Monday, June 8, 2009

Julia Mooi talks about her new book




Julia Mooi talks about her new book

JULIA MOOI is the latest black female author in the Free State. She has just published her debut book titled OMOSEYE BOLAJI: Further Perspectives. Seleke Botsime briefly talked to her about her book:

Seleke: What is your book all about?

Julia Mooi: It is another study of the works of the very impressive, creative writer, Omoseye Bolaji, who has always been a fantastic inspiration to all of us. The book is divided into quite a few parts: the general Introduction written by me; the first essay in the book – a rather long one also written by me; then there are articles and essays written by literary figures like Pule Lechesa, Peter Moroe, and Paul Lothane. We all pay tribute to Bolaji’s writings. At the end of the book, most of the major articles and essays published on his (Bolaji’s) writings over the years are listed for record purposes.

Seleke: But there are already many books published on Bolaji’s literary work…

Mooi: The thing is, Bolaji is so prolific, and new articles on his work appear regularly on a yearly basis. My book includes many of the latest articles written on his work; remember two new “Tebogo Mystery books” have been published by Bolaji within less than two years – Tebogo and the haka (2008) and Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009). You can say my new book is the most up to date publication on Bolaji’s literary work thus far.

Seleke: Your book is of course on literary criticism/appreciation. Many find this genre difficult or “destructive”.

Mooi: My approach is that as an intelligent reader one can appreciate the literary contributions of certain writers, and try to interpret this in certain ways…it is not about doing a “negative, hatchet job” but being logical and fair. I mean how many of us can write creatively anyway?

Seleke: Which female writers do you admire most?

Mooi: I can’t say I know them all, but one has to always respect the pacesetters like Miriam Tlali, Laureta (Ngcobo), Sindiwe Magona, Tsitsi Dangarembga…in South Africa we also have a new excellent female writer, Angela Makholwa.

Seleke: Apart from this new book of yours, what other stuff have you published that pleases you most?

Mooi: I was very happy to publish a very fine article on Free State Black writing in Free State Libraries – that was in 2001, but the article is still on the Internet! I was also delighted to publish another article in the literary journal, Turf (2005)