April 2019 Events
01 Apr 2019
Below you’ll find a list of literary events featuring PEN South Africa members, as well as a selection of other noteworthy launches, classes, performances, exhibitions, readings and workshops happening around South Africa.
If there is an event you’d like us to feature please let us know.
LAUNCHES, PANELS & CONFERENCES
Launch of The Distance by Ivan Vladislavić
Where: Kalk Bay Books, 124 Main Road, Kalk Bay
When: Tuesday 2 April at 6:30 p.m.
About: Penguin Random House and Kalk Bay Books invite you to the launch of The Distance by Ivan Vladislavić. The author will be in conversation with Mark Gevisser.
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Launch of Zikr by Saaleha Idrees Bamjee
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday, 2 April 2019 at 5:30 PM
About: PEN SA member, Saaleha Idrees Bamjee will be launching her book, a poetry collection. She will be in conversation with Nick Mulgrew.
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Launch of The Turnaway Girls by Hayley Chewins
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg.
When: Wednesday, 3 April at 6:00 PM
About: Pan Macmillan and Love Books invites you to the launch of The Turnaway Girls, the debut, young adult novel by Hayley Chewins
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Launch of The Messiah’s Dream Machine by Jennifer Friedman
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday, 4 April 2019 at 5:30 PM
About: Friedman is launching a sequel to her first memoir She will be in conversation with Karina Szczurek.
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Launch of Whatever by Saskia Bailey
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville in Johannesburg;
The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, in Cape Town
When: Thursday, 4 April, 2019 at 6:00 PM; Wednesday, 10 April 2019 at 5:30 PM
About: Bailey will be in conversation with Nick Hamman at the Joburg launch and with Melinda Ferguson at the Cape Town launch
More details Joburg launch
More details Cape Town launch
Smile Dammit! Book launch by Howard Feldman
Where: Bridge Books, 95 Commissioner St, Johannesburg
When: Sunday, 7 April, 1pm – 3pm
About: Bridge books will be launching Howard Feldman’s new book, followed by a book signing by the author. Smile Dammit! Is a book about optimism and hope.
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Launch of Boodskapper van die Gode by Murray La Vita
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday, 9 April 2019 at 5:30 PM
About: The Book Lounge invites you to the launch of Murray La Vita’s book, Boodskapper van die Gode. He will be in conversation with Izak de Vries
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Launch of The Last Elephant compiled by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell
Where: Kalk Bay Books, 124 Main Road, Kalk Bay
When: Tuesday 9 April at 6:30 p.m.
About: Penguin Random House and Kalk Bay Books invite you to the launch of The Last Elephant by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell. The authors will be in conversation with Dr Ian McCallum.
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Launch of Otherwise Occupied by Sally Ann Murray
Where: Exclusive Books, Cavendish, Claremont, Cape Town
When: Wednesday, 10 April 2019, at 5:30 pm.
About: Dryad Press, in association with Exclusive Books, is proud to present this serious, often playful, sometimes outrageous volume of poetry by Sally Ann Murray, Chair of the English Department at Stellenbosch University. Murray will be in conversation with poet and critic Joan Hambidge.
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Launch of Yellowbone by Ekow Duker
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday, 11 April 2019 at 5:30 PM
About: you are invited to the launch of Yellowbone by Ekow Duker. In this latest novel, the author explores life in modern day Africa.
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Launch of Lucky Packet by Trevor Sacks
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville in Johannesburg; The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday, 16 April at 6:00 PM; Thursday, 25 April 2019 at 5:30 PM;
About: We’re excited to announce that Sacks will be in conversation with PEN SA member, Imraan Coovadia, at the Cape Town launch. At the Joburg launch Sacks will be in conversation with Harry Kalmer.
More details Joburg launch
More details Cape Town launch
Panel discussion: Parents’ involvement is the number one predictor of early literacy success and future academic achievement
Where: wRite Associates, 74 Mimosa Road, Randpark Ridge
When: Saturday, 20 April 2019 at 1:00 pm till 3:00 pm
About: On 23 April, Miriam Tlali Reading and Book Club will be celebrating World Book Day with a discussion between mother and daughter, multiple-award winning author of 5 books, Victorine Mbong Shu and 12-Year-Old Stacey Fru, a multiple-award winning author of 3 books. There’s no question that literacy is one of the most important skills a child will ever learn because it opens so many doors for them and their future. So how do you know if they’re ready to take on that new and exciting adventure?
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Launch of Written under the skin: blood and intergenerational memory in South Africa by Dr Carli Coetzee
Where: WITS University. Braamfontein Campus East, Humanities Graduate Centre, South West Engineering Building
When: Tuesday, 23 April 2019 at 2:00 pm
About:The African Literature department, together with the Media Studies department at Wits will host the launch of Dr Carli Coetzee’s (Oxford University) new book.
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Launch of The Woman of the Stone Sea by Meg Vandermerwe
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday, 23 April 2019 at 5:30 pm for 6:00 pm
About: PEN SA member, Meg Vandermerwe will be discussing her recently published novel with Henrietta Rose-Innes.
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Launch of North of Dawn by Nuruddin Farah
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
About: PEN SA member, Nuruddin Farah will be discussing his recently published novel with Nancy Richards.
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POETRY
Off the Wall, weekly poetry readings in Observatory
Where: Various venues across Cape Town. Please refer to the OTWP website for details.
When: Every Thursday night, 7:30 p.m.
About: Off the Wall poetry invites established poets to give readings every Thursday night, followed by an open-mix session. The open-mic session is for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
Featuring Diane Awerbuck on 1 March; Jim Pascual Agustin on 15 March.
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Reddits Poetry, monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown
Where: Cafe D’Vine, 31 New Street, Grahamstown
When: Last Friday of every month, 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
About: Reddits has been running monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown for over a decade. Come for featured readings and an open mic.
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THEATRE
Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking at the Baxter
Where: Baxter Theatre
When: 3-13 April, 7:30 pm (additional performances: 4 April 11:00 am; 6 April 3:00 pm and 11 April 11:00 am).
About: Directed by Mark Fleishman. Featuring Jennie Reznek & Faniswa Yisa. Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking traces the story of a young refugee in Africa who loses family and home brutally and irrevocably, and is forced to journey to a new place through many dangers and uncertainties.
Oxygen at the Baxter
Where: Baxter Theatre
When: 30 April – 4 May, 8:00 pm. (additional performances: 2 May 12:00 pm; 4 May 2:00 pm).
About: Following her highly acclaimed 2018 production of When Canes Cry, renowned theatre maker, Glenda Jones, brings to stage a provocative dance/drama that begs the question: Should humanity not frantically be searching for new soil, instead of trying to, as Rumi says, “decorate the ego by clinging to a false centre?”