All good things eventually come to an end. Our final book to end this #ZimbabweLitMonth with is this memoir by Tinatswe Mhaka whose debut, "The Men I Have Hated" published by Carnelian Heart Publishing chronicles her journey with her relationships with men from childhood to adulthood in Zimbabwe. Mhaka allows herself to be vulnerable and … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: The Men I Have Hated (2021)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: This Might Sting a Bit (2021)
As this month comes to an end, I know this might sting a bit so I thought I would end with this novel about substance abuse set in Harare. In her debut novel, Claire Adlam introduces us to the Hay family. "Meet Kat. Just a regular teenager growing up on a Zimbabwean farm. Full of … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: This Might Sting a Bit (2021)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: I am a girl from Africa (2021)
Often times the stories centered around Zimbabwe are fictional narratives. Memoir is becoming a popular nonfiction form of expression. Today I will introduce you to Elizabeth Nyamayaro @enyamayaro, who narrates her life story which begins with a near death experience in Goromonzi. This incident is what catapults her onto a journey which takes her to … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: I am a girl from Africa (2021)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: Glory (2022)
Political satire is an important genre in Zimbabwe where writers can't often express themselves without impunity. Glory, published by Chatto (2022) is the second novel by award-winning novelist, Noviolet Bulawayo. The book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize (2022) and is inspired by George Orwell's "Animal Farm." In Glory, the story rides on the senile … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Glory (2022)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: Black and Female (2022)
In this latest offering by critically acclaimed novelist, Tsitsi Dangarembga, she flips the page and goes nonfiction. Black and Female is a powerful novella consisting of three essays which gives us greater insight into the author and her journey as a writer and filmmaker. In writing 'Black and Female,' Dangarembga allows herself the space to … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Black and Female (2022)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: Drinking from Graveyard Wells (2023)
Nothing packs a punch like a collection of well written short stories. Consistency and conciseness are key and Yvette Lisa Ndlovu delivers with this anthology. In this volume, you will be introduced to Zimbabweans, both in the country and those living in the diaspora. Ndlovu covers diverse genres from fantasy, horror, magical realism, sci-fiction plus … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Drinking from Graveyard Wells (2023)
#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The 2023 Eisner Nominees
Looking to dip your toe into the ocean of new graphic novels (in translation) for children and young adults? Reading the Eisners is the perfect approach. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are the comic kingdom’s equivalent of the Oscars, with the winners announced annually at San Diego Comic Con. Children’s graphic novels in translation appear in the obvious … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The 2023 Eisner Nominees
#ZimbabweLitMonth: Digging Stars (2023)
"The Digging Stars is a star cluster known by many names. It is most commonly called the Pleiades. Depending on who and where you are, it’s also referred to as the Seven Sisters or isiLimela, among other things. But no matter its name, in Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s excellent new novel, “Digging Stars,” the cluster is … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Digging Stars (2023)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: Sibanda and the Night Adder (2023)
While Zimbabwean City of Kings trilogy interrogates Bulawayo's history, author CM Elliot and her Detective Sibanda detective series present Bulawayo and its surrounds in its present state. Using the crime fiction genre, CM Elliot takes us into the heart of Matabeleland terrain. She uses her dashing protagonist, Detective Sibanda, who returns in this fourth installment … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Sibanda and the Night Adder (2023)
#ZimbabweLitMonth: The Quality of Mercy (2022)
Of all the countries in Africa, the liberation struggle for independence in Zimbabwe was the longest and bloodiest. Historical fiction has become a popular genre in interrogating our convoluted history. Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, with her lyrical prowess, has done a marvelous job of narrating pre- and post-colonial Zimbabwean history in her City of Kings trilogy. … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: The Quality of Mercy (2022)
