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Pulpit, Slave Church

Cape Town, South Africa. Single exposure (Nikon 990), “raw�? jpeg - no editing, cropping, “developing�?, etc.

Henrietta Rose-Innes did me the great favor of introducing The New Suffolk Hymnbook at Julie Aitchison’s fine bookshop on Wednesday evening. She spoke quite eloquently and left me quite flustered; she’s agreed to allow me to publish her notes on Boswestblog - they’ll appear here soon.

Gus Ferguson, Henrietta Rose-Innes and Jeanne Hromnik

The turnout was good, with many friends coming along, and an encouraging number of novels sold and signed. Spotted, inter alia: Mike Cohen, Russel Brownlee, Chris Nicklin, Rodney Trudgeon, Nozuko Mbana, Gus Ferguson and Jeanne Hromnik.

Thanks to all who showed up. Here are a few more snaps (all courtesy my Lovely Assistant):

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I’ll be giving a reading at Boabab Books in Long Street, Cape Town, on Wed. Nov 1st. Come along - here are the details:

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Last night saw the launch of Lewis Nkosi’s new novel, Mandela’s Ego, at the Metropole Hotel’s M Bar in Long Street, Cape Town. I introduced Lewis and his wonderful book, which is, as I said, a “serious satire”, locked in contest with the monumental founding narrative of the new South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, for the territory of the South African imagination.

I’ll post a full review of Mandela’s Ego in the next few days (and possibly some further speech notes). Meanwhile, I’ve put up a few launch photos on Flickr. See them in the Cape Town Book Fair Photo Set.

Lewis Nkosi & Ben Oswest

Julie Aitchison, proprietor of Baobab Books in Long Street, has organised a “fringe” evening for the Cape Town Book Fair, on Saturday 17 June.

(That’s the night of the Sunday Times Book Awards banquet - if you don’t have an invitation, Baobab makes a good alternative.)

Signed copies of various Book Fair books will be on sale in her shop, and the following events have been confirmed:

• 6.30 pm CHRIS MANN: Lifelines, a multi-media presentation of art, graphics, poetry and sung lyrics by the “ad hominem” Professor of Poetry at Rhodes University. (Lifelines’ graphics and scientific commentary by Julia Skeen and Adrian Craig, respectively.)
• 7.45 pm DENNIS BRUTUS: the renowned poet and activist, who is visiting Cape Town for the Book Fair, will launch and discuss the new book about him, Poetry and Protest, edited by Lee Sustar and Aisha Karim.

Julie will lay on complimentary wine for both events, and there will also be a cash bar. She may sponsor another “fringe” event for the next evening, too.

Baobab Books
Baobab Mall
210 Long Street (opp. The Dubliner at Kennedy’s) | Map
+27 (0) 21 422 3894