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Category: Short Stories

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Book excerpts

[City Editor] Read an exclusive excerpt from Niq Mhlongo’s forthcoming book: Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree

February 5, 2018April 19, 2018Niq Mhlongo1 Comment on [City Editor] Read an exclusive excerpt from Niq Mhlongo’s forthcoming book: Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree

The JRB is proud to present new fiction from our City Editor, Niq Mhlongo, from his forthcoming short story collection,…

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Fiction

New short fiction: ‘The day the white people walked into the sea’ by Stacy Hardy

February 5, 2018March 4, 2018Stacy Hardy1 Comment on New short fiction: ‘The day the white people walked into the sea’ by Stacy Hardy

The JRB presents a new short story by Stacy Hardy. The day the white people walked into the sea As…

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AfricaAlgeria

Snapshots of Death: Allegorical short fiction from Algerian writer Chawki Amari

February 5, 2018Efemia ChelaLeave a Comment on Snapshots of Death: Allegorical short fiction from Algerian writer Chawki Amari

Two men are talking in a smoke-filled room. On the carved table in the middle of the sitting room is…

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Fiction

New short fiction: Fred Khumalo’s debut isiZulu short story ‘Kwakungcono eGibhithe’, from the anthology Izinkanyezi Ezintsha

January 15, 2018September 18, 2018The JRB4 Comments on New short fiction: Fred Khumalo’s debut isiZulu short story ‘Kwakungcono eGibhithe’, from the anthology Izinkanyezi Ezintsha

The JRB presents new fiction from novelist and memoirist Fred Khumalo. This a first for both The JRB and Khumalo:…

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Africa

[The JRB Daily] ‘This is unlike any other literary festival’—Sifiso Mzobe and Shubnum Khan talk writing at the Abantu Book Festival

December 14, 2017December 14, 2017Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment on [The JRB Daily] ‘This is unlike any other literary festival’—Sifiso Mzobe and Shubnum Khan talk writing at the Abantu Book Festival

Sifiso Mzobe and Shubnum Khan were in conversation with Sihle Mthembu at the Abantu Book Festival in Soweto last weekend….

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Africa

[The JRB Daily] 2018 9mobile Prize for Literature longlist announced

December 8, 2017January 31, 2018Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment on [The JRB Daily] 2018 9mobile Prize for Literature longlist announced

The longlist for the 2017 9mobile Prize for Literature (formerly the Etisalat Prize for Literature) has been announced. South African…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Snake Story’, new short fiction by Henrietta Rose-Innes

December 6, 2017March 29, 2020Henrietta Rose-Innes3 Comments on [Fiction issue] ‘Snake Story’, new short fiction by Henrietta Rose-Innes

The JRB presents new short fiction by Contributing Editor Henrietta Rose-Innes. Author’s note: I began to write this Twitter story…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Lolwethu Oluthando’, a short story by Julie Nxadi

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017Julie Nxadi1 Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Lolwethu Oluthando’, a short story by Julie Nxadi

Exclusive to The JRB, a new short story by Julie Nxadi. This story is excerpted from Cutting Carrots the Wrong Way,…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Boy’, new short fiction by Yewande Omotoso

December 6, 2017May 4, 2020Yewande Omotoso12 Comments on [Fiction issue] ‘Boy’, new short fiction by Yewande Omotoso

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction by Editorial Advisory Panel member Yewande Omotoso. ~~~ Boy They were the sort…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Some Men’, a new short story by SJ Naudé

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017SJ NaudeLeave a Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Some Men’, a new short story by SJ Naudé

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction from SJ Naudé. ~~~ Some Men Jakob leaves the gift on the roof…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Forgiveness’, new short fiction by Perfect Hlongwane

December 6, 2017January 8, 2018Perfect HlongwaneLeave a Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Forgiveness’, new short fiction by Perfect Hlongwane

Exclusive to The JRB, an excerpt from a work in progress by Perfect Hlongwane. ~~~ Forgiveness They put me in…

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Africa

[Fiction issue] ‘Child’s Play’, a short story by Gloria Mwaniga Minage

December 6, 2017January 8, 2018Gloria Mwaniga Minage5 Comments on [Fiction issue] ‘Child’s Play’, a short story by Gloria Mwaniga Minage

The JRB presents an original short story by Gloria Mwaniga Minage. ~ ~ ~ Child’s Play We are seating up….

