Joy of Books Festival returns to nurture love of reading
Fun literary gathering to run over two days this weekend
Reading is something many of us take for granted. It is something that 3.7-million adults in SA are still unable to do.
According to World Bank Data, adult and child literacy rates in SA have been on a steady decline since 2020.
The country has an 87% adult literacy rate, while about a third of SA’S children are illiterate.
East London literary gathering the Joy of Books Festival aims to help change that; to ignite and nurture a love of reading in both young and old.
After a successful run in July, the festival is back to celebrate all things literature and storytelling this weekend and runs for two days on December 3 and 4.
Inspired by the memory of former teacher Claire Macdonald’s aunt, Joy Taylor, and headed by Mcdonald and theatre maker and playwright Jen Bryson Moorcroft, the festival enabled many avid readers to enjoy interactive plays, book readings, local author meetand-greets and much more at the inaugural event earlier in 2022.
And it seems authors could not be more excited for another chance to share the joy of their craft with visitors.
Following the same format as the first Joy of Books Festival, writers have been invited to showcase their writings, offer talks, meet-and-greets and share readings from their books or poetry collections.
More than 20 authors will be joining in on the literary fun this weekend and among them is author Unathi Ngada.
She said an event such as the Joy of Books Festival was a vital platform for readers and writers alike.
“The Eastern Cape has amazingly talented writers. This festival alone has become a platform, and I would say a quintessential one, where authors from all walks of life get to showcase work that has taken them months or even years to write.
“The festival is also a great educational platform to reiterate the need for a reading culture in the Eastern Cape.
“I think to gain a clear perspective of what is truly happening in the world and country, one must familiarise oneself
with a reading culture in all forms — fiction, non-fiction, flash fiction, the whole nine yards, and this book festival is an excellent platform for this.
“I’m excited about having the opportunity to support our local authors and read their creative works — I think these will be a splendid addition to my bookshelf.”
She said it would be first time she attended the festival. Ngada will be showcasing her eighth book titled 2.37: Terror in Resonance.
“The book itself is a blend of both magical realism and experimentalism, and I delve into what happens when one experiences mental anguish and even psychosis.
“I really wanted to tell a story through the lens of an African child or character on what happens when one experiences psychosis to the point reality’s perception becomes heavily distorted.
“Mental health is something that is often looked down upon and there is a stigma attached to it, especially in the African culture, and I really wanted to tackle this head-on.
“The story delves into the different stages of psychosis and madness as a theme interrogated through different landscapes,” said Ngada, who completed her master’s degree in creative writing at Rhodes University, and is now doing her doctorate in English through Unisa.
East London-based doctor and author Madeleine Muller is looking forward to sharing her latest book, Superheroes in Sterkstroom — the fourth book in her YA Abancedi series — in which Indigo, a nonbinary 18year-old shape-shifter, is on the hunt for other like-minded folk.
Muller said reading was almost always in competition with the entertainment industry, including social media, gaming and streaming.
Drawing from her own experience, Muller said there was often not enough time to read, making the Joy of Books Festival a perfect reminder of the many wonders found in books and literature.
“I don’t have any data on how reading has been affected by
our daily busy-ness.
“What I can say is that I myself love reading, but have noticed that I seem to have much less time to sit down and read a book. We so easily get distracted by all the ‘shoulds’ and mindless entertainment. I suspect many of us no longer read as much as we used to.”
For Muller, The Joy of Books Festival offers a great opportunity to connect with other writers and share her stories.
“It is not often that one has the opportunity to attend an event that celebrates books and creative writing. It’s wonderful to hook up with other writers, partake in all the fun activities, and of course sell some of our books.”
Also a returning author, Andrew Hitchinson will be showcasing three of his books: Bread Bandits, Unckle and Puff Adders in the Panicum.
“I’m returning to the event in support of literacy in the area and support of creativity.
“Creating awareness of books and their importance is essential for upliftment and sowing the seeds for another generation of readers,” Hutchinson said.
He said that there was a need to share content and information on how to access books and writings with youngsters.
“I think young people need to be exposed to more information on how to access content.”
Hutchinson, whose books delve into a variety of topics from a collection of true auctioneering stories to insights into the food distribution industry in SA, said he was looking forward to interacting with other authors and learning more about their experiences.
Writer and poet Pralene Mahabir will be launching her children’s book sequel Cupcake Time at the festival.
“Cupcake Time, the second in the trilogy, is all about my kids and their favourite times with their grandparents, especially their baking antics.
“The book takes little ones on a journey with Trish and Nir, the main characters, as they learn to make a scrumptious treat, with their head chef, Grandma,” Mahabir said.
“Within my creative space, it all began with writing children’s books.
“The first book, First Day of the School Holidays, was published a few years ago now.
“The books all resemble very simple, yet fun times with family, set in everyday adventures.
“It’s an ode to good old family values, the innocence and frivolity of childhood.”
Mahabir believes reading is enjoying a revival of sorts and is happy to be back at the Joy of Books Festival.
“Over lockdown in 2020, I felt like reading became popular again.
“There is only so much of Netflix and reading helped people find a sense of purpose and also a peaceful quiet among all the chaos that was occurring around the world.
“I think it’s here to stay; reading will always have a place in popular culture the world over.”
However, she said technology was often a distraction for many, making the Joy of Books Festival an important reminder of the need to put down your devices in favour of a good book.
“As technology becomes increasingly more popular with children and adults alike, we sometimes forget how it feels to immerse ourselves in a good read.
“Joy of Books is just that reminder of how wonderful literature is and that there is a book for everyone.
“Disconnecting from our devices is important, and to have a good book to read in the meantime is both relaxing and rewarding,” Mahabir said.
● The Joy of Books Festival runs from 9am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday at the East London Museum.
Tickets include entry into the museum. To find out more about the festival or to purchase tickets, contact Jen Bryson Moorcroft on 074-538-4438.