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Frank Sayi grew up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in the 1970s. His childhood straddled two very significant periods in his country's history, both of which heavily influenced his memoir. The first was the war of liberation (1975-1979), closely followed by the post-independence internecine war (1981-1987).

Frank and his two older sisters, Thoko and Gift, lived with their grandmother, a stern, wise, mercurial matriarch, capable of intimidating severity, and her son Uncle Sami while Frank's mother, the main breadwinner, lived in the city.

Through the connection of the narratives of these two major wars, Frank offers a comprehensive view of a turbulent history with the ongoing consequences of his country’s political violence. Gukurahundi and it’s unacknowledged history is explored, reflecting on what it means to be a people who’s pain has been ignored and erased.

The memoir is intricately woven around the lives of the members of Frank's immediate family, whom he uses to foreground the tragic lives of a people caught within the web of war.

He walks us through the disconnection between memory and reality especially in the aftermath of war, displacement and personal loss. Grief permeates throughout the book, anticipatory and rituals around it as we witness the emotional toll of expecting loss prior to its occurrence.

Written at the intersection of love and abuse, Frank’s memoir explores how these dynamic shape relationships and identities. Frank writes tenderly about the struggle to find belonging in fractured families and communities

In this episode we engage in a profound conversation with Frank Sayi. The discussion delves into the complexities of identity, home, and the lingering effects of colonialism in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Frank shares his personal experiences of displacement and the struggle to reconcile his past with his present, emphasising the theme of returning home to a place that feels both familiar and alien. He articulates the idea that the language of violence and colonialism has shaped the narratives surrounding black identity, complicating the relationship between self and memory.

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As a high-performing, excellence-driven, successful black woman, being in control of everything in her life was crucial to her survival and success for Nozipho Tshabalala. For much of her life, it had always served her well until it no longer did.

The book begins with her receiving the news of her mother’s passing while she stood on the biggest stage of her career. This formative event sends her into a spiral which asks her to reevaluate her ideas of success and the price of these achievements.

We sat down in conversation with Nozipho Tshabalala about her story of burning, of breaking, of becoming. Having described the writing this memoir as an act of deep vulnerability — a labour of love, we were interested in the process of unbecoming and breaking open the things held tightly to for so long.

We explored the journey of soul-searching and discovering new and old but also one of truth- for ourselves and our loved ones. Much of the book centres around confrontation, of self, of narrative and of hidden pain with a journey towards healing made possible by this.

Nozipho like so many of us, stands at the crossroads between certainty and trust, between holding on and finally releasing what no longer serves you, and invites us with truth and vulnerability to come along.

Beyond the things she has let go of, After the Fires is an exploration of the things we find within ourselves, our loved ones and our journeys to becoming. It honours the complexity of womanhood while celebrating the possibility of becoming exactly who you were meant to be, even when that person looks nothing like what you imagined.

In a beautiful, tender conversation, we sojourn with Nozipho to the other side, after the fires finding freedom, clarity, and a reclamation of voice and self. Nozipho demonstrates how surrender becomes not an act of defeat but a pathway to freedom.

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In the captivating 100th episode, we engaged in a profound conversation with Andile Cele, the author of the compelling debut novel Braids and Migraines.

This enlightening discussion delved into a rich exploration of identity, mental health, and the complexity of human relationships.

Braids and Migraines chronicles the journey of a young girl navigating life in a post-apartheid township while battling personal and societal challenges.

Despite the promise of a post-racial South Africa, the protagonist experiences the violence of racism, misogynoir and microagressions at school with white women at the centre of this violence.

The episode concludes with a hopeful reflection on the book's potential impact, emphasizing the power of literature to heal and initiate change.

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