Litnet

"Time spent writing in a dairy could be spent writing fiction, for example. And what's the point of writing all these volumes of words addressed only to me? Isn't there something self-defeating about keeping a diary?" (4.10.2004)

On 17 September 2015 IBBY SA announced the six South African books nominated to represent our country at the IBBY World Congress that will take place in Auckland, New Zealand, during 2016. Read more about and see photos of the announcement.

On UWC Creates and the lack of literary translations from and into other indigenous languages.

"As continental Africans we tend to 'forget' the inclusion in its territorial circumference of several island states adjacent to the main land mass, the small multi-island state of Cape Verde ..."

"This book is a great practical guide for entrepreneurs and newcomers."

"People from far and wide have phoned to say how happy they are that we are bringing a more inclusive, more festive offering to Durban."

Die South African Book Fair van 2015 is in Johannesburg se Turbinesaal aangebied. Izak de Vries was daar.

"Go Set a Watchman must be seen for what it is, a once discarded manuscript that is historically of enormous literary value as a long-lost cousin of its brilliant relative."

"It is small and intimate and a fabulous way to meet and mingle with famous writers from all over the world!"

"Coetzee illustrates through microcosm (the destruction of one man) the inefficacy and cost of the Vietnam War."

"Book fairs are all about discussion and dialogue, and books are a mirror to society and its issues, so it makes sense that sometimes uncomfortable issues emerge. It is ideal if these can be the impetus for addressing the issues in a meaningful and constructive way."

On literary festivals:  “But in my experience their primary function is to entertain readers. They appeal mainly to regular book buyers, to the people who join book clubs."

Together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, we at the South African Book Fair 2015 are proud to present “Revisiting Mandela’s Legacy”.

"Michiel Heyns beautifully retains the individual idiolects of characters in the translation, as well as giving careful consideration to Winterbach’s idiosyncratic language use, including Engfrikaans. In this way, It might get loud reveals itself as having the 'capacity to provoke new and singular responses' (Attridge 2004:75) that are accented."

"Who will restore my beautiful dreams to me? Who will restore Shama to me? Who will restore my childhood?"

Over 100 authors, writers, poets, publishers and playwrights will be sharing their experience, talents and knowledge in a three-day book-inspired escapade.

"Even if they are 'only' fiction, at the root of such [historical war - editor's note] novels is a reality where pure evil manifests in human form and, as Donoghue’s narrator notes, the voices of the dead 'clamour to be heard'. This is precisely why the task of imagining these stories bears a great responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly."

"Darryl says I need only comment on why the winner  wins. But when I’ve won competitions I haven’t cared why I won. It’s when I  didn’t that I wanted to know what the judge thought of my entry. So my penance  for taking on this job is I give everyone a comment."

"If we are to listen to one  another, and to one another’s stories, we must be willing to recognise not only  our own wounds but the wounds of others."

"I was once introduced at a literary seminar as an 'Indian' playwright. Swallowing a choice expletive which, regrettably, is my wont at such provocations, I said, as politely as I could, 'I have never heard of Athol Fugard being introduced as a white playwright, or Mbongeni Ngema as a Zulu playwright. Why do you introduce me as an Indian playwright? I wasn’t born in India. I was born right here in South Africa.'"