Sunday, November 21, 2010

Julius Chingono and John Eppel soon to be published by 'amaBooks



The next publication by 'amaBooks is to be Together, a collection of short stories and poems by two of Zimbabwe's leading writers, Julius Chingono and John Eppel.

The collection, which will include 25 poems and 8 short stories by Julius and 24 poems and 11 short stories by John, will be published in early 2011.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Nadifa Mohamed enjoys Long Time Coming



"I have finally finished Long Time Coming: Short Writings from Zimbabwe; it travelled with me to Somaliland, Australia and Norway! I loved the insight it gave into everyday life in Zimbabwe; the bus rides, weddings, rivalries that go on despite political unheavals. It is a crucial addition to what we hear about Zimbabwe from the minds of writers intimately connected to the country. I especially enjoyed Monireh Jassat's A Lazy Sunday Afternoon, Petina Gappah's The Cracked, Pink Lips of Rosie's Bridegroom, Mathew Chokuwenga's 10 Lanigan Avenue and Linda Msebele's The Chicken Bus."

Nadifa Mohamed's debut novel, Black Mamba Boy won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize, is shortlisted for the 2010 Guardian First Book Award and has been shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Set in 1930s Somalia, the novel charts one boy's long walk to freedom through dangerous, conflict ridden EastAfrica, based on the true story of the author's father's life.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Christopher Mlalazi's Election Day at Theatre in the Park


Christopher Mlalazi's play Election Day is to run at Harare's Theatre in the Park from 10 to 27 November at 5.30pm and at 7.30pm each day, except Sundays and Mondays. The short story Election Day on which the play is based appears in Chris' award-winning collection Dancing with Life: Tale from the Township. The book is available in many outlets in Bulawayo and Harare, including just across Harare Gardens from the theatre at the National Gallery, for $8.
Outside of Zimbabwe, the book is available through many online outlets and can be read as an ebook in the USA through www.scribd.com.

"It is election time. His Excellency, Poka Oka Ndiseng’s ruling party is losing by a very wide margin in the polls. His wife, Samantha, and his personal advisor, Twenty, have both panicked and they are urging Ndiseng to flee the country, but an adamant Ndiseng tells them he is not going anywhere..."


The photograph is of the play's director Eunice Tava, twice winner of a National Arts Merit Award for Outstanding Actress.


The Zimbo Jam article about the play can be found at http://www.zimbojam.com/film-tv-a-theatre/theatrically-speaking/1927-christopher-mlalazi-play-premieres-at-theatre-in-the-park.html