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Dreams packaged as reality
Angolan author José Eduardo Agualusa has created a magical tale the line between fact and fiction, between history and story, as a gecko narrates the tale of an albino businessman in Luanda who creates personal histories in O Vendedor de Passados (The Genealogy Salesman). MORE

Many languages, no barrier
Gova is a book of poetry written in one of South Africa's unofficial languages, Isicamtho – a polyglot of the 11 official languages and one which has its origins in the so-called tsotsi taal of the Black gehttoes. Ike Mboneni Muila is a master of this language and encourages readers to dive in. Book comes with audio CD. MORE

Arse of a detective
InJaime Bunda: Agente Secreto and Jaime Bunda e a Morte do Americano, Angolan author Pepetela introduces us to a uniquely African detective. His bungling, bureaucratic incompetence is makes this socially committed fiction a pleasure to read. Pepetela does for his country what American author Carl Hiaasen has done for the Florida Everglades. MORE

Lying to tell the truth
Denis Herbstein has created something in White Lies that is no less than epic – he tracks in minute detail the history of South Africa’s apartheid years, and weaves into the tapestry a warm and intimate biography of John Collins, the canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, and his role in the struggle against apartheid. MORE

Gastronomic rhapsodies
InSalutation to the Gut Nigeria's Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka brings his painstakingly choosy palate, sourced in cultural origin, to bear on his polemical composition on Yoruba food and drink – Salutation to the Gut. Originally published in 1962, it is now published as a small pocket size book. MORE

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Essays and Papers
Planting seeds of peace
In her Nobel prize lecture Kenyan environmentalist and politician Wangari Maathai tells of the history of the Green Belt Movement which began as a means of responding to the needs of rural women. It has since become a social movement in which communities are taking action to ensure change, in both the environment and politically as they realise that responsible governance of the environment is impossible without democratic space. Thus has the tree became a symbol for peace and conflict resolution. MORE

The rock from which you were hewn
Archbishop Desmond Tutu's presented this year Nelson Mandela Foundation Lecture. Archbishop Tutu reminds South Africans, and the world, how far his country has come in the past decadeThe Archbishop’s style of humour and his compassion shine through as he remembers the evils of the previous regime and the successes of the present in everything from sport and literature to nation building. He also has harsh words for the lack of debate within the ruling party and lopsided benefits of black economic empowerment. MORE

More Essays and Papers
Trauma in the telling
It is surprising that a short story anthology as innovative, and brave, as Post-Traumatic struggled to make it into print, until Botsotso published the 22 contributions by young South African writers. As the title implies, the anthology deals with life in this country after the death of apartheid, for a multitude of perspectives. MORE

Of swans and ugly ducklings in Malawi
Second-Hand Love by Walije Gondwe is one of Macmillan's Pacesetter series, aimed at teenagers and young adults. It is a story of Masozi, who is constantly reminded of her unfortunate looks even by her relatives, so that we are compelled to not only sympathise with her, but join her in her angst to overcome her inferiority complex and the other hurdles that spring up. MORE