David Philip Publishers is proud to announce that Nick Mulgrew’s collection of short fiction, The First Law of Sadness, has been shortlisted for the Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award at the 2018 South African Literary Awards (SALAs).

The SALAs aim to pay tribute to writers who have “distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature.” Categories awarded in any year may include the First-time Published author award or the K Sello Duiker Memorial award, among others. The Nadine Gordimer Short Story award celebrates exponents of short fiction writing in South Africa. The winners of the awards will be announced in early November.

The First Law of Sadness is a collection of startling imagination and sympathy – set primarily in South Africa’s least fashionable cities and suburbs – these stories maintain a precarious balance between rich comedy and despair throughout their explorations of grief, spectacle, sex, nostalgia, and the lives of animals, both human and not. The collection includes “Robot Run”, a series of photographs by Michael Tymbios.

In 2017, a story from Mulgrew’s debut collection, Stations, received the Thomas Pringle Award for Short Stories. Stations was also shortlisted for the Nadine Gordimer award last year and longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize in the UK.

Stations and The First Law of Sadness are available for purchase directly from the publisher online.

David Philip is proud to announce that Nick Mulgrew’s debut collection of short fiction, ‘Stations’, has been shortlisted for the Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award at the South African Literary Awards (SALAs).

SALAs aims to pay tribute to the writers who have “distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature.” Categories awarded in any year may include the First-time Published author award or the K Sello Duiker Memorial award, among others. The Nadine Gordimer Short Story award celebrates exponents of short fiction writing in South Africa. The winners of the awards will be announced in early November.

Earlier this year “1-HR FOTO”, a story from the collection, received the Thomas Pringle Award for Short Stories.

Mulgrew’s second collection of short fiction, The First Law of Sadness, will be published in November by David Philip.

Stations and The First Law of Sadness are available for purchase directly from the publisher on our website.

Nick Mulgrew's short story "1-HR FOTO" has won the 2016 Thomas Pringle Award for Short Stories.

First presented in 1962, the Thomas Pringle Award recognizes work published in South African newspapers, periodicals and journals.

The award, named after the Scottish abolitionist, is administered by the English Academy of South Africa. A staple in the South African literary sphere, the award for short stories is presented in alternate years with other categories including reviews, educational and literary articles as well as poetry. Previous winners of the award include Nadine Gordimer (1969), Ivan Vladislavic (1994), and Zakes Mda (1998).

Stations, which was also longlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize in the U.K., is Muglrew's debut collection. His forthcoming selection of short fiction, The First Law of Sadness, will be published by David Philip in September.

A number of New Africa Books and David Philip authors will be speaking at the Open Book Festival in Cape Town this month.

Over 100 local and international authors will speak at over 100 events in the city next week. Designed to showcase the best of South African writing, the Open Book Festival is a highlight of the literary year.

Loyiso Mkize, author of the Kwezi comics, will be speaking about his experiences writing for the young adult audience. Sindiwe Magona, author of Mother to Mother and numerous children’s books, will reflect on the process of translation. Nick Mulgrew, Thomas Pringle Short Story Award winner for 2016, will be speaking at a number of events ranging from reflections on life-writing to unpacking the world of small publishers, where he will be in conversation with our own Dusanka Stojakovic. 

Be sure to check out the overall programme of events and the individual appearances of Mkize, Mulgrew and Magona.

The 2017 Open Book Festival takes place from 6 to 10 September.

As a celebration of books and the publishing industry, writers and illustrators will descend on Museum Africa in Newtown, Johannesburg from 8-10 September.

New Africa Books and David Philip authors Sindiwe Magona, Loyiso Mkize and Nick Mulgrew will be in Johannesburg to join the events at the South African Book Fair.

Scheduled to coincide with National Book Week, the SABF is themed according to some of the most pertinent social issues playing out in Africa and globally. The SA Book Fair literary program will tackle a diverse range of topics, which will hopefully spark constructive debate. This is your chance to meet some of your favourite authors and get your books signed.

Nick Mulgrew will be speaking about his poetic voice, Loyiso Mkize of Team Kwezi will speak about what it takes to write a comic book and prolific author Sindiwe Magona reflects on her life as a writer in South Africa.

Find the full programme of events here.