Are historical epics such as Amistad dishonest, or do they convey human truths that textbooks cannot? Stuart Jeffries and Simon Hattenstone report The historians are sharpening their quills. Academic bile is flying in all directions. And newspaper columnists are ransacking the good ship Amistad. We’ve seen it plenty of times before. In fact, we see […]

Coenraad Visser Classical music In its first season without SABC funding, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) shows that the energy and sense of purpose which marked its last season were not the last desperate gasps of an orchestra on its death bed. The last three concerts of the newly independent orchestra confirm one’s impression of […]

Luis Bernardo Honwana, a founder of modern Mozambican literature, now works in South Africa, representing Unesco. He spoke to Stephen Gray Mr Honwana, please describe your job. I was despatched to this country by Unesco [the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation]after the 1994 elections, as their director here, to negotiate the re-entry of […]

David Shapshak : Movie of the week Only a Frenchman like Jean-Pierre Jeunet could resurrect the sagging fortunes of the Alien saga. After the dismal showing of Aliens 3, where the special-effects spectacles were the only thing worth noting, Jeunet has come up with a film filled with his particular dark, abject vision, giving it […]

FRIDAY 12:30PM AMERICANS Bruce Vaughan and Scott Dunlap led the charge on seven-under-par 65 at the end of the first round of the R500 000 Royal Swazi Sun Open. Both golfers, who were later matched by resident Swazi pro Paul Friedlander, took full advantage of preferred lies, minimal rough and near-perfect weather to open up […]

Janet Smith On show in Pretoria A young man looking forward to getting his first job phoned famed Mexican architect and photographer Oscar Hagerman to tell him a wonderful story. He had never forgotten the day when Hagerman came to his village and took his picture – a portrait of a beloved and beautiful child […]

Alan Gignoux Incredible journeys Vintage railroads left over from colonial times are becoming an increasingly scarce sight in Africa. There is, however, one railroad that continuously beats all the odds: the Xai Xai railroad. This remarkable line has survived civil wars, lack of spare parts and present-day free market changes taking place in now peaceful […]

Suzy Bell Durban is hosting the first South African festival, The Time of the Writer, at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of Natal from March 2 to 7, to honour local and international writers. The six-day conference, organised by The Centre for Creative Arts in conjunction with the French Institute and with assistance from the […]

Shaun de Waal CD of the week As far as I’m concerned, they should all be given to Bob Dylan, but the Grammy awards are interesting because of what they say about the American music establishment, and BMG’s 1998 Grammy Nominees shows off the pop category. The women get more than their affirmative- action half, […]

T he Natale Labia Museum in Muizenberg will be the venue for a further series of lectures on women’s writing by Shirley Kossick, professor emeritus of the University of South Africa and one of the Mail &Guardian’s leading book critics. The talks will take place at 10am on the first Saturday of every month, beginning […]