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AUGUST '23 LIBRARY REVIEWS

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (GHANA)

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, 2020
R235 from The Book Lounge

A transformative tour de force. Science, faith, race and grief are all examined here in a vitally human and intimate way in a story that lays bare a national crisis that engulfs people, rendering them unseen even as they are everywhere. Yaa Gyasi has written a novel about African immigrants caught up in the rip tide of the opioid crisis in the US that astounds you with its beauty and wisdom. LM

FASHION (CONTINENT-WIDE)

Africa in Fashion by Ken Kweku Nimo, 2022
R710 from Jonathan Ball

Packed with fascinating information about fashion’s past and present across the continent, Ken Kweku Nimo’s highly readable book includes everything from the histories of key African textiles to short profiles of – and in-depth interviews with – a number of contemporary designers. Beautifully illustrated and genuinely pan-African in its coverage, Africa in Fashion is a must-have for all students of fashion, as well as amateur enthusiasts looking for a useful general overview that encompasses both information and inspiration. RA

FASHION (CONTINENT-WIDE)

Africa in Fashion by Ken Kweku Nimo, 2022
R710 from Jonathan Ball

Packed with fascinating information about fashion’s past and present across the continent, Ken Kweku Nimo’s highly readable book includes everything from the histories of key African textiles to short profiles of – and in-depth interviews with – a number of contemporary designers. Beautifully illustrated and genuinely pan-African in its coverage, Africa in Fashion is a must-have for all students of fashion, as well as amateur enthusiasts looking for a useful general overview that encompasses both information and inspiration. RA

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (SOUTH AFRICA)

The Frightened by Lethokuhle Msimang, 2023
R260 from The Book Lounge

The Frightened is an unconventional coming-of-age story of an existence in a world shaped by one’s blackness and womanhood. Through both autobiographical and poetic storytelling, the novella successfully portrays the challenges that come with finding oneself amongst the complexities of love, loss, trauma and searching for a sense of belonging while being black and femme-bodied. Although challenging at times, the book’s fragmented nature and poetic language innovatively highlight the importance of creativity as a medium for healing and hope. NM

FOLK TALES (BOTSWANA/ZIMBABWE)

The Girl Who Married a Lion: African Folktales by Alexander McCall Smith, 2004
R145 from The Book Lounge

Compiled by Alexander McCall Smith with all royalties going to a Zimbabwean hospital, this collection of stories from Botswana and Zimbabwe contains 18 short and thought-provoking tales featuring animals and people, all illustrated with charming line drawings. Ideal for reading to and discussing with children, they include narratives that range from the very funny to the surprisingly scary, magical, bizarre and, at times, genuinely tragic. Folk wisdom at its finest, in other words. RA

FOLK TALES (BOTSWANA/ZIMBABWE)

The Girl Who Married a Lion: African Folktales by Alexander McCall Smith, 2004
R145 from The Book Lounge

Compiled by Alexander McCall Smith with all royalties going to a Zimbabwean hospital, this collection of stories from Botswana and Zimbabwe contains 18 short and thought-provoking tales featuring animals and people, all illustrated with charming line drawings. Ideal for reading to and discussing with children, they include narratives that range from the very funny to the surprisingly scary, magical, bizarre and, at times, genuinely tragic. Folk wisdom at its finest, in other words. RA

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