We conclude our conversation with renowned Ugandan author, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi in which she reflects on migrant narratives in her collection of short stories, Manchester Happened (published in the USA as Let’s Tell This Story Properly ), we explore the ways in which Sweet Mother by Nico Mbaga contribute to conversations on the treatment of indigenous Ugandan feminism in relation to western feminism in the novel, The First Woman (published in the USA as A Girl Is A Body of Water) , and we ...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 2
What power do editors have in steering a writer’s career? What are the real value of winning literary prizes such as the Kwani! manuscript project? What challenges do African writers encounter when attempting to publish literary fiction that exclude the white gaze? Our guest Jennifer Nansubuga Mamukbi, award winning author whose novels include Kintu (pronounced ChinTu), The First Woman (published as A Girl Is A Body of Water in the USA), and the short Story collection, Manchester Happened (publi...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 57 min•Season 3Ep. 1
What is psychogeography? How does architecture affect our emotional, mental, and psychological wellbeing? Caleb Femi, a poet, educator, and multidisciplinary artist whose debut collection of poetry, Poor, celebrate and interrogate youth culture and masculinity, while the articulating the complex lived experiences of working class migrant communities in the UK join us in conversation. We use the music of Burna Boy, J-Hus, Wizkid, Giggs, Sunny Ade, and more to explore the problematic relationship ...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 36 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Award-winning author, Ghanaian author, Ayesha Harruna Attah takes us on a sonic journey using the the music of Mayra Andrade, Les Nubian, Sampa The Great, Nina Simone, Salif Keita and so much more to discuss the phenomena of being ‘possessed’ by a character, the perceived intuitive freedom that MFA courses offer writers, the realities of accessing the world of poublishing as an African writer living on the continent, and the joys of working closely with Ayi Kwei Armah in discovering and translat...
Nov 03, 2020•2 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 9
British-Caribbean author, Sareeta Domingo use the music of ESKA, Prince, Erykah Badu, Neneh Cherry and more to unpick her third novel, If I Don't Have You, we explore her non-traditional route to publishing, crafting & writing romance stories as an act of resistance, her mission to write ambitious Black women with care. We also discuss the merits of being published by either independent or one of the larger publishing houses. If I Don't Have You, is published as part Jacaranda Books and Arts...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Do writers of African descent have the freedom to write whimsical and quirky stories? How can readers support the works of under-discussed writers during COVID-19 global pandemic? We discuss these topics and more with Tola Rotimi Abraham, whose debut novel, Black Sunday ( a coming of age novel set in Lagos, Nigeria, which tells the story of a fractured family coming to terms with an unexpected loss) has been shortlisted for the 2020 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. We use the music of Adekunle Gold, Te...
Sep 29, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 7
What is Bookstagram and how is it shaping readers' engagement with books? What are the strategies for maintaining a healthy reading habit amidst COVID-19 pandemic? Is the term ‘African literature’ a form of self othering? We discuss these and more in today's episode with Muthoni Muiruri, a Kenyan researcher and literary activist. Muthoni is the founder SomaNami.co.ke , a blog where she promotes and reviews books by Continental and diaspora African writers. She is the co-founder of The African Re...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Ebissé Wakjira Rouw, co-founder of the Dutch multimedia powerhouse, Dipsaus (Dipsaus.org) joins us in conversation by using the music of Luther Vandross, Nas, Lil Wayne, City Girls and Mahmoud Ahmed to discuss publishing while Black in the Netherlands and Europe, navigating work-life balance in light of COVID-19, translating writings by Continental and Diaspora African writers and more. We also discuss recent and forthcoming Dipsaus publications such as: the Dutch translation of Audre Lorde’s Si...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Ever wondered what goes on in the judging panels of literary prizes? We speak to Ebissé Wakjira Rouw, an Ethiopian-Dutch literary editor, publisher, co-founder of Dipsaus – a multi-media organisation that specialises in amplifying the voices and lived experiences of Black and People of Colour in the Netherlands. Ebissé was also a judge for the 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing. In the first of our two-part conversation, we use the music of Destiny’s Child, Luniz & Jodeci to discuss th...
Aug 03, 2020•49 min•Season 2Ep. 4
We conclude our one-to-one conversation with the shortlisted writers for the 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing. Today’s guest is Jowhor Ile, a Nigerian writer, author of the novel And After Many Days and visiting professor at West Virginia university whose story, Fisherman Stew is vying for the £10,000 prize. We use the music of Fela Kuti, Sade, Lauryn Hill, Nina Simone, Onyeka Owenu, Cardinal Rex Lawson and more as selected by Jowhor to discuss food as an expression of love in his story ...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Remy Ngamije's Short story, The Neighbourhood Watch , a narrative of five disenfranchised people on their quest for survival on the margins of society has been shortlisted for the 2022 AKO Caine Prize. We use the music of Hugh Masekela, Salif Keita, Yemi Alade, Lady Smith Black Mambazo - as selected by Rémy to unpack the intricacies of the story. We address poor representations of female characters in fiction written by men, while Rémy opens up about the triumphs and challenges of spearheading D...
