Narrative Landscape Press has acquired the English-language publishing rights for East and West Africa to Shamiso, the new novel by acclaimed Zimbabwean author Brian Chikwava.
Zimbabwean writer Brian Chikwava first rose to international prominence in 2004 when he won the Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story Seventh Street Alchemy. As the first Zimbabwean to win this major award, he solidified his literary reputation with his debut novel, Harare North (2011). The novel, which follows Zimbabwean immigrants in London—a city they refer to as “Harare North”—was celebrated for its originality, narrative voice, and fearless exploration of power, migration, and human vulnerability.
After a long-awaited follow-up, Chikwava presented his sophomore novel, Shamiso, in 2025. The story centers on a thoughtful yet uncertain young girl who is taken by her family from rural Zimbabwe to bustling Harare. Described as a “compelling, emotionally layered novel,” Shamiso explores identity, displacement, belonging, and the fragile negotiations of love and memory in contemporary African life. With his signature lyrical restraint and psychological depth, Chikwava delivers a story that is both intimate and politically resonant. World rights to the novel, excluding Africa, were acquired by Canongate through Emma Shercliff at Laxfield Literary Associates.
The East and West African rights have been acquired by Narrative Landscape Press, a pan-African publishing house dedicated to culture-defining fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature from Africa and its diaspora. The press will publish a dedicated East and West African edition of Shamiso, expanding access to the novel for readers across the continent through bookstores, academic institutions, libraries, and digital platforms.
“Brian Chikwava is one of Africa’s most important literary voices, and Shamiso is a novel of rare tenderness and courage,” said Wendy Njoroge, Publisher at Narrative Landscape Press East Africa. “This acquisition aligns perfectly with our commitment to publishing work that is artistically ambitious, emotionally honest, and necessary.”
The edition will feature regionally focused distribution, targeted literary programming, and reader engagement initiatives designed to position Shamiso within contemporary African literary conversations.
Publication is scheduled for early 2026.
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