Sunday, November 27, 2016

REVIEW: 2016

Further progress continued to be made this year (2016) as Free State Black Writing refused to take a step backwards. Aside from the usual frenetic performances of poetry all over the country (and internationally) a significant number of new books came out. Charmaine Kolwane Mrwebi has pushed literature, and authors to the frontline, and her publishing firm continues to discover and publish new names and titles.
Charmaine herself published some important personal books this year, including the cardinal, Father of Letters, where many key writers pay tribute to the veteran wordsmith, Flaxman Qoopane. Also in the offing was a study book on Tebogo Mokoena, (the detective created by Chief O Bolaji) - edited by Charmaine. Talk of two very vibrant FS poets, and many would mention Hector Kunene and JahRose Jafta. This year the two of them teamed up to produce an excellent book of poems, titled My Muse.
Theatrical productions of the theme of this work also took place, with both authors featuring as thespians. Meanwhile, the highly talented poet and novelist, Matshidiso Taleng produced a novel titled, Unfolding the documentary. Reception of the work has generally been positive, but more important is the fact that Taleng now takes her place among the relatively very few younger African black female novelists.
The "patron-saint" of FS literary criticism, Pule Lechesa, released another superb work titled A Penny for Lechesa's Thoughts, a work which consolidates his already solid reputation in the world of letters. And another prominent critic, I. M Soqaga (below) this year weighed in with his usual string of quality essays on literature, whilst also putting together the first full-length literary study (book) on writer Kgang Abel Motheane.