Modeled after The New Yorker, with the goal of making exceptional South African writing accessible to a wider audience.

Founded in 2013 by James King, Anneke Rautenbach, Nick Mulgrew, and Helen Sullivan, Prufrock was a literary journal that aimed to showcase contemporary writing in South Africa. Named after the T.S. Eliot poem “Prufrock,” the journal was in print for five years and published fifteen issues, featuring fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in all of South Africa’s official languages, as well as photography, illustration, and recipes from time to time. Prufrock continued the legacy of other South African literary magazines such as Ophir, Izwi, Wurm, Kol, and Bolt and became known as the foremost magazine for contemporary writing in the country.

Prufrock was established as South Africa’s premier literary magazine, modeled after The New Yorker, with the goal of making exceptional South African writing accessible to a wider audience. It provided a platform for young and emerging African writers to showcase their work, focusing on both short and long-form fiction and non-fiction. The editorial team and contributors worked on the magazine as a passion project and were not compensated for their efforts. Any funding received was directed toward printing costs, distribution, and website development.

Prufrock was known for showcasing top-notch writing from established and up-and-coming African writers. The magazine’s design was aesthetically pleasing, functional, and created a subdued overall tone. Its artistic flair was evident in its creative graphic features, such as the imaginative layouts influenced by the writing on each page. The pieces were designed to be concise, meant to be read in a single sitting, resulting in a whimsically written literary journal brimming with local charm

With the publication of its 15th issue in 2019, Prufrock announced its conclusion. The final edition was produced by an editorial team composed of Helen Sullivan, Nick Mulgrew (fiction editor), Simone Haysom (non-fiction editor), and Genna Gardini (poetry editor), all of whom are members of PEN SA and include founding member Anneke Rautenbach.

Words by Shane de Lange

A multiplicity of voices writing various African stories that embrace pluralism, defining South Africa's evolution as a fledgling democracy.

Prufrock no.1

Year: 2013
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Donald Powers, David Cornwell, Anneke Rautenbach.
Non-fiction: Olivia Walton, Anton Harber, Nick Mulgrew, Victoria Schneider, Phil Kramer.
Poetry: Geoffrey Brink, Liam Kruger.
Other details: Very first issue of Prufrock. Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.2

Year: 2013
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Etienne van Heerden, Tom Learmont.
Non-fiction: Koos Kombuis, Abdul-Malik Sibabalwe Oscar Masinyana, Rosa Lyster, Hedley Twidle, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Fiona Zerbst, Athambile Masola, James Sulter, Toast Coetzer.
Other details: Very first issue of Prufrock. Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.3

Year: 2013
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors:Fiction: Olivia Walton, Mvelo Dhlamini, Dendy Cruz.
Non-fiction: Evita Bezuidenhout, Nick Mulgrew, Rosa Lyster, Phil Kramer.
Poetry: Songeziwe Mahlangu, Rebecca Haysom, Matthew King.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.4

Year: 2014
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Jumani Clarke, Efemia Chela, Henali Kuit, Anneke Rautenbach, Werner Pretorius. Non-fiction: Kimon de Greef, Rosa Lyster, Jody Brand. Poetry: Chris Mann, James Sulter, Cebo Solombela, Sipho Mdumbe.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.5

Year: 2014
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Nick Mulgrew, Simone Haysom, Pemi Aguda. Non-fiction: Roger Young, Diane Awerbuck, Sean O'Toole, David Southwood, Dudumalingani Mqombothi, Rosa Lyster, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Genna Gardini, Isobel Dixon, Robert Hill.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.6

Year: 2014
Pages: 64
Print run: NA
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Wamuwi Mbao, Nozizwe Herero. Non-fiction: Simone Haysom, Liam Kruger, Rosa Lyster. Poetry: Nombeko Eugenia Keke, Nicholas Rhawhani, Efemia Chela, Athambile Masola, Douglas Reid Skinner.
Other details: Full-colour, large format, rare.

Prufrock no.7

Year: 2014
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Alice Edy, Jeannie McKeown, Hannah Williams, Renee-Edwidge Dro. Non-fiction: Rosa Lyster, Adriaan Odendaal, Megan Ross. Poetry: Lex Loizides, Nombeko Eugenia Keke, Helen Sullivan, Stephen Symons, Karel Kopbeen, Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese. