A space for study groups and/or book clubs to share their experiences and debates
This article discusses the aims of the book club, the books they have read and their plans for 2008.
Letsele Lathuto book club has been operating from early March 2007. We are based in Orlando East, Soweto. The club consists of nine members.
Education for liberation
One of the main aims of the book club is to engage and encourage a culture of reading. Letsele Lathuto can be defined as education for liberation.
“I am just an ordinary man, trying to do some kind of ,job, hopefully to try to bring peace to my country and show my people the way. It seems to me today that people are divided into two groups: there those who want to build and those who want to destroy.” Credo Mutwa, Songs of the Stars.
Aims
The book club’s main aims are to:
- Nurture students and young authors in the community, and beyond.
- Analyse and change the attitudes of the community through reading.
- Read and review books and reflect on our reality.
- Create a platform and link up with vocational educational institutions to access bursaries for those who have matriculated or excelled at school but are unable to further their studies.
- Strive and preserve African-cultural identity through being Afro-centric.
Books read and discussed
Over the past months we reviewed novels. Some of the books included: A people betrayed by L.R Malvern, Things fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembwa, and To Kill a Man’s Pride by Mthuthuzile Machoba. All these books – and many others – released a burning fire in a dark corner. When knowledge is shared it lasts forever.
2008 Plans
This year our activities include visiting schools, workshops with students to highlight the connection between books, poetry, music and theatre – words always have intended actions. We also want to raise issues affecting the youth for broader debate so that students can exercise freethinking. Letsele Lathutho book club will grow as we humbly exchange ideas with other movements to liberate the mind and free the soul from ignorance.
Reviews/meeting times
We host book reviews once a fortnight (Saturdays), and meetings every fortnight (Tuesdays). For more information: Lebohang Ramonyai on
0731943072/ Thapelo’thiza’ Mokoto – 0837384917
* Letsele Lathuto is a book club based in Soweto
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