Ways of Writing

Ways of Writing is the first volume of essays devoted to a critical appraisal of Zakes Mda, the award-winning South African novelist and playwright. In his plays and novels, which draw on both Western and indigenous performance traditions, Mda engages with the history of southern Africa during and after apartheid. Writing from a position of exile, as well as from within his native country, he examines the lives of ordinary people and the ways in which they come to terms with the effects of apartheid. Mda has distinguished himself not only as a playwright and novelist, but also as a literary and cultural theorist and activist. He is a significant voice among the many in contemporary South Africa that exploit innovative forms to explore a culture in transition. This book demonstrates the wide range of both Mda's work and its critical reception, with discussions of his fiction and drama by scholars from South Africa, Europe and the USA. The essays reinforce the impression of an original and challenging writer whose creative skills have been used to focus attention on the plight of the underprivileged. This volume provides stimulating reading to anyone with an interest in Zakes Mda, in particular, and in South African writing in general.