Category: Book excerpts

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Academic

‘Miriam Tlali understood the complicated meanings of being “the first” for a black woman’—Read an excerpt from Pumla Dineo Gqola’s new book Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘Miriam Tlali understood the complicated meanings of being “the first” for a black woman’—Read an excerpt from Pumla Dineo Gqola’s new book Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom

The JRB presents an excerpt from Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom, the latest book by Pumla Dineo Gqola, which brings together…

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Africa

‘Temporary madness, in war, is bravery’s sister’—Read an excerpt from David Diop’s International Booker Prize-winning novel At Night All Blood Is Black

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘Temporary madness, in war, is bravery’s sister’—Read an excerpt from David Diop’s International Booker Prize-winning novel At Night All Blood Is Black

The JRB presents an excerpt from At Night All Blood Is Black, recent winner of the International Booker Prize. At…

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Book excerpts

‘You’re lucky, you know,’ her mother once told her. ‘She’s a very easy baby’—Read an excerpt from Naledi Mashishi’s debut novel, Invisible Strings

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘You’re lucky, you know,’ her mother once told her. ‘She’s a very easy baby’—Read an excerpt from Naledi Mashishi’s debut novel, Invisible Strings

The JRB presents an excerpt from Invisible Strings by Naledi Mashishi. Invisible StringsNaledi MashishiBlackBird Books, 2021 Read the excerpt: Chapter…

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Academic

‘Black women’s imaginative works are wreaths lain on the graves of ancestors so that they may not weep.’—Read an excerpt from Panashe Chigumadzi’s essay ‘Hearing the Silence’

Panashe Chigumadzi2 Comments on ‘Black women’s imaginative works are wreaths lain on the graves of ancestors so that they may not weep.’—Read an excerpt from Panashe Chigumadzi’s essay ‘Hearing the Silence’

The JRB presents an excerpt from a new essay by The JRB Contributing Editor Panashe Chigumadzi, from Surfacing: On Being…

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Book excerpts

‘If you must learn to love a man, he is probably not the man you should be loving.’—Read an excerpt from How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘If you must learn to love a man, he is probably not the man you should be loving.’—Read an excerpt from How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones

The JRB presents an excerpt from Cherie Jones’s debut novel How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, recently longlisted for…

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Book excerpts

‘My mother does not remember how old she was when she buried the first of her children.’—Read an excerpt from Thenjiwe Mswane’s debut novel All Gomorrahs Are The Same

The JRB1 Comment on ‘My mother does not remember how old she was when she buried the first of her children.’—Read an excerpt from Thenjiwe Mswane’s debut novel All Gomorrahs Are The Same

The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from All Gomorrahs Are The Same, the debut novel from Thenjiwe Mswane. All Gomorrahs…

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Book excerpts

‘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 JRBLeave a Comment on ‘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 ~~~…

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Academic

Read an excerpt from ‘Buchi Emecheta: The Burden of Exile’ by Louisa Uchum Egbunike, from The Pan-African Pantheon: Prophets, Poets and Philosophers

The JRBLeave a Comment on 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…

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Book excerpts

‘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 JRB1 Comment on ‘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…

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Book excerpts

[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

Zaina ArafatLeave a Comment on [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…

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Africa

[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

Yaa Gyasi1 Comment on [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…

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Book excerpts

[Fiction Issue] ‘i feel like my heritage is obstinate’—Read an excerpt from Masande Ntshanga’s new book, Native Life in the Third Millennium

Masande NtshangaLeave a Comment on [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…

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Africa

[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

TJ BensonLeave a Comment on [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…

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Book excerpts

[Fiction Issue] ‘Yho mme we! What am I going to do with you two? You look like a farmer going to his first business meeting.’—Read an excerpt from Angela Makholwa’s Critical But, Stable

Angela MakholwaLeave a Comment on [Fiction Issue] ‘Yho mme we! What am I going to do with you two? You look like a farmer going to his first business meeting.’—Read an excerpt from Angela Makholwa’s Critical But, Stable

The JRB presents an excerpt from Critical But, Stable, the new novel from Angela Makholwa. Critical But, StableAngela MakholwaPan Macmillan…

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Africa

[Fiction Issue] ‘No one knew what to call the place that was halfway between dreams’—Read an excerpt from Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s book, Dreams and Assorted Nightmares

