Africa

‘A welcome addition to the growing list of literature centring queer lives in Africa’—Shayera Dark reviews Musih Tedji Xaviere’s debut novel These Letters End in Tears

As a novel centred on lesbian love set in an intensely homophobic country, These Letters End in Tears by Musih…

Africa

‘The dread of Whites and of ghosts loomed in his mind’—Read an excerpt from the new English translation of Louis Timagène Houat’s rediscovered classic The Maroons

The JRB presents an excerpt from the rediscovered classic The Maroons, first published in 1844 and released for the first…

Book excerpts

‘Johannesburg winters are brutal; you freeze to the bone marrow here’—Read an excerpt from Nthikeng Mohlele’s new novel Revolutionaries’ House

The JRB presents an excerpt from Revolutionaries’ House, the latest novel from Nthikeng Mohlele. Revolutionaries’ HouseNthikeng MohleleJacana Media, 2024 Johannesburg…

Awards

[The JRB Daily] ‘Both beautiful and uncomfortable, personal and political’—Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann, wins 2024 International Booker Prize

Jenny Erpenbeck’s novel Kairos, translated by Michael Hofmann, has been announced as the winner of the 2024 International Booker Prize….

Fiction

[Conversation Issue] ‘I don’t want to tell my reader what to feel; I want to make them feel’—Tan Twan Eng chats to Jennifer Malec about his new novel The House of Doors

Tan Twan Eng’s third novel, The House of Doors, was longlisted for the Booker Prize, and has just been longlisted…

Book excerpts

[The JRB exclusive] ‘I still take my bearings from the inner city’—Read an excerpt from Ivan Vladislavić’s forthcoming book The Near North

The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from The Near North, the new book by Ivan Vladislavić, which will be published…

Africa

[Fiction Issue] ‘No one in Durban remembers a Christmas as hot as this’—Read an excerpt from Shubnum Khan’s forthcoming novel The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil

The JRB presents an excerpt from The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil, the forthcoming novel from Shubnum Khan, which will…

Africa

[Fiction Issue] ‘They came riding cattle lorries. Their whole world travelling with them’—Read an excerpt from Magogodi oaMphela Makhene’s Innards

The JRB presents an excerpt from ‘7678B Old Potchefstroom Road’, from Innards, the debut short story collection by Magogodi oaMphela…

Book excerpts

[Fiction Issue] ‘Sometimes we need to lie to ourselves. It’s the only way the world makes sense’—Read an excerpt from SE Bhamjee’s debut novel Home Scar

The JRB presents an excerpt from Home Scar, the forthcoming debut novel by SE Bhamjee. Home ScarSE BhamjeeModjaji Books, 2024…

Book excerpts

[Fiction Issue] ‘You don’t expect annihilation in the afternoon’—Read an excerpt from Diane Awerbuck’s new short story collection Inside your body there are flowers

The JRB presents an excerpt from Inside your body there are flowers, the new collection of short stories by Diane…

Book excerpts

‘She puts the worm in her mouth. She swallows it whole. It doesn’t wriggle. Too late now’—Read an excerpt from Lauren Beukes’s new novel, Bridge

The JRB presents an excerpt from Bridge, the new novel from Editorial Advisory Panel member Lauren Beukes. BridgeLauren BeukesPenguin Random House SA, 2023…

Africa

‘The stranger was on his feet, healing impossibly fast, even for what he was’—Read an excerpt from Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ’s award-winning debut novel Dazzling

The JRB presents an excerpt from Dazzling by Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ.  Dazzling Chịkọdịlị EmelụmadụHeadline Publishing Group The Arrival Long Before They…

Book excerpts

‘The ominous ring of the prison siren still lingers in the air as if signalling the end of days’—Read an excerpt from Angela Makholwa’s new novel The Reed Dance Stalker

The JRB presents an excerpt from The Reed Dance Stalker, the new novel from Angela Makholwa. The Reed Dance StalkerAngela…

Africa

‘Until today I thought they only existed as myths to scare children’—Read an excerpt from Christopher Mlalazi’s new novel, Langabi: Season of Beasts

The JRB presents an excerpt from Langabi: Season of Beasts by Christopher Mlalazi. Langabi is the first book from Mother,…

Africa

‘All the black people in Oxford—the whole lot of them—were coming to see Ian Smith’—Read an excerpt from Buntu Siwisa’s debut novel, Paperless

The JRB presents an excerpt fom Paperless by Buntu Siwisa. PaperlessBuntu SiwisaJacana Media, 2023 One I was on my way…