Toyin Falola at Seventy—A Pan-Africanist Luminary for the Digital Age
Toyin Falola, who originally trained as a historian, is simply unparalleled as a vessel of public discourse, collaborative work, and…
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New poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk. State rapture It’s always weird to see an ATM wrenched…
[Photo Editor] A portrait of Charl-Pierre Naudé 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 portraits. View this…
[The JRB exclusive] ‘Papa Mzimkulu dared me to find a woman more beautiful than my mother, said it was impossible’—Read an excerpt from Nthikeng Mohlele’s new short story collection A Little Light
The JRB presents an excerpt from A Little Light, the forthcoming collection of short stories by Nthikeng Mohlele. A Little…
[The JRB exclusive] ‘He could tell something else was coming, something he could not name.’—Read an excerpt from Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s forthcoming novel, When We Were Fireflies
The JRB presents an excerpt from When We Were Fireflies, the forthcoming novel from acclaimed author Abubakar Adam Ibrahim. When…
‘With all these familiar horrors, who in the hell was going to believe in zombies?’—Read an excerpt from Nana Nkweti’s debut short story collection Walking on Cowrie Shells
The JRB presents an extract from ‘It Just Kills You Inside’, excerpted from Walking on Cowrie Shells, the debut short…
‘Her mother loved Angola more than she loved her daughter’—Read an excerpt from Yara Nakahanda Monteiro’s acclaimed novel Loose Ties
The JRB presents an excerpt from Yara Nakahanda Monteiro’s novel Loose Ties, translated from the Portuguese by Sandy Tamele, which…
[The JRB exclusive] ‘The boy’s eyes gleamed as if they were the only things in the entire world that belonged to him’—Read an excerpt from Troy Onyango’s debut For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings
The JRB presents an excerpt from For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings, the debut short story collection from Troy…
‘Michael stands at the edge of the world and looks up into the eternal stars’—Read an excerpt from David Ralph Viviers’s debut novel Mirage
The JRB presents an excerpt from Mirage, the debut novel by David Ralph Viviers. MirageDavid Ralph ViviersUmuzi, 2023 Read the…
‘Every African who has been paying attention to the global Covid-19 response is angry. Listen to us as we tell you why.’—Read an excerpt from Strange and Difficult Times
The JRB presents an excerpt from Strange and Difficult Times: Notes on a Global Pandemic by Nanjala Nyabola. Strange and…
‘Pajubá as Queer Articulation of the Black Atlantic’ by Caio Simões de Araújo—an excerpt from Changing Theory: Concepts from the Global South
The JRB presents an excerpt from Caio Simões de Araújo’s chapter ‘Pajubá’, from the new essay collection Changing Theory: Concepts…
Remember, with your noise cancelling headphones on, you can’t hear anyone scream, a playlist compiled by Tymon Smith
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. The Minister of Audioacity presents a first salvo in his…
[The JRB Daily] Nathan Trantraal wins 2023 Philida Literary Award for ‘oeuvre of literary excellence’
Nathan Trantraal has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Philida Literary Award. The prize, established by Karina M…
[The JRB Daily] Yewande Omotoso and NoViolet Bulawayo longlisted for 2023 Dublin Literary Award—the world’s richest annual literary prize
Yewande Omotoso and NoViolet Bulawayo are among a number of writers from Africa longlisted for this year’s Dublin Literary Award….
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 6, Issue 6 (December 2022, the Fiction Issue)
Morabo Morojele • Yewande Omotoso • Imraan Coovadia • Makhosazana Xaba • Wamuwi Mbao • Eckard Smuts • Jarred Thompson…
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘The Auction’, a new short story by Makhosazana Xaba
The JRB presents new short fiction by Makhosazana Xaba. I am telling the life story of a blue wedding suit…
[Sponsored] Jonathan Ball Publishers’s podcast Pagecast takes you on a journey of the year in books, and recommends some great holiday reads
Pagecast, the podcast from Jonathan Ball Publishers, is looking back and reflecting on all the incredible books published in 2022….
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘Let The Worms Have It’, a new short story by Eckard Smuts
The JRB presents new short fiction by Eckard Smuts. Let The Worms Have It By Eckard Smuts 8-45 When using…
[Fiction Issue] ‘The first child I born my legs still swung free on the odd occasion I had reason to sit ’pon a chair’—Read an excerpt from Yewande Omotoso’s work in progress
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Nine Lives of The General, a work-in-progress by Yewande Omotoso. I only ever…
[Sponsored] Books—the gift you can open over and over again!
