LADYBRAND AND LESOTHO (Books published)

ESSAYS ON FREE STATE BLACK LITERATURE
By Pule Lechesa
2012



Contents include:

1. Introduction. By O Bolaji
2. Literature grows by leaps and bounds
3. Dearth of indigenous languages
4. The grassroots poets on the rise
5. Reminiscence of Onitsha Literature
6. Modern trappings in Tebogo and the Haka
7. Lechesa bounces back
8. Shades of hubris in JahRose’s work
9. Fatal Flaws in Hector Kunene’s Through the tunnel
10. Enemy of the State By Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga
11. Confusion in Deon-Simphiwe Skade’s debut work
12. Literary Criticism an eyesore for Black Writers!
13. Pule Lechesa interviews Bolaji
14. Mme Duman’s Deepest Springs
15. A renowned scholar on Free State shores
16. Tebogo and the epithalamion
17. Football power in Tebogo and the pantophagist
18. Appendix

TEBOGO AND THE BACCHAE
By Omoseye Bolaji
2012

 


"In this new work the author creates the fictional town of “Khayachow” where sleuth Tebogo has to investigate the events of an ill-starred night when three people lost their lives in gruesome fashion. As Tebogo burrows into life in the small town he discovers that things are not necessarily what they seem to be on the surface.

In Tebogo and the Bacchae the reader is introduced to a gallery of intriguing characters, including the enigmatic Tiisetso, the ubane Sibusiso, the shadowy Allan and of course the tantalising lady, Thobeka. The story reaches a climax later on and ends in a shattering manner – like previous adventures in this series.." - excerpts from a review by SOWETAN, South African daily.

Interviews with Effervescent Writers
Edited by Christine Mautjana
2012



'This book – featuring striking interviews with various African writers - is not only a veritable breath of fresh air, but exceedingly welcome!

Writers from diverse backgrounds, race, colour, proclivities, come together to talk about their craft, drive and passion for the written word. There is a strong South African presence here, but the work is still international, and global...'

From where I stand
By George Rampai
2012

 

'George Rampai is the author of the award-winning novel, From where I stand (2012) a fictional work... The book is at least 160 pages in length. It definitely has a plot, a good beginning and end (as regards the main story; as a thriller) The author also writes well, with general fine descriptions. Again we might ask: what about the characterization? Does the author create well-rounded, plausible figures? To a large extent he does; especially Danny (the protagonist himself) Moliehi the lady, and a few others...'

THE VUVUZELA MURDERS
By Aryan Kaganof
2013

 

 
"Aryan Kaganof is arguably South Africa’s most versatile and resilient cultural activist. He is an eclectic film-maker, novelist, poet, fine artist and an indefatigable blogger...

"Aryan Kaganof has published many intriguing novels like Hectic, Cortado, Laduma and Uselessly. In this his very latest work, he creatively unleashes his apocalyptic vision in splendid, if disturbing undulations..."

Riteng sa Moseeka

By TEBOHO LETSHABA

2013

A riveting Sesotho drama. Teboho Letshaba, an acting assignment editor at South African broadcasting Co-operations (SABC) cum writer is the author of this work, Riteng sa Moseeka.  The book taps into what used to be dubbed the black on black violence with the main focus being on the rife taxi violence. The books shows that the long arm of the law has a way of catching up with criminals; and other motifs here include betrayal and family secrets. 

 

FREE STATE BREWED SHORT STORIES
Edited by Pule Lechesa
2013

' Amazingly, this new anthology of short stories was published just a few days before Alice Munro was internationally announced as the 2013 winner of the Nobel award in literature. The blurb of this book states emphatically:

"Alice Munro, celebrated writer of fiction of the shorter variety describes a story as ‘a world seen in a quick glancing light’. In other words, every day events, gongs and tragedies are briefly illuminated in the best of short stories.

The stories in this collection – written by talented African writers - epitomize some of the best in recent writings...Enjoy the Cornucopia of stories!...” '

BOLAJI IN HIS POMP
By Pule Lechesa
2013

 

'A biocritical overview of writer Omoseye Bolaji'

SESOTHO SE TENG
K.P.D Maphalla
2013
'Dirges festooning king, chiefs, laymen - a rather elegiac fulmination'

TEBOGO IN THE THICK OF THINGS
By Omoseye Bolaji
2013

"Tebogo Mokoena, the Free State based townships' sleuth is now internationally renowned and respected thanks to the fecund, rib-cracking imagination of Omoseye Bolaji, the creator and writer of the series of books (adventures) weaved around Tebogo... 

"This particular work brings together two of the adventures of Tebogo, Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) and Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010). Lovers of the series can enjoy this 'two in one' compendium!..."

COLLECTED POEMS
By Omoseye Bolaji
2013

 

THE AWESOME LITERARY LEGACY OF DR. KPD MAPHALLA
By Pule Lechesa
2015

 



“PULE LECHESA, a renowned “ruthless” literary critic and journalist, published a monograph, The Awesome literary legacy of Dr. K.P.D Maphalla, a gripping and insightful biography that chronicles the life and times of the iconic writer Maphalla – and also zeroes in on his extensive literary work.

"Lechesa keeps on consolidating his reputation as an outstanding African literary critic and biographer of writers who have done wonders in the literary world. Maphalla has written well over forty books that have helped him garner awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award courtesy of the national Department of Sport, the Thomas Mofolo Award and an honorary Doctorate by the University of the Free State (UFS, 2007). This study is indeed a labour of love by the assiduous Lechesa…”


IMPOSSIBLE LOVE
By Omoseye Bolaji
2016 revised edition

 

'When Impossible Love was first published (2000) the pundits unanimously hailed it as an irresistible, charming, gripping love story "with a stunning twist in the tale". The unexpected denouement drew gasps of disbelief yet interspersed with dollops of delectation. Mbali Press is proud to bring out this new edition of the work for the titillation of a new generation of readers.

The author, Omoseye Bolaji, has now published over 30 books stocked in many libraries across the world. Amongst many awards, he has been conferred with the Chancellor's Medal by the University of the Free State. He has played a pivotal, phenomenal role in the startling growth and proliferation of Free State Black Literature - a feat which has sparked off the publication of sundry disparate studies world-wide...'

A PENNY FOR LECHESA'S THOUGHTS
By Pule Lechesa
2016

'Pule Lechesa is increasingly becoming synonymous with robust,

fecund African literary criticism and patent awareness of the same,

straddling both autochthonous and Eurocentric textual banks. His accretion of essays in this wise have been published in works like Four Free State Authors, Essays on Free State Black Literature, Bolaji in his Pomp, The Awesome Literary Legacy of Dr K.P.D Maphalla, and The Queens of the firsts…legendary female Sesotho writers.

'This new work contains a tantalizing selection of Mr Lechesa’s writings in this wise over the years, with the added bonus and nous of his very recent essays and analyses. Many pundits have pointed out that they exhilaratingly discern a nigh unique essayistic saunter in the author’s writings, and so it is here, as the literary/intellectual striations and revelation undulate...'