SOUTH AFRICA’S LITERARY HERO BESSIE HEAD

Born mixed-race with mental health problems in apartheid South Africa and placed into foster care, the chances of Bessie Amelia Head becoming a literary giant may have looked somewhat slim at the outset. But in her short life, she achieved just that - transforming from journalist-activist into author-in-exile and political refugee in Botswana. There, she was afflicted by bouts of poverty and depression - barred from returning home by the apartheid regime. But her writing flourished. Although she died aged only 48, her reputation as a writer adept at handling issues of race, identity and power has only continued to grow. African Stream’s Wambura Mwai pays tribute to her talents and legacy.

Have you read Head’s works? Which ones?

Location: @Chechebooks