Still looking for that perfect present? Penguin Random House has compiled the ULTIMATE gifting guide for you. From books for…
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘Sebenza’, a new short story by Wamuwi Mbao
The JRB presents new fiction by Wamuwi Mbao. Sebenza Sebenza brought recruiters to our villagesAnd took men far away to…
[Fiction Issue] ‘The night leaves a lot of room for the imagination’—Read an excerpt from Morabo Morojele’s forthcoming novel, Three Egg Dilemma
The JRB presents an excerpt from Three Egg Dilemma, the forthcoming novel from Morabo Morojele. Three Egg Dilemma,Morabo MorojeleJacana Media,…
[Sponsored] New book alert! In My Life: Stories From Young Activists in South Africa 2002—2022
In My Life: Stories From Young Activists in South Africa 2002–2022 is out in December from Jacana Media. Edited by Shannon…
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘Let That Sink In’, a psest by Ben Williams
The JRB presents a psest by Ben Williams. Let That Sink In A writer once told me he carried around…
[Fiction Issue] ‘The night leaves a lot of room for the imagination’—Read an excerpt from Po Bhattacharyya’s work in progress, Animal Behavior
The JRB presents an excerpt from Animal Behavior, a work in progress by Po Bhattacharyya. 1. In the beginning, I’m…
[Fiction Issue] ‘About guilt, if you spoke about guilt, there was no doubt’—Read an excerpt from Imraan Coovadia’s work in progress, An Enemy of the People
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from An Enemy of the People, a work-in-progress by Imraan Coovadia. So here too…
[Fiction Issue] ‘No one had told him that the monsters had long since come out of the shadows’—Read an excerpt from Sebastian Murdoch’s work in progress
The JRB presents an excerpt from a work-in-progress, Strange Vibrations, by Sebastian Murdoch. An hour later, Billy was back on the…
Poetry by Sarah Lubala, from A History of Disappearance
The JRB presents poetry from Sarah Lubala’s collection A History of Disappearance. A History of DisappearanceSarah LubalaBotsotso Publishing, 2022 6…
[Fiction Issue] ‘We can’t treat her here. You know the rules.’—Read an excerpt from Sue Nyathi’s latest novel An Angel’s Demise
The JRB presents an excerpt from An Angel’s Demise, the new novel from Sue Nyathi. An Angel’s DemiseSue NyathiPan Macmillan…
[Fiction Issue] Read an excerpt from Lidudumalingani’s new short story ‘Everywhere, Nowhere’, excerpted from the new edition of Imbiza
The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘Everywhere, Nowhere’, new short fiction by Lidudumalingani, excerpted from the new edition of Imbiza…
[Fiction Issue] ‘A Boer doesn’t flutter around a cloud of lightning bolts and thundercracks like a moth around a rotten apple’—Read an excerpt from Lodewyk G du Plessis’s debut novel The Dao of Daniel
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Dao of Daniel by Lodewyk G du Plessis, translated from the Afrikaans by…
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘teachers’, a short story by Masande Ntshanga
The JRB presents a short story by Masande Ntshanga, never before published in English outside of the limited edition chapbook…
[Fiction Issue] ‘That boy is a snake, I’m telling you … A green snake in green grass’—Read an excerpt from Leye Adenle’s new novel Unfinished Business
The JRB presents an excerpt from Unfinished Business, the new Amaka thriller by Leye Adenle. Unfinished BusinessLeye AdenleCassava Republic Press,…
[Fiction Issue] Read ‘The Floating House’, an exclusive excerpt from Meron Hadero’s debut A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times, the debut collection of short…
[Fiction Issue] ‘There will be time to explore all of this during your stay’—Read an exclusive excerpt from Jarred Thompson’s forthcoming debut novel The Institute for Creative Dying
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from The Institute for Creative Dying, Jarred Thompson’s forthcoming debut novel, which will be…
[Fiction Issue] ‘I would be dead if not for books’—Read an excerpt from Hemley Boum’s prize-winning novel Days Come and Go
The JRB presents an excerpt from Days Come and Go by Hemley Boum, now available in English. Days Come and…
[Fiction Issue] ‘A strange guest invited into our house to stay forever’—Read an excerpt from Almini van der Merwe’s forthcoming debut Ghost Limb
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Ghost Limb, the debut novel by Almini van der Merwe, which will be…
[Fiction Issue] ‘She prophesises bad omens when birds are kept caged’—Read an excerpt from Zaheera Jina Asvat’s Tears of the Weaver
The JRB presents an excerpt from Zaheera Jina Asvat’s short story ‘Birds Kept in Cages, Curse …’, from Tears of…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Aid worker. Smuggler. Time bomb.’—Read an excerpt from Akbar Hussain’s debut Nairobi crime novel Truth Is a Flightless Bird
The JRB presents an excerpt from Truth Is a Flightless Bird, the debut novel from Akbar Hussain. Truth Is a…
[Fiction Issue] ‘We thought she’d welcome us. We thought it was simple’—Read an excerpt from Saleh Addonia’s short story ‘She is Another Country’
The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘She is Another Country’, a short story from The Feeling House, the debut collection…