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Sweet Medicine takes place in Harare at the height of Zimbabwe's economic woes in 2008. Tsitsi, a young woman, raised by her strict, devout Catholic mother, believes that hard work, prayer and an education will ensure a prosperous and happy future. She does well at her mission boarding school, and goes on to obtain a scholarship to attend university, but the change in the economic situation in Zimbabwe destroys the old system where hard work and a degree guaranteed a good life. Out of university, Tsitsi finds herself in a position much lower than she had set her sights on, working as a clerk in the office of the local politician, Zvobgo. With a salary that barely provides her a means to surv...
What are the right questions to ask when seeking out the spirit of a nation? In November, 2017, the people of Zimbabwe took to the streets in an unprecedented alliance with the military. Their goal, to restore the legacy of Chimurenga, the liberation struggle, and wrest their country back from more than 30 years of Robert Mugabe's rule. In an essay that combines bold reportage, memoir, and critical analysis, Zimbabwean novelist and journalist Panashe Chigumadzi reflects on the "coup that was not a coup," the telling of history and manipulation of time and the ancestral spirts of two women--her own grandmother and Mbuya Nehanda, the grandmother of the nation.
An anthology dedicated to contemporary Black South African feminist writing influential to today's scholars and radical thinkers Surfacing: On Being Black and Feminist in South Africa is the first collection dedicated to contemporary Black South African feminist perspectives. Leading feminist theorist, Desiree Lewis, and poet and feminist scholar, Gabeba Baderoon, have curated contributions by some of the finest writers and thought leaders into an essential resource. Radical polemic sits side by side with personal essays, and critical theory coexists with rich and stirring life histories. The collection demonstrates a dazzling range of feminist voices from established scholars and authors to...
Showcasing the work of more than 200 women writers of African descent, this major international collection celebrates their contributions to literature and international culture. Twenty-five years ago, Margaret Busby's groundbreaking anthology Daughters of Africa illuminated the "silent, forgotten, underrated voices of black women" (Washington Post). Published to international acclaim, it was hailed as "an extraordinary body of achievement... a vital document of lost history" (Sunday Times). New Daughters of Africa continues that mission for a new generation, bringing together a selection of overlooked artists of the past with fresh and vibrant voices that have emerged from across the globe ...
What are the right questions to ask when seeking out the spirit of a nation? In November, 2017, the people of Zimbabwe took to the streets in an unprecedented alliance with the military. Their goal, to restore the legacy of Chimurenga, the liberation struggle, and wrest their country back from more than 30 years of Robert Mugabe's rule. In an essay that combines bold reportage, memoir, and critical analysis, Zimbabwean novelist and journalist Panashe Chigumadzi reflects on the "coup that was not a coup," the telling of history and manipulation of time and the ancestral spirts of two women—her own grandmother and Mbuya Nehanda, the grandmother of the nation.
This anthology comprises the stories of 31 women who grew up in two countries, Zimbabwe prior to Independence and Zimbabwe post-1980. The contributors reflect on their childhoods with refreshing candour. Many of their memories retain the crystalline clarity of childhood and thus provide insights into worlds that have often remained unexplored.Behind these women stood dedicated, hard-working parents - often teachers, nurses or businessmen and women - determined that their children succeed through education. The commitment of this emerging middle class provides us with a tragic reminder of the negative obduracy of the colonial regime which consistently denied such citizens the vote.Nonetheless, we are repeatedly reminded not of the dark side of an essentially racist regime, but of the joys of a secure childhood when parents and communities were steadfast in their values, and families consistently offered stability and security.Few will read Township Girls: The Cross-Over Generation without feeling that they have learned something new and been invited into a different world.
An epic tale narrated through the eyes of three women.
A short, intense and profoundly moving debut novel about race, identity, sex and death – from one of the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35
From the author of the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words comes a rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries. In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, seventeen-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life. Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a dis...