Wamuwi Mbao
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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Thirty’, a short story by Wamuwi Mbao

December 6, 2017January 8, 2018Wamuwi MbaoLeave a Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Thirty’, a short story by Wamuwi Mbao

Exclusive to The JRB, a new short story by our Editorial Advisory Panel member Wamuwi Mbao. ~ ~ ~ Thirty…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Return of the Afringers’, an allegory by Bongani Madondo

December 6, 2017Bongani Madondo1 Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Return of the Afringers’, an allegory by Bongani Madondo

The JRB presents ‘Return of the Afringers’, an allegory by Contributing Editor Bongani Madondo. ~~~ A country’s soul is captured…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘1. This Is The Title’, a short story by Richard de Nooy

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017Richard de Nooy3 Comments on [Fiction issue] ‘1. This Is The Title’, a short story by Richard de Nooy

Exclusive to The JRB, a new short story by our Editorial Advisory Panel member Richard de Nooy. ~ ~ ~ 1. This…

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Fiction

[Fiction issue] ‘Four Blocks Away’, a short story by Niq Mhlongo

December 6, 2017May 6, 2018Niq Mhlongo1 Comment on [Fiction issue] ‘Four Blocks Away’, a short story by Niq Mhlongo

The JRB presents City Editor Niq Mhlongo’s short story ‘Four Blocks Away’. The story is excerpted from Mhlongo’s most recent book,…

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Africa

Theatre and family trees: A new short story by Moroccan writer Driss Ksikes

December 6, 2017January 13, 2018Efemia ChelaLeave a Comment on Theatre and family trees: A new short story by Moroccan writer Driss Ksikes

Driss Ksikes gives us a vivid intergenerational short story in ‘Fuckin’ Family’ (‘Putain la famille’). For a long time, family…

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Africa

[The JRB Daily] The Caine Prize wasn’t what I thought it would be: Efemia Chela traces the real value of big literary prizes

November 24, 2017November 24, 2017The JRBLeave a Comment on [The JRB Daily] The Caine Prize wasn’t what I thought it would be: Efemia Chela traces the real value of big literary prizes

In a piece for the Caine Prize blog titled ‘An Unexpected Prize’, Efemia Chela describes how losing out on the…

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Book excerpts

New short fiction from Short Sharp Stories: Ntsika Gogwana’s powerful story of love and murder, ‘Home Cooked’

October 2, 2017The JRBLeave a Comment on New short fiction from Short Sharp Stories: Ntsika Gogwana’s powerful story of love and murder, ‘Home Cooked’

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction from Ntsika Gogwana, excerpted from Trade Secrets, the new Short Sharp Stories anthology. Gogwana’s story,…

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Africa

From the fringe to the centre: Meet ‘The New French’ in the latest issue of Words Without Borders

September 4, 2017January 5, 2018Efemia ChelaLeave a Comment on From the fringe to the centre: Meet ‘The New French’ in the latest issue of Words Without Borders

The French-language literary tradition distinguishes between ‘French’ or ‘hexagonal’ literature, written by authors born in France (the hexagon), and ‘Francophone’…

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Africa

The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 1, Issue 4 (August 2017)

August 7, 2017January 2, 2018Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment on The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 1, Issue 4 (August 2017)

The fourth issue of The Johannesburg Review of Books has arrived—and not a moment too soon, in our humble opinion….

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Features

[City Editor] Niq Mhlongo meets his hero James Joyce in Zurich

August 7, 2017August 7, 2017Niq MhlongoLeave a Comment on [City Editor] Niq Mhlongo meets his hero James Joyce in Zurich

‘Let’s meet at 5 pm at the Big Clock.’ My host Olivier Moreillon’s words are ringing in my head as…

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Book excerpts

‘Smaller’: New short fiction from Nick Mulgrew’s forthcoming collection, The First Law of Sadness

August 7, 2017January 5, 2018The JRBLeave a Comment on ‘Smaller’: New short fiction from Nick Mulgrew’s forthcoming collection, The First Law of Sadness

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction by South African writer Nick Mulgrew, excerpted from his forthcoming collection The First…

