Alert! SA expat Tony Eprile, author of The Persistence of Memory (and Temporary Sojourner), features in an interview in The Periscope, an in-house web journal of the International Writers Programme at the University of Iowa, where he has taught.
The interview may be brief, but Eprile’s thoughtful and interesting responses are a refreshing change of pace – and BOOK SA members will be glad to see that our network scores a mention. Thanks, Tony!
IWP: What literary neighborhood excites you especially at the present moment?
Tony Eprile: I have definitely been excited by the growth in the number of young South African writers, and by the country’s increased interest in them. There seems to be a literary festival every other day, often coinciding with food and wine fests…and why not? Writers should eat and drink well too. My former student and friend Ben Williams edits an excellent website http://book.co.za/ that has all the latest news, reviews, and pictures. Among the writers worth watching/reading are Damon Galgut, Niq Mhlongo, Ben Oswest (Ben Williams’ pseudonym), Rustum Kozain, Ceridwen Dovey, Sihle Khumalo (whose Dark Continent, My Black Arse has to win the award for best title) and Troy Blacklaws. There are plenty of others, but it’s hard for me to get their books here in the States. (South African publishers take note; I’ll happily review books if you send them to me.)
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Photo courtesy International Writing Programme
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