RENOWNED Zimbabwean fiction and textbook writer Shimmer Chinodya’s books have been given a new lease of life following the coming in of a new, vibrant publisher, the Harare-headquartered Secondary Book Press (SBP).
Speaking to the IndependentXtra, the Chinodya — a past recipient of the prestigious Noma Award for Publishing in Africa (2007) for his 2006 rendition, Strife — said he was excited at the new life his books are now enjoying.
“I was thrilled when SBP agreed to republish both my literary and educational books and extended anti-piracy measures for my work. It’s not every writer in Zimbabwe who is granted this favour. Many books in this country today have died a natural death, cheating potential readers,” said Chinodya, whose earlier books appeared under the name Ben Chirasha.
The writer, who has penned the Step Ahead New Secondary English Books 1 to 4, as well as novels and short stories, among them, Farai’s Girls (1984), Harvest of Thorns (1989), Dew in the Morning (1982, 2001), Tale of Tamari (2004), Chairman of Fools (2005), Strife (2006), Chioniso and Other Stories (2012) and Can We Talk and Other Stories (2017).
He has also published Harvest of Thorns Classic: A Play (2016), a title which is one of the set books for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Ordinary Level Literature in English until 2030.
SBP expressed their appreciation for Chinodya’s contribution to the development of Zimbabwean literature and education, outlining the several measures they have taken in an effort to safeguard the writer’s re-published textbooks and works of fiction.
“To combat further piracy of your re-published textbooks, we have taken several decisive steps, which include updating the cover designs and aligned content with the Heritage-Based Curriculum,” SBP said in response to the IndependentXtra’s inquiry on what they had done to enhance the protection of Chinodya’s intellectual property.
The publisher added that they had: “Included official endorsement stickers to validate authenticity, distributed sample copies to our provincial representatives and booksellers for market convenience, intensified nationwide marketing to conscientise stakeholders to buy only the latest editions, launched anti-piracy campaigns and strengthened collaboration with law enforcement and anti-piracy teams to pursue and arrest offenders.”
- Chinodya’s books get new lease of life
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Zimbabwe adopted the Heritage-Based Curriculum, which is designed to equip learners with skills relevant to the Fourth Industrial Revolution while promoting a connection to their heritage, last year.
Originally published by Pearson Education Africa, the Step Ahead textbook series faced successive challenges. When Pearson stopped publishing in the country, Consultus Publishing Services, who took over the task, failed to push the book, leading to a supply gap in the market.
Some of Chinodya's fiction titles were published by Irene Staunton’s Weaver Press before the Harare-based publisher also folded.
Chinodya was born in Gweru in 1957 and did his primary education at Mambo Primary School, before proceeding to Goromonzi High School for his secondary education. He was, however expelled from the Mashonaland East high school after demonstrating against the Ian Smith government.
He enrolled with and graduated from the University of Zimbabwe before completed a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Iowa.
Chinodya at one time worked as editor-in-chief at the Curriculum Development Unit, a part of the Education ministry.
Besides the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa, Chinodya is also a recipient of the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for the Africa region (1990), as well as the National Arts Merit Award in 2007.
His fictional works draw from his lived experiences, projecting his transition from adolescence to adulthood in a context that covers the war of liberation, Independence and post-Independence Zimbabwe.
