AiW Guest: Katarzyna Kubin. It was the second day of the Africa Writes Festival, a week ahead of Black Pride. The heatwave beat on in London whilst, in the British Library, the animated festival crowd buzzed and mingled to and… Read More ›
Africa Writes
Books in Your Ears: On Literary Podcasts
This Guest post marks the launch of Africa in Words reviewing literary podcasts. This Sunday 1 July, Africa in Words is hosting a conversation at Africa Writes on one of the most exciting trends in African literature over the… Read More ›
Africa in Words at Africa Writes 2018
In among the generosity and wealth of Africa Writes’ offerings this year – new and fresh events, workshops, panels and conversations – see our Event Preview here and the Africa Writes programme with further details on their website, with advance… Read More ›
Africa Writes: Event Preview (29th June – 1st July, London)
You are invited to join The Royal African Society’s annual literature festival, Africa Writes From Friday 29 June to Sunday 1 July 2018 at The British Library & Rich Mix Over 60 of the most influential voices in contemporary writing… Read More ›
Event: Africa Writes 2018 (London, 29th June-1st July)
It is time to save the date for Africa Writes 2018 Friday 29th June – Sunday 1st July 2018 Africa Writes returns for an exciting summer weekend at the British Library celebrating the best of contemporary literature from Africa and… Read More ›
Q&A: Writer and Filmmaker Yaba Badoe
This weekend at the Africa Writes Pop-Up in Bristol, Yaba Badoe will launch The Secret of the Purple Lake (Cassava Republic Press) – a collection of five interlinked stories that take us from Ghana to Orkney, and from Spain to… Read More ›
Event: Africa Writes Bristol Pop-Up, 6-7 October 2017
Africa Writes, the UK’s biggest annual African literature and book festival brought to you by the Royal African Society, comes to Bristol for the first time, from Friday 6th October to Saturday 7th October 2017, presenting a vibrant programme of… Read More ›
Event: An evening in conversation with the 2017 Caine Prize shortlisted authors, 28 June 2017, London
An evening in conversation with the 2017 Caine Prize shortlisted authors Tue 28 June 2017 | 6pm – 8pm | SALT | Paul Webley Wing | Senate House | SOAS University Chair: Lizzy Attree (Director Caine Prize) Discussant: Carli… Read More ›
Call for Volunteers: Africa Writes, London, 30 June – 2 July, deadline 10 May 2017
Africa Writes will be back for its 2017 edition at The British Library from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2 July. We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about African literature and would like to be a part of the… Read More ›
Call for Poetry Submissions / Appel à contributions poétiques: A Song for Burundi, Deadline 15 April 2017.
Call for Poetry Submissions: A Song for Burundi Huza Press in collaboration with Africa Writes and Jalada Africa is pleased to announce a call for submissions for a poetry anthology from Burundians living in exile. Inspired by the creative force… Read More ›
Event: Africa Writes, 1-3 July 2016, London
Africa Writes is the Royal African Society’s annual literature festival. Celebrating its 5th year, Africa Writes 2016 will bring together over 50 authors, poets, publishers and experts for a stimulating and exciting three days! Every year the festival showcases established… Read More ›
Event: Book Discussion on ‘City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp’ 27 April 2016, London
Book Discussion on ‘City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp’ Wednesday, 27 April 2016, 7:15pm to 8:45pm Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG Speakers: Ben Rawlence (author of City of Thorns) &… Read More ›
Africa in Words’ highlights of 2015
Africa in Words has been taking a break over the holiday season, but we couldn’t resist taking a look back over the memorable year that has been 2015. Here, some of our Editors reflect on their highlights of 2015. We’d… Read More ›
Losing my Head Because: Ben Okri’s Meditations on Greatness
AiW Guest Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire I thought that Ben Okri’s December 2014 infamous Guardian essay in which he berated African and black writers for suffering under a mental tyranny of subject was too prescriptive and an inaccurate reading of contemporary African… Read More ›
Crossing Borders to Find Home – new non-fiction by Pede Hollist
By AiW Guest: Pede Hollist AiW note: Pede Hollist is the author of the novel So the Path Does Not Die (recently reviewed by Rashi Rohatgi for AiW) and the Caine Prize shortlisted story ‘Foreign Aid‘. Speaking at the Africa Writes festival… Read More ›
A Question of Power: Ben Okri’s “Meditations on Greatness” at Africa Writes
AiW Guest Réhab Abdelghany I first saw Ben Okri in a photograph that the Africa Centre had sent me back in 2000 to accompany an interview with the first Caine Prize winner, Leila Aboulela, which I published later in Egypt. In… Read More ›
Acts of mutiny: the Caine Prize and ‘African Literature’
By AiW Guest Ranka Primorac. In London, a three-day literary festival called Africa Writes took place recently at the British Library (BL). The festival is now in its fourth year, it hosts an ever-widening stream of writers, readers and publishers,… Read More ›
Blogging the Caine Prize: Elnathan John’s ‘Flying’
AiW Guest Madhu Krishnan Elnathan John’s ‘Flying’ opens with a dream and ends with a limping chicken. If that sentence sounds incongruous, it, like the story itself, is deliberately so. Throughout its course, ‘Flying’ – at only just over 4200… Read More ›
No Ordinary House: a review of E.C. Osondu’s ‘This House is Not For Sale’
‘— That house is no ordinary house. Ordinary house, indeed — […] — People say that at night you could hear voices and sometimes cries emanating from that house. Even though no one lives there anymore. — It casts a… Read More ›
Africa Writes, 3 – 5 July 2015, British Library
Africa Writes – the Royal African Society’s annual literature and book festival promoting contemporary African writing – returns to The British Library. Africa Writes 2015 will bring together over 70 authors, poets, publishers, critics and experts for an exciting three-day programme, including… Read More ›