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…
Category: Short Stories
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:…
[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….
[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…
[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…
[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,…
[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…
[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…
[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…
[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….
[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…
[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…
[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…
[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,…
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…
[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…
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,…
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’…
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….
[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…
‘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…
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…
[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…
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…
‘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,…
‘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…
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…
‘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…
[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…
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,…
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…
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…