The AFRO-Freedom Book Club is a monthly gathering that celebrates Afrikan writers, aiming to spark dialogue and civic engagement within the community. This club is a fantastic space for Afro-centric, creative, opinionated, and open-minded individuals, and the meetups take place on the second Wednesday of each month. Here’s what you need to know.
Critically engage with African literature at the AFRO-Freedom Book Club
The AFRO-Freedom Book Club is a public gathering that celebrates Afrikan writers, aiming to spark dialogue and civic engagement within the community. This club is a fantastic space for Afro-centric, creative, opinionated, and open-minded individuals, and the meetups take place on the second Wednesday of each month. Anyone can join in, regardless of whether they’ve read the book or not.
The book selection for June is Between Friends and Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi. To her countless Instagram followers Josephine Boateng is the dazzling Dr. Jojo—and her opinions on health, growth, and self-love matter. Her message: be smart (she has a medical degree after all), be significant, and do not put up with foolish men.
But behind the camera, Jo’s story is more complicated—she finds her influencer career underwhelming; her potential career in medicine overwhelming, and she’s hung up on her best friend, nepo-baby and romcom heartthrob Ezra Adelman. When Ezra shows up to his thirtieth birthday party with her childhood bully on his arm, however, Josephine realizes that it’s time to take her own advice and prioritize herself for once.
The monthly book selection is shared via the mailing list and on social media (Facebook and Instagram). Feel free to contact [email protected] if you’d like to be added to the mailing list or if you’d like to share ideas or collaborate with the book club.
Cost: Free entry
When: Wednesday, 11 June 2025 from 7pm
Where: Goethe-Institut South Africa, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
More about the Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut aims to cultivate international and local cultural exchange through the arts, sciences and languages. With over 100 institutes worldwide, and 14 in the sub-Saharan region, including the one in Johannesburg, the Goethe-Institut is committed to fostering transnational diversity, understanding and trust.
The Johannesburg institute’s Language department offers German lessons in the Goethe-Institut and otherwise, supporting German teachers in the country and working closely with the South African Department of Education.
Their Library and Information Department works in partnership with libraries and other institutions involved in book and reading promotion in South Africa and encourages exchanges between information specialists and publishers in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and Germany.
And their Cultural Programmes Department focuses on a variety of different artistic approaches from the visual arts to drama, dance, literature, film, and others to support the local cultural scenes and strengthen pan-African dialogue through the arts.
Website: goethe.de/ins/za
Email: [email protected] | [email protected]
Tel: 011 442 3232
Instagram: @goetheinstitut_southafrica
Facebook: @goethe.joburg | @AfroFreedomBookClub
