Lionel Abrahams

For the British civil servant, economist, and historian, see Lionel Barnett Abrahams.

Lionel Abrahams (11 April 1928 – 31 May 2004)^[1] was a South African novelist, poet, editor, critic, essayist and publisher. He was born in Johannesburg, where he lived his entire life.^[2] He was born with cerebral palsy and had to use a wheelchair until 11 years of age.^[1]

Lionel Abrahams
Born	(1928-04-11)11 April 1928 Pretoria, South Africa
Died	31 May 2004(2004-05-31) (aged 76)[1]
Occupation	Poet

Best known for his poetry, he was mentored by Herman Charles Bosman,^[1] and later edited seven volumes of Bosman's posthumously published works.^[3] Abrahams went on to become one of the most influential figures in South African literature in his own right,^[4][5] publishing numerous poems, essays, and two novels.^[1] Through Renoster Books, which he started in 1956, he published works by Oswald Mtshali and Mongane Wally Serote heralding the emergence of black poetry during the apartheid era.^[1][6]

An account of his important role in introducing black writers to PEN is given by his close friend, the writer Jillian Becker^[7]

In 1986, he married Jane Fox.^[1] That year, he was awarded honorary doctorates of literature by the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Natal.^[8]

Novels

• The Celibacy of Felix Greenspan: A novel in 18 stories, published by Bateleur Press, 1977
• The White Life of Felix Greenspan, published by M&G Books, 2002

Poetry

• Journal of a New Man, published by Ad Donker, 1984
• The Writer in Sand, published by Ad Donker, 1988
• A Dead Tree Full of Live Birds, published by Snail Press, 1988
• Chaos Theory of the Heart, published by Jacana Media, 2005
• To Halley's Comet, publishers unknown.
• Mqundu ga nyoko, publishers unknown

Works about Lionel Abrahams

• Lionel Abrahams: A Reader, ed. Patrick Cullinan, published by Ad Donker, 1988
• A Writer in Stone: South African Writers Celebrate the 70th Birthday of Lionel Abrahams, ed. G. Friedman and Roy Blumenthal, published by David Philip, 1998

References

1. Pogrund, Anne (9 June 2004). "Lionel Abrahams: Mischievous guru of South African letters". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
2. Kalechofsky, Roberta; Nadine Gordimer (1982). South African Jewish Voices. Micah Publications. p. 268. ISBN 0-916288-10-2.
3. Ferguson, Gus. "Lionel Abrahams". South Africa – Poetry International Web. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
4. Friedman, Graeme; Roy Blumenthal; Lionel Abrahams (1998). A Writer in Stone: South African Writers Celebrate the 70th Birthday of Lionel Abrahams. David Philip Publishers. p. 45. ISBN 0-86486-428-0.
5. Abrahams, Lionel (2005). Chaos Theory of the Heart & Other Poems Mainly Since 1990. Jacana Media. p. 1. ISBN 1-77009-097-5.
6. Gikandi, Simon (2003). Encyclopedia of African Literature. Taylor & Francis. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-134-58223-5.
7. "Lionel Abrahams: A Voice for This Season".
8. Brown, Duncan; Bruno Van Dyk (1991). Exchanges: South African Writing in Transition. University of Natal Press. p. 110. ISBN 0-86980-789-7.