WOMAN ZONE STORIES WOMAN ZONE

The Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary African Art) is arguably one of the most creative institutions in Cape Town, not just because of what’s on the walls and floors, but because of what is created within it, not least in the educational wing.
AND SO THE STORIES RAN AWAY was initially an exhibition of art for children held back in 2019. Four years later it’s become a series of children’s books – a collaboration between LIESL HARTMAN, Zeitz head of education, and artists and ‘story carers’, JILL JOUBERT and MERIDIAN BERNDT. The series of four little books are
to be officially launched at the Zeitz on July 20th – but Woman Zone’s own publicist and librarian Beryl Eichenberger, who had something of an input into the series herself, spoke to Jill and Meridian at the WZ Book Club to get some more of the back story.

Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern wrote her first book at 21 and has never looked back. With 25 million books sold in over 40 countries, she is a huge, much sought after, literary success story. A big fan, WOMAN ZONE librarian and publicist Beryl Eichenberger caught up with Cecelia for a chat in the busy Green Room at this years Franschhoek Literary Festival.

With a dizzying number of fans and followers, British Nigerian Bolu Babalola, author of Love in Colour and Honey and Spice, was in Cape Town recently for the Franschhoek Literary Festival . We were delighted to have the opportunity to talk to her at The Women's Library to find out more about the woman and her words - and we invite you to listen in.

A feminist literary scholar and Associate Professor of English at the University of Cape Town, Barbara Boswell ensures that her words are not wasted. Her latest novel The Comrade's Wife (Jacana) packs a powerful punch, with some messages that should not be ignored, not by academics nor politicians.

Shubnum Khan is a Durban born author and artist. Her
writing has been published widely and her first novel, Onion Tears (2011) was shortlisted for the Penguin Prize for African Writing and the University of Johannesburg Debut Fiction Prize. Her essay collection, How I Accidentally Became a Stock Photo was published 2021 but just prior to the Franschhoek Literary
Festival, Beryl Eichenberger took the opportunity to talk to her about all this and her latest novel The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil.

Over thirty years ago Marlene Winberg started listening to the stories of San women from the !xun tribe. Healer and storyteller Meneputo Manunga Manyeka made her promise that one day she would put them together in a book. The Gathering Bag fulfils that promise. And so that they should have wider reach and significance, Marlene worked with Sue Hollingsworth to have them shared by storytellers across the world. Here Marlene gives us the back story. The Gathering Bag, published by Manyeka Arts Trust is available through Amazon and Takealot.