Background
The Miriam Tlali Reading and Book Club, is a legacy programme under the South African Literary Awards (SALA), managed and co-ordinated by the wRite associates. The programme aims to celebrate and honour the life, times and the contribution of this prolific woman who has written extensively and has made history by being the first South African black woman writer to publish a novel in English.
Who is Miriam Tlali?
Miriam Masoli Tlali is a scholar, novelist, short-story writer and struggle activist. She has written many novels and short stories, including Between the Two Worlds, Amandla, Footprints in the Quag, and, Mihloti, and a collection of short stories and essays. Miriam has also written a play, Crimen Injuria. She has received many awards internationally and domestically, including the South African Lifetime Achievement Literary Award in 2005 and the South African National Orders’ Presidential Award, Ikhamanga: Silver in 2008.
Tlali has eloquently spoken and written on numerous difficulties facing black women writers in South Africa. Her own life has been a determined struggle to fulfill what she sees as her role as a writer: “to conscientise the masses…”
Objective
The Miriam Tladi Reading and Book Club invites writers, readers and the general public to discuss books, literary topical issues and take part in other interactive platforms to promote the culture and writing and reading. The Club will also host literary talks, workshops and support book launches. This programme is set to excite academics, bookworms and light readers. The club will cater for published and unpublished men and women, young and old who wish to join the effort to enhance South Africas’ literary state, reading and writing culture.
