilkinson’s debut novel American Spy, a thriller that exposes the human drama that plays out…
[The JRB exclusive] ‘It had happened when I was nine years old, the day after my mother was taken and sold’—Read an excerpt from The Water Dancer, the debut novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Water Dancer, the debut novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates, the critically acclaimed author of…
[Sponsored] Don’t miss the Jacana Media book sale – 6000 books at discounted prices (on till 31 Oct)
Don’t miss the Jacana Media massive book sale! The sale will be on every day, from 9 a.m. to 5…
Southern Africa throws its hat into the millennial fiction ring—Mphuthumi Ntabeni reviews The Eternal Audience of One, the debut novel by Rwandan–Namibian author Rémy Ngamije
With prose that sparkles and pops, Rémy Ngamije’s The Eternal Audience of One is a millennial novel that intricately traces…
New poetry by Koleka Putuma: ‘EVERY / THREE HOURS’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Koleka Putuma. ~~~ EVERY / THREE HOURS this country buries…
[Sponsored] Win a signed copy of Bassie: My Journey of Hope by Basetsana Kumalo, plus a Lux hamper worth R1000!
One lucky reader stands a chance to win a book hamper, including signed copy of Bassie: My Journey of Hope by Basetsana…
[Temporary Sojourner] Liberia, the original African escapist fantasy—Efemia Chela reviews Wayétu Moore’s sweeping and poetic debut novel She Would Be King
Fantastic Returns and Where to Find Them—The JRB Francophone and Contributing Editor Efemia Chela travels to Liberia with Wayétu Moore’s…
Tribute to Sibusiso Nyembezi, a literary and cultural giant, in his centenary year, by Sandile Ngidi
Sandile Ngidi reflects on the life and work of Zulu novelist, poet, scholar, teacher and editor Sibusiso Nyembezi (1919–2000). In…
[Sponsored] New book alert! Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe: New Reflections – thought-provoking and moving essays collected by Benjamin Pogrund
Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe: New Reflections by Benjamin Pogrund is out in October from Jonathan Ball Publishers. Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe is a…
‘I can’t attach the word “iconic” to baobab trees and sunsets’—Sarah Ladipo Manyika chats to Jennifer Malec about African publishing, Toni Morrison and writing older women
Nigerian–British author Sarah Ladipo Manyika was in South Africa recently, and took some time out from the Open Book Festival…
‘I will always love Africa, because from the minute I arrived it treated me like a white girl.’—Author Adam Smyer reflects on his visit to the Open Book Festival
The following is an edited excerpt from a work in progress by American author Adam Smyer, whose debut novel, Knucklehead,…
Our Words, Our Worlds: The work of Black women poets as an act of poetic revolt, by Moshibudi Motimele
Moshibudi Motimele reflects on the publication of Our Words, Our Worlds: Writing on Black South African Women Poets, 2000–2018, a…
The quest to establish a world-class African philosophical tradition—Sanya Osha reviews Paulin Hountondji: African Philosophy as Critical Humanism
On Paulin Hountondji’s Universalist philosophy—Sanya Osha reviews Paulin Hountondji: African Philosophy as Critical Humanism, by Franziska Dubgen and Stefan Skupien….
