When a great story teller and great plots intersect that leads to magnanimous stories and incredible characters. In his debut short stories collection Fred Khumalo weaves a number of themes that explicate contemporary topics in South African life. These are moving stories that will drive the reader to extremes of gaiety, disbelief and disgust. Khumalo refuses to be time bound and his stories look before apartheid South Africa and beyond apartheid. When you read them you are bound to pose questions whether you search for an identity or you question the foibles of society. Through these stories, Khumalo examines a society that tries to define itself in exile and at home. The feelings of xenophobia and the camaraderie in township streets all build the kaleidoscope of fickle life and mysterious world. The reader is able to view the varied sides of township life that reflect hilarity and poignancy. Talk of the Town is a must have for any collector of great South African short story anthologies.
Even if one is reading Fred Khumalo for the first time, one will not miss his brilliance and impeccable narrative style and plot building.
“When a great storyteller and great plots intersect, that leads to magnanimous stories and incredible characters. In his debut short stories collection, the author weaves a number of themes that explicate contemporary topics in South African life. These are moving stories that will drive the reader to extremes of gaiety, disbelief and disgust. The author refuses to be time-bound and his stories look before and beyond apartheid South Africa. When you read them you are bound to pose questions whether you search for an identity or you question the foibles of society. Through these stories, the author examines a society that tries to define itself in exile and at home. The feelings of xenophobia and the camaraderie in township streets all build the kaleidoscope of fickle life and mysterious world. The reader is able to view the varied sides of township life that reflect hilarity and poignancy. This book is a must-have for any collector of great South African short story anthologies.
Even if one is reading this author for the first time, one will not miss his brilliance and impeccable narrative style and plot building.”
Ladies and gentlemen, the Nadine Gordimer Shorty Story Award goes to Fred Khumalo for his book – Talk of The Town