Books

Delectable’, ‘soft’ and ‘nostalgic’ are three words which come to mind when one engages Siphiwo Mahala’s Red Apple Dreams & Other Stories. “I was partly raised by my grandmother, Shinana Thembani of the Madiba clan, who remains one of the most exceptional storytellers I have ever come across. Though she raised us in a village, we never sat around the fireside in the evenings to listen to stories, as is common in the cultures of other traditional communities. Her storytelling was spontaneous,” writes Siphiwo Mahala in his opening to his latest offering, Red Apple Dreams & Other Stories. Siphiwo Mahala is one of our finest writers and an excellent exponent of the short story genre. He is the author of the novel When A Man Cries (2007), which he translated into isiXhosa as Yakhal’ Indoda (2010), and the short story collection African Delights (2011). Red Apple Dreams and Other Stories…

image source: Twitter Reigning Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida has recently added the title of author to her impressive list of achievements, producing her debut children’s book – Shudu Finds Her Magic, published by Jacana Media.  The beauty queen, who also recently graduated from the University of Witwatersrand with an honours degree in International Relations, is set to release the book in six languages that are accompanied by delightful illustrations by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne. The book is inspired by Shudufhadzo’s own childhood and the bullying she experienced when she moved to a new province and a new school. “The book is aimed at children aged between four and 12 years of age and deals with bullying and the power of friendship. I hope that youngsters will be able to see themselves reflected in the storyline and be able to take something positive away from it,”…

If there’s a book that’ll give you a lot to think about, it’s got to be one which explores various complexities of spirituality.  How does having visions and speaking with the ancestors coexist with Christian faith? Is it possible for ancestral worship and religion to coexist? Well, Tirelo Ole Makgeledisa explores this phenomenon in her new book, Voices of Jesus and Ancestors. She believes that spirituality goes beyond the constructs of religion. Her life begins in a village from where her family soon moves to the town of Munthiri in Mahikeng. He father, mother and older sister, and younger brother are a tight unit but the family tries in vain to obscure the community’s view of domestic violence and ambiguous spiritual activities: The family is christian, yet Tirelo’s mother is a sangoma, and Tirelo has a calling.  The book is a personal story from Tirelo Ole Makgeledisa of being caught…

The debut novel by Makanaka Mavengere-Munsaka, released in August 2019 by BlackBird Books is a mixed bag of themes and more. Maxine escapes an abusive polygamous marriage to a man much older than her to make a new life in Harare, Zimbabwe. The story follows the five madams she works for. Through them, we see the struggles of women trying to hold down careers and relationships in a big city where tradition, patriarchy, domestic abuse and unhealthy societal behaviours form a backdrop. While Maxine bears witness to the women’s lives, she also tries to work through her own issues, finding a way to free herself of the cruel man she married and experience meaningful relationships.  The book explores women learning about and seeking the love they feel they deserve. Whether self-love or romantic love, each woman must find the courage to believe in and hold onto that love. Through Maxine’s…

The indomitable Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, affectionately known as Dr T is passionate about making sexual health and well-being services available to all regardless of their sexual and gender identities, or their economic status. Her book, A Guide To Sexual Health & Pleasure, effortlessly positions itself as an essential read for all who want to explore their sexual health and pleasure. This book is one of the most valuable and timeless contributions. An easy, accessible and detailed guide to sexual health and pleasure. It is filled with the specifics of sexual anatomy, health, advice, and facts about pleasure and sexual rights. And when the book was released, I knew it would be an important read and so much more. This is not a ‘how-to-have-sex’ manual but rather, a guide on how to navigate around issues of sexuality. It’s a guide specifically because she covers a range of issues from medical conditions…