Interviews – The Johannesburg Review of Books

‘I experience a new type of fear every time I write’—Lebohang Mojapelo interviews exiled Sudanese author Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin

February 6, 2020February 6, 2020Lebohang MojapeloLeave a Comment

Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin is a bestselling, award-winning writer originally from Kassala in eastern Sudan, but currently based in Austria, where…

[Conversation Issue] ‘I know what lurks in the bushes. And that’s how I write the stories’—Jason Reynolds talks to Tony Eprile about resistance and the imagination

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Tony Eprile1 Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, author and Editorial Advisory Panel member Tony Eprile is in conversation with Jason…

[Conversation Issue] ‘I wanted to throw back the curtain on some of the things and places that “nice” people avoid talking about’—Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan talks to Ben Williams about her bestselling Singlish novel Sarong Party Girls

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Ben Williams2 Comments

As part of our January Conversation Issue, The JRB Publisher Ben Williams chats to Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan about her debut…

[Conversation Issue] ‘I seek out women who make unpopular decisions in my writing because they’re more interesting to me’—Nicole Dennis-Benn chats to Wamuwi Mbao about her bestselling novel, Patsy

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Wamuwi MbaoLeave a Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, Wamuwi Mbao chats to Nicole Dennis-Benn about her work, the process of writing…

[Conversation Issue] ‘Appropriation is not in and of itself a bad thing, but the way it’s invoked in the culture makes it seem like it is’—Lauren Michele Jackson talks to Khanya Mtshali about her book, White Negroes

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Khanya Mtshali1 Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, Lauren Michele Jackson talks to Khanya Mtshali about her new book, White Negroes:…

[Conversation Issue] [City Editor] Is it possible, or necessary, to write a friendlier and prettier Johannesburg? A conversation between Lidudumalingani and Outlwile Tsipane

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020LidudumalinganiLeave a Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, guest City Editor Lidudumalingani chats to Outlwile Tsipane about the literatures of Johannesburg….

[Conversation Issue] ‘Dispossession is the backdrop to every South African story’—Henrietta Rose-Innes in conversation with Gail Fincham about her forthcoming novel, Stone Plant

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020The JRBLeave a Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, Gail Fincham interviews Henrietta Rose-Innes about her work, including her forthcoming fifth novel,…

Biography & Memoir

[Conversation Issue] On writing about religion, childhood and insecurities: Azad Essa transcribes a conversation between father and son

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Azad EssaLeave a Comment

As part of our January Conversation Issue, journalist and author Azad Essa is in conversation with his father Ebrahim Essa,…

[The JRB Daily] Top 10 of 2019—A look back at our most popular articles of the year

December 28, 2019December 28, 2019The JRBLeave a Comment

This December marked the The JRB’s thirty-second issue, the final issue of our third volume. With the new year—but not…

‘I have turned my car into a mobile bookshop’—Siphiwo Mahala chats to Jennifer Malec about self-publishing his new book, Red Apple Dreams, and why short stories are the future

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment

The JRB Editor Jennifer Malec chats to Siphiwo Mahala about his new collection of short stories, Red Apple Dreams. Mahala…