Dancing with Life

Reviews

"Christopher Mlalazi may well be the most promising young writer in Zimbabwe today. His fiction captures the edgy energy of townships where young people have learned to be light on their feet, their dancing born of economic necessity and mocking disrespect for traditional authority. Mlalazi depicts contemporary life in Zimbabwe with an uncompromising determination to explore grievous social wounds and with a creative panache that will win him readers within and beyond his home country."

Patricia Alden, Professor of African Literature, St Lawrence University

"Christopher Mlalazi is the rising voice of the ghetto, with all its violence, sharp anger, bitter protestations and tangible promise of a better tomorrow."

Raisedon Baya, Writer and Columist

"This collection sparkles with wit, sizzles with style and dances with life. It is a welcome addition to Zimbabwe's growing canon and will be read and enjoyed for years to come."

Petina Gappah, Writer and Critic

"...Mlalazi has extended himself further than many of his contemporaries, and observed his world sharply. One looks forward to more writing from this new talent."

Book Reviews - Dancing with Life.pdf — PDF document, 190Kb

wordsetc, South Africa

"Dancing With Life engages the mind, ruffles it, and uses the language of today’s Zimbabwe, township life booming with crime, prostitution, joy, misery, and naked political falsehoods." 

The Zimbabwean Review.pdf — PDF document, 428Kb

The Zimbabwean

"Mlalazi is an important author whose work should be found in all serious collections of contemporary African literature. In addition, here is a title to be added to collections designed to inform readers of contemporary life in Africa through fiction writing."

The African Book Publishing Record.pdf — PDF document, 440Kb

The Zimbabwean

"Mlalazi’s collection of short stories is an important addition to the new writing from Zimbabwe concentrating on the social disintegration of the country. The stories stand out by being set in Bulawayo, drawing on the distinctive identity of a provincial city, its Ndebele culture, and its marginal relation to the Shona centre. The success of the stories lies in the experiences of ordinary people coping with violence, anger and angst, rather than any self-conscious sense of form."

Noma Award Jury Citation

"The stories found in Dancing with Life are easily read, entertaining and often filled with both sadness and humour... Mlalazi is an important author whose work should be found in all serious  literature. In addition, here is a title to be added to collections designed to inform readers of contemporary life in Africa through fiction writing."

The African Book Publishing Record

Excerpts

• Dancing With Life.pdf — PDF document, 59Kb

About the Author

Christopher Mlalazi

Christopher is a writer, poet and playwright. He was involved with Crossing Borders project in 2004 and co-ordinated the 2006 Power in the Voice pilot project in Zimbabwe. He has been published in several local and international short story anthologies including Short Writings from Bulawayo, The Obituary Tango (Caine Prize 2006 Anthology) and The Edinburgh Review. He has also acted as group moderato/mentor for two online prose discussion groups; www.type-writers.org and www.crossingborders-africanwriting.org. Both are Lancaster University initiatives.

Christopher has premiered several stage plays over the years with Umkhathi Theatre, Amakhosi Theatre and Sadalala Amajekete Theatre and his first television Drama, co written with Raisdon Baya, is currently in production.

Visit Christopher's blog here: www.chris-writingseriously.blogspot.com