Litnet

"The scenario of this book was in my subconscious. The challenge was writing a story of love, hope and resilience within it."

The dao of Daniel by Lodewyk G du Plessis, translated by Michiel Heyns, was launched on Thursday, 8 December at Exclusive Books at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The author was in conversation with Tan Twan Eng.

"From Fanon to Robert Sobukwe and Biko, these are prototypes of what Richard Wright called his 'split position' and 'double vision', which a Western-educated black man born in the Anglo-American-oppressive zeitgeist has to deal with."

"While never sugar-coating the 'pynlike en onmenslike' practice of enslavement, Eunice Visser’s massively researched epic is a humane and haunting testimony to the unique contribution of the Cape slave experience to South Africa’s national life – the old pulse of a 'multikulturele sosiale milieu'."

"I hope my book has opened the way for other people to write about the really difficult subjects of our past, when both sides committed atrocities, when the subject matter is regarded as taboo."

The JIAS Writers’ Workshop is open to African writers who work in fiction (long and short form), creative non-fiction, playwriting, screenwriting and poetry.

"I have seen the returning MK soldiers, how disappointed they are in what is happening in our country."

"The author here focuses particularly on (mostly lesbian) women and counters the tide of disgust by depicting such characters as joyous and beautiful and free in enjoying 'illicit' sexuality, but this is contrasted with many vignettes depicting states of terror, shame, denial of selfhood and forms of love that have been sullied and branded by the reigning disapproval and condemnation ...."

"In the end, ordinary people from the township brought the once mighty apartheid juggernaut to its knees; the Nats had no choice but to start negotiating. Many of these 'ordinary people' attended the launch."

On Sunday, 4 December 2022, an international team of authors discussed the topic, "Who is an African?" They also asked: Who is allowed to write from an African experience? Why do African authors get boxed into certain kinds of story?

Tell us what you love most about South Africa. You will stand a chance to win three fabulous books by South African authors.

The theme is "My town". It can be a poem about your hometown, the town you live in or any town in the world that you love or have an interest in.

Why were the townships of Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage apartheid’s Stalingrad? What happened in the eighties that left the NP with no choice but to start negotiating?

Apartheid’s Stalingrad, how the townships of the Eastern Cape defied the apartheid war machine by Rory Riordan will be launched at the Nelson Mandela University.

Share with us what is your favourite children’s book and tell us why? You will stand a chance to win a book by David Walliams and one by Jeff Kinney!

Tell us your favourite quote from Charlie Mackesy’s book and stand a chance to win The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse.

Please be sure to use the correct hashtag to participate, #ReadingAfrica. Please, do add something about and in your own language to the event! You can also help us celebrate by joining us at the three great events we’ve planned!

We are about to publish this book which, as the flyer states, could not have come at a better time.

Listen to a podcast of the discussion, see photos of the launch and read the text of David Attwell’s introduction at the Exclusive Books launch of A library to flee at the Cape Town Waterfront on 9 November 2022. 

Tell us who your favourite fiction author is and stand a chance to win a hamper full of books!