The 2020 Booker Prize shortlist has been revealed—and includes two African authors for the first time in years: Tsitsi Dangarembga…
The JRB presents an excerpt from Odyssey To Freedom, the memoir of the late George Bizos. Bizos passed away in…
The ten-novel shortlist for the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award has been revealed. The shortlist includes Milkman, the Booker Prize-winning…
George Bizos, esteemed human rights lawyer who fought tirelessly against the apartheid system, has died. Bizos was born on 15…
The pioneering poet and activist Myesha Jenkins died in Johannesburg on Saturday, 5 September, 2020. Jenkins moved to South Africa…
The poet, novelist and activist—and founding patron of The JRB—Achmat Dangor, died in Johannesburg earlier today. One of the founding…
Carey Baraka • Rustum Kozain • Petina Gappah • Fiona Zerbst • Wamuwi Mbao • Efemia Chela • Lidudumalingani •…
‘Still, there were dreams, and there were dreamers.’ Carey Baraka attempts to gather together the stories of Kwani? 1. One…
Rustum Kozain reviews In Praise of Hotel Rooms, the fifth collection of poetry by Fiona Zerbst, calling it ‘a fine…
The JRB presents an exclusive first look at Petina Gappah’s new play, Black Sunlight. Gappah’s first play, adapted from her…
Wamuwi Mbao reviews Irenosen Okojie’s Nudibranch, the ‘immersively deranged’ collection containing her 2020 Caine Prize-winning story. Nudibranch Irenosen OkojieLittle, Brown,…
A commentary on the present crisis and the need for literate understandings of it by Angelo Fick. 1. These are…
The JRB Francophone and Contributing Editor Efemia Chela travels to Mozambique with Mia Couto’s novel Confessions of a Lioness. Confessions…
Almost every city has been built more than once. Each phase complete with its own architecture and infrastructure and, for…
Arja Salafranca reviews Mark Gevisser’s new book The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World’s Queer Frontiers. The Pink Line: Journeys…
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents poetry by Fiona Zerbst, from her new collection In Praise of Hotel Rooms. Read…
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 www.victordlamini.com.
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. And so here we still are. Mostly…
The JRB presents an excerpt from My Mother’s Laughter: Selected Poems by Chris van Wyk, edited by Ivan Vladislavić and…
Makhosazana Xaba was recently featured on the WiSER Podcast, discussing the life and work of Noni Jabavu, editor, memoirist, reader,…
The JRB presents an excerpt from the Author’s Preface of And Wrote My Story Anyway: Black South African Women’s Novels…
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World’s Queer Frontiers, the new book by Mark…
The JRB presents an excerpt from Imraan Coovadia’s new book Revolution and Non-Violence in Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Mandela. Revolution and…
The JRB presents an excerpt from Heart of a Strong Woman: A Memoir by Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, as told to Fred…
Acclaimed Zimbabwean writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was reportedly arrested this morning during a protest in Harare. Update: Dangarembga has…
The longlist for the Booker Prize for Fiction has been announced, including Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Ethiopian–American author Maaza…
Irenosen Okojie has won the AKO Caine Prize for African writing, for her story ‘Grace Jones’. Announcing the award, chair…
Saaleha Idrees Bamjee has been announced as the winner of this year’s Ingrid Jonker Prize for English Poetry for her…
Adam Smyer • Wamuwi Mbao • Nadia Davids • Hemley Boum • Nkiacha Atemnkeng • Esther Mirembe • Stella Nyanzi…
The abolition of slavery, formalised gender discrimination, apartheid and other reprehensible ways of being did not occur simply through continued…
Editor’s note: by agreement with the author, this article has been removed from The JRB, ahead of its reappearance in…
It happens that words become too inconsistent to communicate shock. Not that we can’t guess at the terrifying explosion, whose…
In continuing solidarity with the progressive literary community and all who fight racism and anti-Black violence, The JRB presents this…
Nkiacha Atemnkeng1619 Ranch Road no. 16 San MarcosTX 78666USA Akale StreetFiango, KumbaSouth West RegionCameroon Dear Papa, Greetings from a sci-fi…
In February 2020, poet and academic Stella Nyanzi was acquitted and released from prison after being held for eighteen months…
Mary Carman reviews Debating African Philosophy, a new collection of essays that originated during student protests and demands for the…
Some days are longer than others, and during this Covid-19 controlled reality, it seems like someone out there somewhere keeps…
Photographer George Hallett died this week. See The JRB’s obituary here, and an appreciation of Hallett by our Photo Editor,…
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Allan Kolski Horwitz. ~~~ NO ONE IS SAFE …
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Leïla Slimani’s new book Sex and Lies. Sex and LiesLeïla Slimani (translated by…
