BOOK BITES | Jonathan Kellerman, Noni Jabavu, Aiwanose Odafen

Unnatural History

Jonathan Kellerman, Century

**** (4 stars)

There is something quaintly old-fashioned about policing. Most workplaces have been transformed by new technologies and the law has switched on the internet and uses forensics. But the work of psychologist Dr Alex Delaware and his hulking gay friend Detective Milo Sturgis, who drafts him in to help sleuth “weird” cases, requires visiting crime scenes, face-to-face interviews and many other tasks that involve stop-starting through Los Angeles’ clogged road arteries, providing plenty of time for observations and witty banter. In this, the 38th Delaware novel, the unlikely duo is hunting the killer of a photographer who was shooting images of homeless people, showing who they are and who they wish to be. It's a thoughtful and enthralling read. But what makes it stand out is its profound portrayal of LA’s huge “unhomed” population, reflecting who and why they are, and what this says about society. — William Saunderson-Meyer

Click here to buy the book

Noni Jabavu: A Stranger at Home

Noni Jabavu, introduced by Makhosazana Xaba and Athambile Masola, Tafelberg

**** (4 stars)

This is a compilation of columns written by Helen Nontando (Noni) Jabavu for the Daily Dispatch newspaper in East London in 1977. They are introduced by scholars Makhosazana Xaba, an anthologist, and Athambile Masola, a researcher. The book is a collaborative effort of archiving a significant slice of history and fighting against the erasure of black women’s voices and identities. Noni writes in her personal style, what she called “personalised journalism”. The columns are cheeky, daring and sobering accounts of being a black woman. A book to be read with a sense of urgency. — Shaun Lunga

Click here to buy the book

Tomorrow I Become A Woman

Aiwanose Odafen, Scribner

**** (4 stars)

In 1978, Obianuju “Uju” is a good Igbo daughter. She does well at her studies, but crucially, she, like her friends, goes to church and keeps an eye out for a Godly man to be her husband. The charismatic Gozie is that man, according to her parents. So like a good Igbo daughter, she marries him despite some misgivings. That was “yesterday”. But now Uju must live in “today”. Following the next two decades, Uju’s “today” is a compelling journey of surviving an abusive marriage. She is tasked with not bringing shame to her family and maintaining her “goodness” while raising her daughters through the ever-changing Nigerian political landscape. We watch as she and her friends are repeatedly crumpled and stuffed into confining roles. Yet like their country, they continuously attempt to unfold and reclaim their power. “We did terrible things to ourselves,” writes Odafen in her debut novel. From the Nigerian-Biafra War to parental expectations, the story reveals that the greatest pains in the human experience are not inflicted by nature or bad luck, but by our societal doing. A nuanced and layered read that explores grief and the complexity of relationships, while celebrating friendship and perseverance. — Tiah Beautement 

Click here to buy the book