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APRIL '25 LIBRARY REVIEWS

CONTEMPORARY POETRY / INTSOMI (SOUTH AFRICA)

Weeping Becomes a River by Siphokazi Jonas, 2024
R220 from The Book Lounge

Weeping Becomes a River is a seamless blend of poetry and intsomi (Xhosa traditional folktales) that highlights the difficulty of existing in the liminal space between tradition and Western conformity. Through vivid imagery and poignant storytelling, Jonas confronts the cruelty and enduring impact of colonisation and apartheid on the lives and spirits of the marginalized. A heart-warming and compelling collection, it grapples with the unspoken difficulty many black youth face in navigating the Rainbow Nation where they are stripped of their roots and identity, wedged between two worlds and fighting to rediscover a sense of home. Nokwanda Mngxitama

LEGACY FICTION (KENYA)

Ripples in the Pool by Rebeka Njau, 2024 (1975)
R285 from The Book Lounge

This Kenyan postcolonial tragedy, shaped by the aftermath of the Mau Mau rising and written half a century ago, is another classic from the Heinemann African Writers Series that is currently being reprinted by Apollo Africa. African political freedom and rebellion are given an early post mortem by Rebeka Njau in this memorable novel, in which the stench of death and madness from the past still clouds the east African country’s current fortunes. The ghosts can still be heard saying “Not yet Uhuru”, and the pool might conceal deep hidden secrets, but is also a mirror into the hearts of those left behind, their religiosity, and their motivations for better lives. Luso Mnthali

LEGACY FICTION (KENYA)

Ripples in the Pool by Rebeka Njau, 2024 (1975)
R285 from The Book Lounge

This Kenyan postcolonial tragedy, shaped by the aftermath of the Mau Mau rising and written half a century ago, is another classic from the Heinemann African Writers Series that is currently being reprinted by Apollo Africa. African political freedom and rebellion are given an early post mortem by Rebeka Njau in this memorable novel, in which the stench of death and madness from the past still clouds the east African country’s current fortunes. The ghosts can still be heard saying “Not yet Uhuru”, and the pool might conceal deep hidden secrets, but is also a mirror into the hearts of those left behind, their religiosity, and their motivations for better lives. Luso Mnthali

CRAFT (SOUTHERN AFRICA)

Craft Art in South Africa: Creative Intersections by Elbé Coetsee, 2015
R450 from Clarke’s Bookshop

Combining the beauty of a coffee-table book – with evocative portraits of the crafters plus photos of their work by the brilliant Jac de Villiers – with the breadth and research of an essential reference, Craft Art in South Africa is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the inspiring world of high-end craft. While it was published back in 2015 and is now sadly out of print*, the selection of crafters included remains relevant, and the book is divided into seven sections by craft type, which range from baskets to “Wood and Cane”. My personal favourites are the “Ceramics” and “Fibres and Fabrics” sections: why does South Africa produce such exceptional ceramicists and embroiderers? It’s a mystery – but we really do, and should celebrate these marvellously talented people as much as possible. Robyn Alexander. * To locate an out of print book, search the title online or ask a good secondhand book dealer like Clarke’s Bookshop to look out for and reserve one for you. The link above is to Clarke’s current art, craft and design selection of secondhand books online, which is where we found this book for sale recently.

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (SOUTH AFRICA)

Mirage by David Ralph Viviers, 2023
R320 from The Book Lounge

A debut novel that delights and provokes in equal measure, bravely voyaging into the liminal space where astrophysics collides with metaphysics, posing the question of what is real and what not, and what is the nature of the red curtain that divides the two? Is the connection between Elizabeth, writing of a boy trying to harness the moon at the tail of the 19th century, and Michael, researching Elizabeth’s life in the early 21st while chasing his mother’s ghost, more than merely academic? Mirage is a love song to the mysteries of the universe, to the stars and the flora of the Karoo; a tale of loss and of healing, of coming apart in order to knit together; an ode in praise of the power of narrative to thread together the disparate stars of our human experience; a mystery story exploring the permeability of the borders between centuries, and between the living and the dead. With characters as raw and vivid as its landscapes, and with writing that is as much poetry – or painting – as prose, and that handles the boldness of its subject matter with remarkable sensitivity, it’s a literary black hole (in the best sense possible) whose gravitational force cannot, and should not, be resisted. Shivani Ranchod

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (SOUTH AFRICA)

Mirage by David Ralph Viviers, 2023
R320 from The Book Lounge

A debut novel that delights and provokes in equal measure, bravely voyaging into the liminal space where astrophysics collides with metaphysics, posing the question of what is real and what not, and what is the nature of the red curtain that divides the two? Is the connection between Elizabeth, writing of a boy trying to harness the moon at the tail of the 19th century, and Michael, researching Elizabeth’s life in the early 21st while chasing his mother’s ghost, more than merely academic? Mirage is a love song to the mysteries of the universe, to the stars and the flora of the Karoo; a tale of loss and of healing, of coming apart in order to knit together; an ode in praise of the power of narrative to thread together the disparate stars of our human experience; a mystery story exploring the permeability of the borders between centuries, and between the living and the dead. With characters as raw and vivid as its landscapes, and with writing that is as much poetry – or painting – as prose, and that handles the boldness of its subject matter with remarkable sensitivity, it’s a literary black hole (in the best sense possible) whose gravitational force cannot, and should not, be resisted. Shivani Ranchod

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