We have to apologize for our long inactivity, but from now we want to be more active again. During the break we have published a number of books, which we want to present here. So let us start with two recently published book:
Steve Chimombo
Hyena Wears Darkness. The impact of the HIV & AIDS pandemic on African societys steeped in risky cultural customs
It was written by Steve Chimombo, the author of several books. The second edition of this book was published by Luviri Press at the end of last year. You find it on African Books Collective or locally printed.
The Stories
- "The Widow's Liberation", in which the main character is required to perform sexual cleansing rites with a widow upon her husband's death.
- "The Widow's Revenge", in which the widow takes her own revenge upon the society that forced her to submit to the sexual cleansing ceremony.
- "The Hyena Wears Darkness", in which the society is forced to re-examine the effects of its hazardous traditional customs which aid the spread of HIV&AIDS.
The Author
Steve Chimombo was born and died in Zomba, leaving his wife, daughter, two sons, and five grandchildren. He was educated in Malawi, Wales, England, and the United States of America. He held a doctorate from Columbia University of New York, and an Honorary Fellowship in writing from Iowa University. He was Professor Emeritus in English at the University of Malawi. Apart from writing short stories and novels, he also wrote poetry, and literary criticism.
Tito Banda
Old Nyaviyuyi in Performance. Seven tales from Northern Malawi as told by a master performer of the oral narrative
This book was republished at the end of last year by Mzuni Press. You find it on African Books Collective, local copies will be available only at the end of March.
About the Book
Reading these tales from Northern Malawi comes quite close to watching their original performance. Thanks to Banda’s innovative presentation using performance directions, the reader practically sees and hears old Nyaviyuyi as she, through word, voice tone, gesture and facial expression, mocks nosy wives, celebrates the devotion of friendship and parental love, condemns theft, gives injustice its just deserts, throws the spotlight on duplicity and betrayal, thwarts the greed of the powerful and castigates disobedience.
The Author
Tito Banda was born and brought up in Tihauke Village, Mzimba District. He received his secondary education at Mzimba and Nkhata-Bay Secondary Schools and his college education at Messiah College and Temple University in the USA and finally at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. Until the time of his death in 2014, he was a lecturer in literature and creative writing in the then Department of Languages and Literature in the Faculty of Education at Mzuzu University. His research interest was in oral literature, both narrative and poetic. His published works include three novels: Sekani’s Solution, A Bitter Disapproval, and The Luck Charm. He also published many short stories and feature articles, mainly on cultural subjects.
