Lewis Nkosi, Mating Birds

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Lewis Nkosi’s (1936-2010) debut novel

Mating Birds

(1986) won a Macmillan Silver Pen Prize, but “Its theme of love, rape or seduction – the critics were uncertain which – across the colour line ensured it was banned in his homeland” (Herbstein, 2010). Narrated by a black freedom fighter who awaits trial for allegedly raping a white woman, the book explores the complex psychology of a man in conflict with white supremacism. The imprisoned protagonist is granted pen and paper to write back against the system that pronounces his execution: powerless to defend himself in a language that is not his own and in the face of an unjust trial, he tells his story as the only way to put the record straight. Written when the author was in exile,

Mating Birds

contributes to literary…

2286 words

Citation: Dowson, Jane. "Mating Birds". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 January 2014 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35037, accessed 29 March 2024.]

35037 Mating Birds 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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