The Heinemann Book of South African Short Stories (African Writers Series)

Encompassing the period of apartheid, from the triumph of the National Party in the 1940s to the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990, this anthology contains twenty-one of the most compelling South African short stories.

As one would expect, the ugly reality of apartheid is the dominant theme, but what is remarkable is the sheer range of approaches represented here, from the brutal realism of Can Themba to the suggestive lyricism of Bessie Head and Nadine Gordimer.

Above all, this anthology bears witness to the triumph of the storyteller’s art in the face of tyranny.