[Photo Editor] Original portraits of Panashe Chigumadzi and Phehello J Mofokeng by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. Visit the ten-year retrospective of…
Read Siyanda Mohutsiwa’s short story ‘And Then We Disappeared into Some Guy’s Car’, excerpted from the new anthology Botswana Women Write
The JRB presents an excerpt from Botswana Women Write, an anthology of writing by and about Batswana women. Botswana Women…
‘As we sleepwalk ever closer toward climate catastrophe’—An excerpt from Broken Land, the new photobook by Daylin Paul, winner of the Ernest Cole Award
Daylin Paul won the Ernest Cole Award, a photography prize for a prospective project, for his debut work Broken Land…
Voices from the continent with the world’s youngest population—Water Birds on the Lake Shore: An Anthology of African Young Adult Fiction (Plus: Read 3 of the stories)
Exclusive to The JRB, we present three new short stories from the Goethe-Institut Afro Young Adult anthology, Water Birds on…
[New short fiction] Read ‘Black Cornea, White Iris’, a short story by M Mukore, from the new Afro Young Adult anthology Water Birds on the Lake Shore
In the October issue of The JRB, we present three new short stories from the Goethe-Institut Afro Young Adult anthology,…
[New short fiction] Read ‘Forever Hers’, a short story by Y Mlangiza, from the new Afro Young Adult anthology Water Birds on the Lake Shore
In the October issue of The JRB, we present three new short stories from the Goethe-Institut Afro Young Adult anthology,…
[New short fiction] Read ‘The Hunter’, a short story by CJ Enemuo, from the new Afro Young Adult anthology Water Birds on the Lake Shore
In the October issue of The JRB, we present three new short stories from the Goethe-Institut Afro Young Adult anthology,…
[The JRB Daily] Listen to the new episode of our audio show Read This! featuring Rémy Ngamije’s debut novel, The Eternal Audience of One
The new episode of our books show Read This!, where we share news of what’s hot in the world of…
[The JRB Daily] 2019 South African Literary Awards shortlists revealed—including 3 from The JRB
The 2019 South African Literary Awards shortlists have been announced, with nominees including The JRB regular contributor Wamuwi Mbao, Editor…
[The JRB Daily] Episode three of Read This! features Niq Mhlongo on his new book Black Tax: Burden or Ubuntu?
The Johannesburg Review of Books and Volume have launched a new books podcast called Read This!, where we share news of…
[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…
[The JRB Daily] 2019 Booker Prize shortlist announced—including Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma
The 2019 Booker Prize longlist has been announced, with the judges praising the ‘extraordinary ambition’ of the six books. First…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 3, Issue 9
Wamuwi Mbao • Patrick Flanery • Mapule Mohulatsi • Efemia Chela • Outlwile Tsipane • Jennifer Malec • Billy Kahora…
Refusing the tyranny of American beauty—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Colson Whitehead’s shocking and unsettling new novel The Nickel Boys
The Nickel Boys is a powerfully controlled novel in which the main character learns that there are no rules by…
[Sponsored] New book alert! One Day In Bethlehem by award-winning author Jonny Steinberg
One Day In Bethlehem, the new book by Jonny Steinberg, is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers. ‘Haunting, enraging and…
‘Among the most gifted writers currently at work’—Patrick Flanery reviews The Troubled Times of Magrieta Prinsloo by Ingrid Winterbach
The Troubled Times of Magrieta Prinsloo by Ingrid Winterbach offers us one of the most chilling and fearless portraits of…
[Tribute] Toni Morrison, you have been sentenced to life, by Mapule Mohulatsi
Mapule Mohulatsi pays tribute to Toni Morrison, and weighs up the significance of her impact on and conversations with African…
[Sponsored] Voices from the Underground—18 members of Umkhonto we Sizwe’s Ashley Kriel Detachment tell their stories for the first time
Voices from the Underground: Eighteen Life Stories from Umkhonto we Sizwe’s Ashley Kriel Detachment takes the reader inside the ANC’s military…
‘Not your traditional immigrant novel’—Efemia Chela reviews Beyond Babylon, the newly translated English debut by Somali–Italian author Igiaba Scego
In Beyond Babylon, by Igiaba Scego, migrants come to rebuild their lives in the midst of ruins, writes Francophone and…
‘A powerful commentary on displacement, and a stark condemnation of the powers that be’—Outlwile Tsipane reviews Helon Habila’s new novel, Travellers
In Travellers, Helon Habila delivers a riveting novel that unfolds as a tribute to displaced people and stands as a…
[Sponsored] Find out more about Alex van Tonder’s ‘dark, deadly and beautiful’ psychological thriller A Walk at Midnight
Devoted wife. Mother. Writer. Murderer? ‘This extraordinary novel is dark, deadly and beautiful. I couldn’t put it down.’ – Iain S…