Litnet

"Nevertheless, the fact that certain authors manage, like Gaël Faye does with Small country, to create chronicles that do not seem to desecrate, cheapen or sensationalise the devastating dimensions of those events, remains admirable proof of the nuanced art and deep empathy of which some writers are capable."

KZN's premier book festival, the Midlands Literary Festival, is taking place at Fern Hill Hotel near Howick on 1 and 2 September 2018. Here is the full programme.

"Of course, it is an important film, because, as was the case with Wonder Woman and Black Panther, this film represents a section of society, (crazy rich) Asians, on screen in a blockbuster format."

"The 7th annual Africa Century International African Writers Conference (ACIAWC) call for papers is now open. Papers and panel proposals interpreting the theme 'Unifying Africa: Writing and reading in African languages' are invited."

"A violent incident at 17-year-old Noah Groome’s school sets into motion a chain of events that will test him and his family deeply." Read an excerpt from The Enumerations by Máire Fisher, author of Birdseye. 

"Together, this latest crew whips up Beckett’s tale anew and makes an important and essential contribution to discourse ironically under threat of being drowned out itself."

"We became like chameleons, and all of our winters
    soon turned into summers in his hands."

"You heal the ground I walk on. All the quiet ..."

"You’re bone-thin. Come drink a glass of
wine with me to fatten up your bones."

"Words hurt, and Bongani Mayosi paid the ultimate price for this kind of hurt. Let us be critical, by all means, but let us give more thought to how our words might affect one another."

"Macgregor seeds a fair amount of technological information throughout the novel. This locates the plot in substantial fact – the controversy around Karoo fracking has led to much publicity in the South African media – while Macgregor also presents these details in digestible pieces, mostly through Sam’s voice."

"Bongani’s soul, his sister said,
was vandalised, the insults
(sell-out, coconut)
cut him to the core, he changed,
withdrew, spoke less and less
and killed himself."

"What was striking about the different poets was that each one had, at some point in their life, experienced some form of grief, love, birth and hope. These themes came through in all the languages."

"Open Book Festival is committed to creating a platform to celebrate South African writers, as well as hosting top international authors. The festival strives to instil a love of reading among young attendees, with the programme designed to create conversations among festivalgoers long after the event." The eighth Open Book Festival will take place from 5 to 9 September 2018.

Iziko Museums of South Africa and the Supusupu Khoe Language Project will commemorate Women’s Day, as well as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, on 9 August 2018. 

"The exhibition commemorates Sanlam’s centenary and is one-of-a-kind in its objective to showcase SA history. Curator Stefan Hundt takes visitors on a journey through the last 100 years, with guided tours available by appointment on set dates."

"And so we stand: network of scars,
shadows of arteries and veins
pressing up beneath the surface ..."

"this year for Christmas
my household’s skinniness
won’t penetrate my skin"

"Let’s hope there is a sequel."

"Apparently in DRC they say:
when people clap for you,
take flight –
for you are a fly;
claps can end your life."