A first encounter with Kingsmead Book Fair, where community and unexpected joy come together in celebration of South African literature
An explicit, ambitious debut novel that delivers on sensuality but struggles to balance story, substance and seduction
Writer confronts family, grief and recovery in his most vulnerable, honest book yet
The closure of the city’s biggest library is a loss to the public, and some of the other libraries are also battling to keep the culture of books alive
From critiques of apartheid to reflections on post-colonial identity, Southern African literature has chronicled the region’s history and shaped its trajectory to a just society
From banned books to political activism, Marcus de Jong’s life was a testament to the power of ideas and the human spirit
Nigerian writer looks at issues such as inequality and violence through her women characters
This is an edited extract from The Child, the new novel by South African writer Alistair Mackay
The work of the French Renaissance philosopher offers wisdom applicable to modern politics
South African author speaks about suicide, being a woman and her new book — a memoir
The battle between Satan and the forces of good has preoccupied writers for aeons
The search for an elusive West African writer accused of plagiarism comes full circle
The South African author Fiona Snyckers muses about what makes writers and poets tick
The seminal Spanish novel and its author are difficult to pin down in translation and history
Alexei Navalny’s demise spotlights how death and displacement are portrayed in the media and in literature
A whole book written in a single sentence? Author challenges with both style and content
Women writers have often been treated badly but the first novel was written by one
This era in politics is crying out for a great chronicler in the mould of the American writer
Ideologies are set against profound beliefs as a priest sits at the centre of a storm in a village during the civil war in Greece
Themes in Herman Melville’s classic novel ‘Moby-Dick’ give us insight into today’s wars
‘The Iliad’, which was composed thousands of years ago, still offers us insight into the way people behave — which is why the classics matter
Nelson Mandela’s ideals about forgiveness and a diverse and united South Africa remain in the hearts of many people
The online literary magazine, Brittle Paper, has released this year’s Notable African Books
Life inside a mental asylum can be pretty mad. But for female journalist Nellie Bly, it’s a reflection of her inner world
The Pulitzer Prize awards grants another controversial award to a book that mixes both fiction and non-fiction
The The Red on the Rainbow is a story many South Africans can relate to as it asks the hard questions of where the rainbow is
CA Davids’s new novel, ‘How to Be a Revolutionary’ is a soulful, lyrical fictional guide to turbulent times
An extended version of this anthology promises more writings from Nigeria’s nooks and crannies
The Mail & Guardian asked a few of the regular contributors to the ThoughtLeader platform to give us their views on the top three books they read this year
Dimakatso Sedite’s poems emerge from the shattered futures of South Africa’s townships
Audiobooks narrated in authentic voices slowly start featuring on the company’s releases
Brittle Paper’s 50 Notable African Books is the product of extensive year-round reportage