Featured Authors

We are a bastard culture
A Q&A with poet Stephen Gray

Poet Stephen Gray talks candidly about heritage and identity, the role of the poet as a social commentator, and why he believes learners should embrace the fact that we are a 'bastard culture'.

Coming to terms with the past
A Q&A with The Beneficiaries author, Sarah Penny

Author Sarah Penny shares her ideas on being a teenager in the 70s, the relationship between truth and memory, the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and what it means to be a 'white African'.

Mann in the mirror
The Chris Mann Interview

Poet Chris Mann talks to The English Experience about his poem ‘Crossing Over’, candidly sharing his ideas on what students might gain from reading it and offering suggestions to help them understand the poem better. There is also a free MP3 audio file of Chris reading his poem available for download.

Hugh reaches out
Making sense of Touch with Hugh Lewin

Poet Hugh Lewin talks exclusively to The English Experience about ‘Touch’, life in prison during Apartheid and what he hopes students will gain from reading the poem.

Freeing our children from the burden of guilt
A Q&A with The Native Commissioner author, Shaun Johnson

Author Shaun Johnson shares his ideas on what students might gain from reading the novel, what it was like to write, how autobiographical it is, and what he meant when he said one of the novel's themes was “this generation absolving the next one from guilt”.