Description
The Drum Decade: Stories from the 1950s edited by Michael Chapman is a landmark anthology that brings together more than ninety short stories originally published in the influential Drum magazine during the 1950s. Capturing the energy, hardship and resilience of urban Black South African life, these stories provide a vivid portrait of a defining era in the country’s literary and social history.
Featuring celebrated writers such as Es’kia Mphahlele, Can Themba, Richard Rive, James Matthews, Nat Nakasa and Casey Motsisi, the collection explores themes of identity, injustice, love, ambition and everyday life against the backdrop of Sophiatown and apartheid-era South Africa. Both historically significant and richly entertaining, The Drum Decade showcases the emergence of a powerful literary voice that helped shape modern South African literature.
This anthology is an excellent choice for readers interested in South African fiction, classic short stories and the country’s literary and cultural history.
