To Every Birth Its Blood

A seminal work that brings to life the brutality and awakening of 1970s apartheid South Africa.To Every Birth Its Blood is a lyrical, empathetic and hauntingly powerful debut novel by Mongane Wally Serote. Through a range of vivid characters, Serote explores the subjective experiences of those who lived, loved and struggled in 1970s apartheid South Africa. With piercing insight, he depicts the brutality of state violence, from beatings and arrests to solitary confinement and exile. Against this backdrop, the novel traces a shift from black apathy to political awakening and the rise of violent dissent.Originally published in 1981, To Every Birth Its Blood remains a seminal work that captures the birth of a revolutionary society. Serote's vivid detail and unflinching portrayal make this a must-read for anyone seeking to understand one of the darkest chapters in South Africa's history.

Mongane Wally Serote was born in Sophiatown in 1944. He received his early education in Alexandra township and later attended Morris Isaacson High School. In 1974, after holding a variety of jobs, he left South Africa on a Fulbright scholarship, which enabled him to study for a Master of Fine Arts at Columbia University in New York. In 1977, he settled in Gaborone, Botswana, where he rejoined the ANC underground and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). After holding various positions in the ANC, he returned to South Africa in 1990 and was appointed Head of the Department of Arts and Culture for the ANC in Johannesburg. He holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal (formerly Natal) and Transkei.Serote dedicated his life to expressing the injustices and harsh realities of life for Black people under apartheid. His work has inspired, and continues to inspire, generations of youth throughout South Africa, Africa, and the world.