Jul 20, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 2
AKO Caine Prize for African Writing shortlisted writer, Erica Sugo Anyadike, the Tanzanian multi-hyphenated creative powerhouse discuss her subversive story, How To Marry an African President. We use selected music curated by Erica to unpack among other things, depictions of female partners of powerful men, Black women with care, and writing against the singular African narrative. We discuss the process of writing the How To Marry An African President , and what it means to truly demystify the p...
Jul 13, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In the concluding conversation on his memoir, Lives of Great Men , Chike Frankie Edozien offers greater depth into his career as a journalist in the United States of America (USA). We use a specially curated soundtrack as a musical backdrop to discuss Edozien's experience as one of few African Journalists who covered the highly publicised case against the New York police department for the racial profiling and murder of Guinean student, Amadou Diallo . Edozien elaborates on the importance of pro...
Oct 07, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Journalist and Lambda award winning author, Chike Frankie Edozien, offers an intimate portrait of his life in his memoir, Lives of Great Men: Living and Loving as an African Gay Man . We begin the discussion with Edozien’s reaction to the attention the memoir has garnered (including winning the 2018 Lambda literary award), after which we reflect on the importance of being reviewed critically by astute readers, coming of age as same gender loving young man in Nigeria, the criminalisation of homos...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Novuyo Rosa Tshuma provides deeper context to her critically acclaimed novel, House of Stone – a sophisticated, philosophical and darkly humorous (re)telling of Zimbabwe’s history. We explore writing for a specific audience, censorship in Zimbabwean publishing landscape, weaponisation of history, the importance of documenting Gukurahundi massacre in fiction, understanding the ‘Born Free’ generation and so much more. Books mentioned in this episode (widely available for purchase online and your l...
Sep 10, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Celebrated writer and poet, Jumoke Verrisimo , discuss the complexities of fictionalising personal pain in fiction, idealisation of mothers in Yoruba culture, the infliction of emotional traumas on loved ones as coping strategy for much deeper unarticulated psychological distress, and her debut novel, A Small Silence - a quietly disturbing coded novel that humanises historically underserved communities in fiction while inviting the reader to explore the psycho-social implication of loneliness an...
Sep 09, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In celebration of its 10th anniversary launch, Sarah Ladipo Manyika takes us through the musical landscape of her novel, In Dependence , a sweeping love story spanning four decades, steeped in pan-African post colonial politics. We use the playlist curated by Sarah Ladipo Manyika to unpack the reasoning, research and writing process behind the novel, In Dependence. We explore the import of musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, and many more in bringing literary narratives to ...
Aug 14, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 5
A special live episode recording with the shortlisted writers for the Caine Prize for African Writing, 2019: Lesley Nneka Arimah (Nigeria) ‘Skinned’, Meron Hadero (Ethiopia) ‘The Wall’, Cherrie Kandie (Kenya) for ‘Sew My Mouth’ Ngwah-Mbo Nana Nkweti (Cameroon) for ‘It Takes A Village Some Say’, and Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor (Nigeria) for ‘All Our Lives’; in partnership with the Caine Prize. The stories can be read in written and audio formats here: http://caineprize.com/the-shortlist-2019 Tweet y...
Jul 08, 2019•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 4
This week’s guest is Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of My Sister The Serial Killer, the critically acclaimed debut novel recently shortlisted for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction. We discuss her strategies for coping with criticisms, the importance of being grounded in faith, and the eccentricities of Nigerian humour which underpins the novel. In the second half, Oyinkan takes us on a musical journey through several books including Jane Eyre, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and why she cried...
May 27, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Saraiya Bah, a British poet and cultural producer of Sierra Leonian descent situates Lauryn Hill’s work in Mariama Ba’s iconic novel, So Long a letter. Saraiya also draws connections between The Autobiograohy of Malcom X & Nas Illmatic Akbum, Erykah Badu’s music & the experiences of teenagers in inner London as depicted in Courtia Newland's YA Novel, 'A Society Within'. Listen to Saraiya Bah's poetry and find out more about her work on her website: saraiyabah.co.uk . Liaten to an extende...
May 15, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Namwali Serpell takes us on a musical journey through the 20 year period of writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Old Drift. We use the music of Bjork, Tracy Chapman, PJ Harvey, and Larry Maluma to discuss the problematic nature of literary prizes, Namwali's unprecedented response to winning the 2015 Caine Prize for African Writing, the strangeness of reality in her fictional writing, and the etymology the term 'muzungu'. We also unpack the connection between 'The Old Drift' and nove...
May 06, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Join Sarah Ozo-Irabor as she takes you on a musical journey through the works of new and classic authors. W invite creatives, thinkers, and writers to use the medium of music to discuss the overall impact of books on their sense of self, identity, and belonging. An extended playlist of songs featured in each episode is available via link in the show notes. Subscribe, review and rate Books & Rhymes on iTunes and your fave podcast listening platforms. Follow @BooksAndRhymes on Instagram and Tw...
Apr 24, 2019•5 min•Season 1Ep. 1
