There’s a compelling scene in Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie where the Nigerian protagonist Ifemelu is getting her hair braided in a stuffy American hair salon. During the six hours that she’s there, stories from the past and present unfurl in a gripping narrative. While Ifemelu is waiting patiently for the hairdresser to complete her work, a […]
In the spirit of Rory Gilmore, here is my pros-and-cons list of the Gilmore Girls revival, which started showing on Netflix in November last year. Before I start my review, let the record reflect that I am completely biased. I’ve been looking forward to binge-watching the revival since news of its existence first dropped. I re-watched all […]
This morning, Facebook reminded me of a post I shared last year when my friend Kutloano came to visit me when I came home from hospital. It’s quite fitting then, that she also went back to the Pretoria Urology Centre with me last week for my check-ups. But the photo was just another tug at […]
How lucky am I, that in a world such as this one, I have had an arsenal of teachers pushing me forward, encouraging me to be whoever I want to be, to live with dignity and integrity?
That time we went on a road trip around New Zealand … in a campervan “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” — J.R.R. Tolkien In a van on the […]
Saffron book launch enjoys a massive turnout Last Sunday, I attended the launch of Saffron: a collection of personal narratives by Muslim women. I was invited by a friend who is also a contributor to the collection, Khaleeda Moosa. Scroll down for tweets from the launch under the hashtag #saffronbooklaunch As I made […]
Welcome to Bibliotherapy Thursday, where I will recommend books to suit your moods. Before I go on, I must make a disclaimer. I am not a medical doctor or a registered therapist. I cannot give advice on mental health, nor will I even attempt to do so. If you feel blue or you […]
Human Rights Day 2018 comes at a time when apathy threatens to destroy and divide us. Here are 5 books that will help us understand what the day really means. Human Rights Day: Remembering the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 As I’m writing this, I can hear singing in the streets. It’s a […]
I remember the first time I went to the library. Yes, I see you calling bullshit, but it’s the truth. It was before I went to school. My mom took me with her to the public library, where she used to take out Afrikaans novels. I can’t remember what she read, but I can recall […]
The purpose of this story on limbo is not to make you feel sorry for me. If sympathy is your default setting, stop. I don’t want it. I just want to write through this. I don’t remember a time that I didn’t want to run away from home. My skin and bones never felt […]
Daily Discussions of craft and the writing life
Humor and satire revolving around Mr P- a fictional mix of an avatar of Mr Bean and the veritable Bertram Wooster of Wodehouse fame.
Tripping the world, slowly
"A Word of Substance"
Your place to learn how to get fit with fasting!
Nobody Else Will Mold Your Passion Other Than Yourself! Go After Your Passion!
thoughts from a freelance foreign correspondent
Novelist, Poet, Wordsmith
Reviews on a Train 