Jan '23 Reviews

4 January 2023

MEMOIR (GHANA & UK)

A Visible Man by Edward Enninful, 2022
R355 from The Book Lounge

British Vogue has, since 2017, become the most relevant fashion magazine, and this is thanks to Ghanaian-born editor Edward Enninful and his commitment to inclusivity. The son of a dressmaker and an army major forced to flee to London in the early 1980s, Enninful’s rise from refugee to king of the fashion world is extraordinary. Expect pop-culture history and star-studded cast members – he was stylist for Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana, and is best friends with Naomi, Kate, Alexander McQueen and DVF – but also great vulnerability. It is this sharing of his periods of great difficulty that elevates his memoir to “unforgettable”. GB

FOOD (AFRICA-WIDE)

Africana: Treasured recipes and stories from across the continent by Lerato Umah-Shaylor, 2022
R450 from The Book Lounge

A pan-African introduction to the feast of culinary traditions on the continent, Africana is a must-read for food lovers and at-home anthropologists alike. It’s beautifully produced and just informative enough, and the recipes don’t feature frustratingly long lists of hard-to-find ingredients. From Smoky Jollof to Berbere Chicken Stew – not to mention Candied Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake – this is a book to cook your way through in 2023. RA

FOOD (AFRICA-WIDE)

Africana: Treasured recipes and stories from across the continent by Lerato Umah-Shaylor, 2022
R450 from The Book Lounge

A pan-African introduction to the feast of culinary traditions on the continent, Africana is a must-read for food lovers and at-home anthropologists alike. It’s beautifully produced and just informative enough, and the recipes don’t feature frustratingly long lists of hard-to-find ingredients. From Smoky Jollof to Berbere Chicken Stew – not to mention Candied Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake – this is a book to cook your way through in 2023. RA

READING/CRITICISM (DIASPORA)

This is the Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelf by Joan Anim-Addo, Deirdre Osborne and Kadija Sesay, 2021
R420 from Clarke’s Bookshop

Looking to extend the range of your reading in 2023? This great guide to decolonising your shelves highlights 50 iconic books by writers of (mainly) African descent that everyone should experience – but were probably not on your high school reading list. Each entry includes a synopsis of the novel, a brief history of its reception, a pithy bio of its author, and possibly best of all, suggestions of what else to read if you enjoy the book in question. RA

READING/CRITICISM (DIASPORA)

This is the Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelf by Joan Anim-Addo, Deirdre Osborne and Kadija Sesay, 2021
R420 from Clarke’s Bookshop

Looking to extend the range of your reading in 2023? This great guide to decolonising your shelves highlights 50 iconic books by writers of (mainly) African descent that everyone should experience – but were probably not on your high school reading list. Each entry includes a synopsis of the novel, a brief history of its reception, a pithy bio of its author, and possibly best of all, suggestions of what else to read if you enjoy the book in question. RA

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (AFRICA-WIDE)

A Mind To Silence and Other Stories edited by Anwuli Ojogwu, 2022
R280 from The Book Lounge

The Caine Prize for African Writing, now in its 22nd year, is awarded for the best short story by an African writer in the English language. This collection features shortlisted stories from 2021 and 2022. Particularly magical is 2022 winner “Five Years Next Sunday”, by Kenyan author Idza Luhumyo, which tells the story of a woman who holds the fate of her community in her hair. A perfect book to dip in and out of, as each story is around ten pages long. GB

CONTEMPORARY FICTION (AFRICA-WIDE)

A Mind To Silence and Other Stories edited by Anwuli Ojogwu, 2022
R280 from The Book Lounge

The Caine Prize for African Writing, now in its 22nd year, is awarded for the best short story by an African writer in the English language. This collection features shortlisted stories from 2021 and 2022. Particularly magical is 2022 winner “Five Years Next Sunday”, by Kenyan author Idza Luhumyo, which tells the story of a woman who holds the fate of her community in her hair. A perfect book to dip in and out of, as each story is around ten pages long. GB

ETHNOGRAPHY (AFRICA-WIDE)

African Ceremonies by Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher,1999
R2500 from Clarke’s Bookshop

Published over 20 years ago and photographed by Carol Beckwith, an American, and Angela Fisher, an Australian, this is a sumptuous two-volume record of traditional rituals in 26 African countries. From Eritrea to Namibia, from Morocco to Swaziland, we get a glimpse of rites surrounding the great transitions of life: birth and death, initiation to adulthood, courtship and marriage. The photographers’ aim is to capture ceremonies before they disappear but one might also consider that with over 50% of Africa’s population now living in cities, departures from tradition are inevitable and not always to be lamented. Many ceremonies not shown here, are revamped and more alive than ever. GB

ART (DIASPORA)

When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting edited by Koyo Kouoh, 2022
R1200 from The Zeitz MOCAA Foundation Museum Store

This is the companion book to the eponymous show at the Zeitz MOCAA – the largest black figurative painting exhibition to have been exhibited in Africa. The celebration of black joy is at the centre of the exhibition, which features over 160 artists born between 1888 and 1999. Aside from high-quality, full-page images of all paintings in the show, the book has four specially commissioned essays and much-welcomed biographies on all the artists. GB

ART (DIASPORA)

When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting edited by Koyo Kouoh, 2022
R1200 from The Zeitz MOCAA Foundation Museum Store

This is the companion book to the eponymous show at the Zeitz MOCAA – the largest black figurative painting exhibition to have been exhibited in Africa. The celebration of black joy is at the centre of the exhibition, which features over 160 artists born between 1888 and 1999. Aside from high-quality, full-page images of all paintings in the show, the book has four specially commissioned essays and much-welcomed biographies on all the artists. GB

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