Abubakar Adam IbrahimLeave a Comment on [Fiction Issue] ‘No one knew what to call the place that was halfway between dreams’—Read an excerpt from Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s book, Dreams and Assorted Nightmares

The JRB presents an excerpt from the title story of Dreams and Assorted Nightmares, the new collection by Abubakar Adam…

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Africa

[Fiction Issue] ‘Oyinbo pepper, leave the Bush of Ghosts! Muzungu, go back to England!’—Read an excerpt from The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes by Adekeye Adebajo

Adekeye AdebajoLeave a Comment on [Fiction Issue] ‘Oyinbo pepper, leave the Bush of Ghosts! Muzungu, go back to England!’—Read an excerpt from The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes by Adekeye Adebajo

The JRB presents an excerpt from Adekeye Adebajo’s forthcoming novella, The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes. The Trial of Cecil…

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Book excerpts

[Fiction Issue] ‘Like his mother, Emile Oliphant has always collected men.’—Read an excerpt from Lester Walbrugh’s debut short story collection Let It Fall Where It Will

Lester WalbrughLeave a Comment on [Fiction Issue] ‘Like his mother, Emile Oliphant has always collected men.’—Read an excerpt from Lester Walbrugh’s debut short story collection Let It Fall Where It Will

The JRB presents an excerpt from Let It Fall Where It Will, Lester Walbrugh‘s debut short story collection. Lester WalbrughLet…

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Africa

[Fiction Issue] ‘That’s how evenings in Nawa went.’—Read an excerpt from The Ardent Swarm, the English debut from award-winning author Yamen Manai

Yamen Manai1 Comment on [Fiction Issue] ‘That’s how evenings in Nawa went.’—Read an excerpt from The Ardent Swarm, the English debut from award-winning author Yamen Manai

The JRB presents an excerpt from The Ardent Swarm, the third novel from award-winning Tunisian author Yamen Manai, but the…

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Africa

‘A unique trick of the combination of love and time; the ability to keep one young’—Read an excerpt from Bolu Babalola’s debut collection of short stories, Love in Colour

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘A unique trick of the combination of love and time; the ability to keep one young’—Read an excerpt from Bolu Babalola’s debut collection of short stories, Love in Colour

The JRB presents an excerpt from Love in Colour, the debut collection of short stories by Bolu Babalola Love in…

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Academic

‘Oppression and thwarted aspiration are no bar to an appreciation of nature’—Read an excerpt from Jacob Dlamini’s new book Safari Nation: A Social History of the Kruger National Park

Jacob Dlamini1 Comment on ‘Oppression and thwarted aspiration are no bar to an appreciation of nature’—Read an excerpt from Jacob Dlamini’s new book Safari Nation: A Social History of the Kruger National Park

The JRB presents an excerpt from Safari Nation: A Social History of the Kruger National Park by Jacob Dlamini. Safari Nation:…

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Book excerpts

‘As much as you want to have sex with a stranger, this is mostly research’—Read an excerpt from ‘The Fool’, new writing by Nakhane, from Exhale: Queer African Erotic Fiction

The JRB3 Comments on ‘As much as you want to have sex with a stranger, this is mostly research’—Read an excerpt from ‘The Fool’, new writing by Nakhane, from Exhale: Queer African Erotic Fiction

The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘The Fool’ by Nakhane, from Exhale, a new anthology of queer writing. Exhale: Queer…

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Book excerpts

‘Sometimes I would think, They had better interrogate me. At least there was contact.’—Read an excerpt from Women in Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid by Shanthini Naidoo

The JRB1 Comment on ‘Sometimes I would think, They had better interrogate me. At least there was contact.’—Read an excerpt from Women in Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid by Shanthini Naidoo

The JRB presents an excerpt from Shanthini Naidoo’s book Women in Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid. Women in…

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Book excerpts

‘The morning that followed was crisp and clear. The air was sweet as only after slaughter’—Read an excerpt from Shanice Ndlovu’s debut collection of short stories, The Pride of Noonlay

The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘The morning that followed was crisp and clear. The air was sweet as only after slaughter’—Read an excerpt from Shanice Ndlovu’s debut collection of short stories, The Pride of Noonlay

The JRB presents an excerpt from The Pride of Noonlay, the debut collection of short stories by Shanice Ndlovu. The…