Here are some of the highlights of the 2015 South African Book Fair, taking place in Johannesburg from 31 July to 2 August.
The SABF programme was released last week, and will feature over 100 authors, writers, poets, publishers and playwrights.
We’ve picked out some of the unmissable events from this year’s South African Book Fair:
Friday 10 AM (Brink Room)
Get published!
Mark Winkler talks about how he broke through the lit barrier and two publishers give their tips and suggestions on how to get published.
Friday 12 PM (Achebe Room)
Why is it important to talk to children in their own language?
In this insightful talk, Elinor Sisulu, NLSA & PUO discuss “Children’s literature publishing in indigenous languages: How do we achieve a quantum leap?” Facilitated by the Puku Children’s Literature Foundation.
Saturday 9:30 AM (Anglo Auditorium)
Goodbye to all that: Decolonising culture and institutions
Thaddeus Metz, Xolela Mangcu, Achille Mbembe & Pumla Gqola, chaired by Salim Vally. In conjunction with the M&G Literary Festival.
Saturday 11:30 AM (Gordimer Room)
The power of family
Leon de Kock discusses the sometimes complicated, sometimes supportive nature of the family with novelists Masande Ntshanga, Craig Higginson, Dominique Botha & Rehana Rossouw.
Saturday 1 PM (Gordimer Room)
Stories from the street
Novelists Ivan Vladislavić, Lauren Beukes & Mokone Molete talk about their cities and the role they play in their lives. Moderated by Bontle Senne.
Saturday 1:30 PM
South Africa at a fork in the road (Anglo Auditorium)
John Saul, Steven Friedman, Louis Picard & Rehana Rossouw, chaired by Adam Habib. In conjunction with the M&G Literary Festival.
Saturday 2 PM
Do you want to be an illustrator? (Alice’s Room)
Join award-winning David Melling as he shows you how he came to illustrate books, how he makes characters come to life and how you can learn to do the same. Interactive and fun! Age 7+
Sunday 9:30 AM
South African fiction publishing at 21 (Brink Room)
Gatekeeping or rainmaking? – Fourie Botha (Umuzi), Bridget Impey (Jacana), Thabiso Mahlape (The Blackbird), Palesa Morudu (Cover2Cover), Debra Primo (UKZN Press) & David Robbins (Porcupine Press), chaired by Raks Seakhoa. In conjunction with the M&G Literary Festival.
10 AM (Alice’s Room)
The Trouble With Cats (DC)
Wonder Woman races to save Batman & Superman from her arch-enemy, Cheetah on an island off the coast of Mozambique. The story takes a twist to Soweto where a young girl has to find her inner heroine & save the day. Lauren Beukes & art by Mike Maihack. Suitable for age 5+ & includes a brief talk on how comics are made. Grown-up comic fans welcome. Dressing up as a super hero is encouraged!
11:30 AM (Gordimer Room)
Shorts
Siphiwo Mahala talks to Ivan Valdislavić, Achmat Dangor & Masande Ntshanga about the art of the short story.
1 PM (Gordimer Room)
Science fiction, fantasy and horror – what are the rules of this new reality?
Speculative fiction is explored by Fred Strydom, Melissa Delport & Lauren Beukes. Chaired by Louis Greenberg.
1:30 PM (Anglo Auditorium)
The South African novel at 21
Leon de Kock discusses with novelists Damon Galgut, Mandla Langa, Niq Mhlongo, Henrietta Rose-Innes and Ivan Vladislavić. In conjunction with the M&G Literary Festival.
2:30 PM (Achebe Room)
Want to try your hand at professional editing?
Join this 50-minute hands-on workshop to see if editing is meant for you. “A lightning tour of the skill of editing” will have exercises and questions, so come expecting to be challenged … and supported. Please book early as we will need to restrict the number of participants to 25.
3 PM (Alice’s Room)
A dress-up “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”
In celebration of Alice in Wonderland’s 150th anniversary and the launch of Alice in isiZulu, with readings in both English and isiZulu. The Queen of Tarts, Tina Bester, will be serving it up! Prizes for the best-dressed! On the guest list – the Gruffalo, Wally, Floppy, Peter Rabbit and more … The grand finale to the bookfair!
4 PM (Anglo Auditorium)
The Monuments Men: Rewriting reputation – Rhodes, Malan, Mandela & EM Forster
Dean Allen, Damon Galgut, Lindie Koorts & Mandla Langa, chaired by Achmat Dangor. In conjunction with the M&G Literary Festival.
Book details
- Wasted by Mark Winkler
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EAN: 9780795706998
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- An Exceptionally Simple Theory (of Absolutely Everything) by Mark Winkler
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EAN: 9780795704505
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- Walter and Albertina Sisulu: In our lifetime by Elinor Sisulu
EAN: 9780864866394
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- Meaning in Life by Thaddeus Metz
EAN: 9780199599318
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- The Arrogance of Power by Xolela Mangcu
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EAN: 9780624070771
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- On the Postcolony by Achille Mbembe
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EAN: 9781868146918
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- What is Slavery to Me?: Postcolonial memory and the postapartheid imagination by Pumla Dineo Gqola
EAN: 9781868145072
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- Education, Economy and Society edited by Salim Vally, Enver Motala
EAN: 9781868887583
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- The Reactive by Masande Ntshanga
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EAN: 9781415207192
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- The Dream House by Craig Higginson
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EAN: 9781770104105
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- False River by Dominique Botha
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EAN: 9781415207505
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- What Will People Say by Rehana Rossouw
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EAN: 9781431420247
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- 101 Detectives by Ivan Vladislavic
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EAN: 9781415206904
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- Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
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EAN: 9781415202005
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- Postcards from Soweto by Makone Molete
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EAN: 9781770093690
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- A Flawed Freedom: Rethinking Southern African Liberation by John Saul
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EAN: 9781775820789
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- Race, Class and Power: Harold Wolpe and the Radical Critique of Apartheid by Steven Friedman
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EAN: 9781869142865
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- The Limits of Democratic Governance in South Africa by Louis Picard, Thomas Mogale
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EAN: 9781775820710
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- South Africa’s Suspended Revolution by Adam Habib
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EAN: 9781868146086
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- Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School by David Melling
EAN: 9781444915600
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- African Delights: - by Siphiwo Mahala
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EAN: 9781431402519
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- Strange Pilgrimages by Achmat Dangor
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EAN: 9781770103009
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- The Raft by Fred Strydom
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EAN: 9781415207369
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- The Legacy: The Legacy Trilogy: Book 1 by Melissa Delport
EAN: 9780620596367
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- Dark Windows by Louis Greenberg
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EAN: 9781415206874
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- Bad Sex by Leon de Kock
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EAN: 9781415201527
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- Arctic Summer by Damon Galgut
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EAN: 9781415207598
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- The Texture of Shadows by Mandla Langa
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EAN: 9781770103863
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- Way Back Home by Niq Mhlongo
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EAN: 9780795704789
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- Green Lion by Henrietta Rose-Innes
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EAN: 9781415206850
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- Empire, War & Cricket in South Africa by Dean Allen
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EAN: 9781770228474
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- DF Malan and the Rise of Afrikaner Nationalism by Lindie Koorts
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EAN: 9780624055877
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