This archive report was first published on 27 September 2019.
As the weekend approaches, book lovers in Nairobi are in for a treat. The 22nd annual Nairobi International Book Fair, themed 'Read. Apply. Freedom,' is already underway at Sarit Centre in Westlands, and it will be competing for attention with the African Writers Conference and the Macondo Literary Festival.
On Friday, the African Writers Conference will kick off at the Kenya National Theatre, featuring authors from Cameroon, Mauritius, Canada, Nigeria, and Kenya. The conference will run through Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Macondo Literary Festival will also take place at the Kenya National Theatre from Friday to Sunday night. The festival's title is derived from the fictional village in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's award-winning novel, 'Hundred Years of Solitude.'
Kenyan and Lusaphone writers will be taking part in the festival, which will include Dr. Peter Kimani, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Novuyo Rosa Thuma, Abubakar Adam Abraham, and Dr. Mshai Mwangola-Githongo.
On Wednesday night, poetess Sitawa Namwalie and pianist Athieno Owuor created a beautiful blend of words and sounds at the Goethe Institute. The event was a precursor to the weekend's festivities.
On Thursday, Artistic Encounters featured a conversation between Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and Anne Moraa, moderated by Aleya Kassam. Both authors read from their latest works, with Tshuma reading from 'House of Stone' and Moraa from her latest essay published in Catapult.
As the weekend approaches, aspiring writers are advised to attend any or all of the festivities, which will take place at the Kenya National Theatre or Sarit Centre. With so many talented authors and fascinating conversations to look forward to, it promises to be a bountiful bookish weekend.
