These nineteen short stories from renowned author Bessie Head touch on gender, religion, and authority in Southern Africa before and after independence. Written throughout the 1960s and 70s, this newly expanded collection includes many of Head's previously unavailable stories, collected here for the first time.
'I am building a stairway to the stars. I have the authority to take the whole of mankind up there with me. That is why I write.'
In the collection's title story, 'The Lovers', Bessie Head captures the legendary tale of two young villagers caught in a society that values custom and arranged marriages above true love. Tender in their devotion and brave in their questioning of tradition, the couple are forced to rise above the threat of violent retribution in order to make their love last…
Through these nineteen remarkable stories, Head demonstrates her prowess as a story-teller, exploring the ways in which change can manifest as an unwanted invasion of culture or a powerful form of protest.
From the explosion of colonial expansion to the perceived danger of a woman's menstrual cycle, these stories tackle the emotional and political climate of Southern Africa with vibrant intelligence.
With an introduction by Stephen Gray.
