Writing FreeIrene Staunton In this fifth anthology of Zimbabwean short stories from Weaver Press fifteen writers respond to the topic of writing free, and offer their thoughts about how and why they wrote as they did. The stories reflect a wide variety of freedoms: from tyranny, from hunger, from abuse, from the shackles of tradition, and even from the traditional constraints of narrative convention. But there are cautionary tales, too. Political change may be liberating for the adults who suffered for it, but will their children share in the euphoria of new-found freedom? Will a departure from domestic poverty to the calm waters of the diaspora deliver all that was hoped for it? Is the grass always greener beyond the fence of a stifling marriage? Zimbabwe has had more than its share of social and material deprivation in recent years, and people's responses have taken many forms. Writing Free offers an engaging and kaleidoscopic sample of these, and in doing so gives an intimate portrait of a country in transition. |
Contents
1 | |
Miss McConkey of Bridgewater Close | 11 |
Crossroads | 20 |
Times Footprints | 28 |
The Situation | 36 |
The Novel Citizen | 43 |
An Intricate Deception | 52 |
The Missing | 65 |
When the Moon Stares | 86 |
Case of the Silent Girl | 95 |
Danfo Driver | 105 |
The Donors Visit | 109 |
Eyes On | 120 |
African Wife | 126 |
Back cover | 141 |
Shamisos | 73 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Ada Schmidt African Anastacia asked Auntie Auntie’s baby bedroom body braai breath brother called can’t Centre Chitungwiza Chiyevo condoms Cotswold Hills Datsun 120Y daughter didn’t donor women door drink Enias eyes face father feel girl Glen Norah hand Hannah Harare he’s head hear heard jacket Jacques Ellul Judas knew laugh leave Libya live look loquat man’s Mbuya Method Michael Stone Miss McConkey morning mother mouth moved Mozambican Mutema mwari Ndodye never night novel realise remember river sadza scream Sekuru Shamisos Shona Shoraya Simukai smile sound stand Steve stood stop story street talk tell There’s things thought told took trees turn Uncle Genesis’s Uncle Gideon village voice wailing waiting walked watched wedu What’s wife woman wonder Writing Free Xolela you’re ZANU-PF Zimbabwe Zimbabwean