Zakes Mda is a novelist, poet, and playwright celebrated for his compelling and engaging narratives. His work delves into the complexities of human experience and societal issues, employing rich language and intricate characters. Mda masterfully bridges tradition and modernity, offering a distinctive perspective on contemporary Africa. Readers are drawn to his ability to craft deeply resonant stories that provoke thought and reflection.
Recognized as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, this title offers a compelling narrative that captivates readers with its unique themes and engaging characters. The story weaves intricate plots that explore deep emotional connections and societal issues, making it a thought-provoking read. The author's distinctive style and insightful observations contribute to a rich literary experience that resonates with a wide audience.
In the timeless kingdom of Mapungubwe, the royal sculptor had two sons, Chata and Rendani. As they grew, so grew their rivalry--and their extraordinary talents. But while Rendani became a master carver of the animals that run in the wild hills and lush valleys of the land, Chata learned to carve fantastic beings from his dreams, creatures never before seen on the Earth. From this natural rivalry between brothers, Zakes Mda crafts an irresistibly rich fable of love and family. What makes the better art, perfect mimicry or inspiration? Who makes the better wife, a princess or a mysterious dancer? Ageless and contemporary, deceptive in its simplicity and mythical in its scope, The Sculptors of Mapungubwe encompasses all we know of love, envy, and the artist's primal power to forge art from nature and nature into art. Mda's newest novel will only strengthen his international reputation as one of the most trenchant voices of South Africa.
Winner of the M-Net Book Prize Shortlisted for the CNA and Noma Awards In Ways of Dying, Zakes Mda's acclaimed first novel, Toloki is a "professional mourner" in a vast and violent city of the new South Africa. Day after day he attends funerals in the townships, dressed with dignity in a threadbare suit, cape, and battered top hat, to comfort the grieving families of the victims of the city's crime, racial hatred, and crippling poverty. At a Christmas day funeral for a young boy Toloki is reunited with Noria, a woman from his village. Together they help each other to heal the past, and as their story interweaves with those of their acquaintances this elegant short novel provides a magical and painful picture of South Africa today. Ways of Dying was awarded South Africa's prestigious M-Net Book Prize, awarded by the TV channel M-Net to books written in one of South Africa's official languages, and was shortlisted for the Central News Agency (CNA) Award and the Noma Award, an Africa-wide prize founded by Shoichi Noma, onetime president of Kodansha International.
Zakes Mda's fine novel Little Suns weaves the true events surrounding the death of Magistrate Hope into a touching story of love and perseverance that can transcend exile and strife.
Features Kristin Uys, a tough magistrate who lives alone with her cat in the Roodepoort district of Johannesburg. In this novel, she goes on a one-woman crusade to wipe out prostitution in her town. Her reasons are personal, and her main targets are the Visagie Brothers, Stevo and Shortie, who run a brothel.
In 1971, nineteen citizens of Excelsior in South Africa's white-ruled Free State were charged with breaking apartheid's Immorality Act, which forbade sex between blacks and whites. Taking this case as raw material for his alchemic imagination, Zakes Mda tells the story of one irrepressible fallen madonna, Niki, and her family, at the heart of the scandal.
In a new novel by one of the premier writers of the ''new'' South Africa, an exile returns from America--where he fled during the apartheid regime--to find his newly democratic country in a shambles.
Set against a backdrop of rich storytelling, this Picador Paperback Original features a unique narrative that captivates readers with its intricate characters and themes. The book delves into profound human experiences, exploring emotional depths and societal issues. With a blend of sharp wit and poignant observations, it invites readers to reflect on their own lives while immersing them in a vividly crafted world. The author's distinctive voice and compelling prose make this a standout addition to contemporary literature.
Set in a remote mountain village in Lesotho, the story revolves around Dikosha, who is passionate about dancing and singing, contrasting with her twin brother Radisene's life in the politically turbulent capital, Maseru. As Radisene's fortunes fluctuate in the city, Dikosha remains in the village, seemingly untouched by time. The narrative explores themes of community observation and judgment, highlighting the divergent paths of the twins and the impact of their choices on their lives and those around them.
Set in the coastal village of Hermanus, the narrative follows a whale caller who becomes emotionally attached to a whale named Sharisha, using a kelp horn to attract her. His obsession grows as he anxiously awaits her return, mirroring the feelings of a jealous lover. Meanwhile, Saluni, the town drunk, harbors her own unrequited affection for him, complicating the dynamics of love and longing in this unique seaside setting. The story explores themes of obsession, unreciprocated love, and the human connection to nature.