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Book excerpts

Pavel Buys an Ejector Seat: Read an exclusive English excerpt from Richard de Nooy’s new book, Van kleine helden

August 7, 2017January 5, 2018Richard de NooyLeave a Comment on Pavel Buys an Ejector Seat: Read an exclusive English excerpt from Richard de Nooy’s new book, Van kleine helden

Richard de Nooy’s new book, Van kleine helden, was launched in the Netherlands earlier this month. He’s currently working on…

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Africa

[The JRB Daily] Sudanese writer Bushra al-Fadil wins the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing

July 3, 2017July 3, 2017Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment on [The JRB Daily] Sudanese writer Bushra al-Fadil wins the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing

Sudanese writer Bushra al-Fadil has won the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing for his story ‘The Story of the…

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Fiction

New short fiction: ‘Love Back’ by Julie Nxadi

July 3, 2017March 27, 2020Julie Nxadi2 Comments on New short fiction: ‘Love Back’ by Julie Nxadi

The JRB presents new short fiction by Julie Nxadi. Love Back Kwathi kaloku ngantsomi, there were clouds too lazy to…

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Africa

‘A dazzling new voice’: Olufunke Ogundimu reviews Lesley Nneka Arimah’s What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky

July 3, 2017July 16, 2019Olufunke OgundimuLeave a Comment on ‘A dazzling new voice’: Olufunke Ogundimu reviews Lesley Nneka Arimah’s What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky

What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky Lesley Nneka Arimah Riverhead Books, 2017 Lesley Nneka Arimah’s debut collection of short stories,…

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Africa

‘Les chaussures’: Short fiction by Edwige-Renée Dro from new translation experiment La Shamba

July 3, 2017Efemia ChelaLeave a Comment on ‘Les chaussures’: Short fiction by Edwige-Renée Dro from new translation experiment La Shamba

La Shamba is a newly launched South to South writing collaboration project bringing a diversity of language and viewpoints to…

Here we Art Maboneng
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Africa

The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 1, Issue 2 (June 2017)

June 5, 2017January 22, 2018Jennifer MalecLeave a Comment on The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 1, Issue 2 (June 2017)

The second issue of The Johannesburg Review of Books is here—replete with some of the finest writing on books and…

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Awards

‘Writing is sometimes like a thread that weaves all our hearts into one’: Lidudumalingani reflects on his Caine Prize visit to the United States

June 5, 2017June 7, 2017LidudumalinganiLeave a Comment on ‘Writing is sometimes like a thread that weaves all our hearts into one’: Lidudumalingani reflects on his Caine Prize visit to the United States

Lidudumalingani won the 2016 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story ‘Memories We Lost’. As part of the…

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Africa

[Temporary Sojourner] How little has changed in thirty-nine years: Efemia Chela reads Dambudzo Marechera’s The House of Hunger

June 5, 2017June 4, 2020Efemia Chela1 Comment on [Temporary Sojourner] How little has changed in thirty-nine years: Efemia Chela reads Dambudzo Marechera’s The House of Hunger

The House of Hunger Dambudzo Marechera First published Pantheon Books 1978; this edition Heinemann African Writers Series 2009 We knew…

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Africa

New short fiction from Queer Africa 2: ‘Nine Pieces of Desire’ by Idza L

June 5, 2017May 5, 2019The JRB1 Comment on New short fiction from Queer Africa 2: ‘Nine Pieces of Desire’ by Idza L

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction by Kenyan writer Idza L excerpted from Queer Africa 2, courtesy of MaThoko’s Books,…

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Africa

New release: Another Morocco by Abdellah Taia

June 5, 2017June 5, 2017Efemia ChelaLeave a Comment on New release: Another Morocco by Abdellah Taia

English readers interested in Abdellah Taïa’s work are in luck. Taïa, the first openly gay Moroccan author to be published…

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Africa

New short fiction from Short Story Day Africa: ‘Things We Found North of the Sunset’ by Aba Asibon

May 1, 2017January 5, 2018The JRB2 Comments on New short fiction from Short Story Day Africa: ‘Things We Found North of the Sunset’ by Aba Asibon

Exclusive to The JRB, new short fiction from Aba Asibon, courtesy of Short Story Day Africa. Short Story Day Africa’s…

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