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JUNE '24 LIBRARY REVIEWS

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (NIGERIA)

A Spell of Good Things by Ayòbámi Adébáyò, 2023
R295 from The Book Lounge

A Spell of Good Things explores inequality, wealth, power and precarity. In Osun State, Nigeria, in the early 2000s, Eniola and Wuarola attempt to secure their futures. Eniola is a poor high school student and apprentice to a seamstress, while Wuarola is an overworked junior doctor – and her parents’ pride and joy. Their lives cross over one another tangentially and without much fuss, until… Adébáyò’s writing is tender, emotive, and immersive: A Spell of Good Things undid me. Slowly. By the end I was breathless, making this a read I will not soon forget. Faye Kabali-Kagwa

FASHION, GRAPHIC DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE (CONTINENT-WIDE & DIASPORA)

Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design by Charlene Prempeh, 2013
R985 from The Book Lounge

Don’t expect a catalogue of black design from Now You See Me! Instead, author Charlene Prempeh traces genealogies of African American and black African creativity from the middle of the 20th century to the present day, making connections between the triumphs and struggles of black designers across the continent and in the diaspora. Names to particularly note include architect Diébédo Francis Keré, fashion designers Ann Lowe and Zelda Wynn Valdes, and graphic designer Emmett MacBain. This passionately argued book points the way towards people and ideas likely to be the subjects of plenty of further research. Robyn Alexander

FASHION, GRAPHIC DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE (CONTINENT-WIDE & DIASPORA)

Now You See Me! An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design by Charlene Prempeh, 2013
R985 from The Book Lounge

Don’t expect a catalogue of black design from Now You See Me! Instead, author Charlene Prempeh traces genealogies of African American and black African creativity from the middle of the 20th century to the present day, making connections between the triumphs and struggles of black designers across the continent and in the diaspora. Names to particularly note include architect Diébédo Francis Keré, fashion designers Ann Lowe and Zelda Wynn Valdes, and graphic designer Emmett MacBain. This passionately argued book points the way towards people and ideas likely to be the subjects of plenty of further research. Robyn Alexander

FASHION (CONTINENT-WIDE & DIASPORA)

African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a Continent by John Gillow, 2016 (2003)
R840 from Clarke’s Bookshop

Many readers will simply be visually and creatively inspired by this book’s plethora of – a remarkable 585 in all – images of African textiles. But African Textiles holds more than this: it provides a richly detailed history of textile-making across the continent. From the complex stripweaves of West Africa to North African embroidery and appliqué, and the kangas and kikois of Kenya, Gillow provides a comprehensive overview of the many design, production and traditional contexts for wear of African textiles. An essential reference for anyone interested in the history of fabric and fashion on the continent. Robyn Alexander

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (SOUTH AFRICA)

The Pole and Other Stories by JM Coetzee, 2023
R355 from The Book Lounge

The novella headlining this collection is the tale of a halting love affair between a Polish pianist and Beatriz, a married Spanish socialite, which takes place across different languages and lifestyles. In tandem with the other stories, which feature Coetzee’s recurring character Elizabeth Costello, it can be read as a grappling with time’s inevitability, and with the way impending death flavours the way we think about life. All of which is to reduce a marvellous, sparsely written book to a few banalities. As always with Coetzee, a richness of meaning rewards the receptive reader. Chris Roper

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (SOUTH AFRICA)

The Pole and Other Stories by JM Coetzee, 2023
R355 from The Book Lounge

The novella headlining this collection is the tale of a halting love affair between a Polish pianist and Beatriz, a married Spanish socialite, which takes place across different languages and lifestyles. In tandem with the other stories, which feature Coetzee’s recurring character Elizabeth Costello, it can be read as a grappling with time’s inevitability, and with the way impending death flavours the way we think about life. All of which is to reduce a marvellous, sparsely written book to a few banalities. As always with Coetzee, a richness of meaning rewards the receptive reader. Chris Roper

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