Blown Away By Books
We were delighted to announce that some of our authors participated in the Blown Away By Book’s panel discussions at Fish Hoek Library from September 15th-18th. Sally Cranswick, author of Women out of Water, Kerry Hammerton, author of The Secret Keeper, and Colleen Higgs, Modjaji founder and author of my mother, my madness(deep south) were there.
For more information on Blown Away By Books, check out their facebook page here.
Upcoming Book Launch
Venue: Book Circle Capital
Address: Shop 17 – 19, Melville 27 Boxes, 4th Ave Melville
Date: Thursday, 22 September 2022
Time: 18:00 – 18:30
RSVP: bookcirclecapital@gmail.com
Open Book Festival
Open Book Festival happened on the first weekend of September, at the Homecoming Centre which used to be The Fugard Theatre in Cape Town.
Modjaji poet Khadija Heeger, who just released her second collection of poetry titled Thicker than Sorrow was on the programme. We were also pleased to see authors who were first published by Modjaji such as C.A. Davis and Yewande Omotoso.
Check out the Open Book Festival instagram for more information about their events.
If you missed Khadija’s launch at 6 Spin Street or her Open Book appearances, she will be at Exclusive Books, Canal Walk on the 4th October at 6pm. RSVP to events@exclusivebooks.com.
Viva Bibliodiversity!
We hosted a Zoom panel on the crucial importance of independent publishing and biodiversity on September 14th. Participants were Thabiso Mahlape, Gustavo Faraon, Beth le Roux, Susan Hawthorne, Sandra Tamele, and Colleen Higgs. More information and the link to the recorded event can be found here.
New Modaji Titles
Peaches and Smeets by Ashti Juggath
Caught between the beloved traditions of India and life in a quickly modernising South Africa, between family roots in Natal and a prosperous present in the Transvaal; between the madness of apartheid and the pull of her own desires, Smita struggles to find her feet in a world beset by contradictions.
This book is available to pre-order on our website!
Chinongwa by Lucy Mushita
In the village where Chinongwa lives, her family, displaced from their lands, are very poor. One desperate solution to hunger is to trade young daughters into marriage.
In co-publication with Weaver Press in Zimbabwe, available to pre-order on our website!
Days Come and Go by Hemley Boum
Published by Bakwa Books and distributed into the South African market by Pulani Publications (Modjaji’s distribution platform).
Looking back on the Uncovering Modjaji Books Exhibition
After our amazing exhibition of Modjaji book cover art held at 6 Spin Street Gallery in August, we would like to thank everyone who attended the event as well as the many talented artists and authors who participated. Thank you to Leanne Johannson who organized and created the event.
To read more about the event and see some pictures click here.
Newsletter sign up voucher
We are happy to announce that we now have a R50 voucher for those who sign up to receive our newsletters. Spread the word and save on your favorite Modjaji titles!
Modjaji Student Intern
We were fortunate to have two months of Kylie Bern, a student from California working with us as an intern through the organization CIEE. Here’s a blog post of her reflections of working with us and being in Cape Town.
Remembering Jane Katjavivi
We were saddened to hear of the passing of Jane Katjavivi. We published her memoir, Undisciplined Heart in 2010. She was born and raised in England, and met her husband Peter Katjavivi while involved in the struggle for change in southern Africa. After Namibian independence they moved to Namibia. She was involved in setting up two different publishing houses in Namibia, and was centrally involved in book development on the continent. To read a longer obituary of this remarkable woman, click here. Modjaji Books is honoured to have been Jane’s publisher.
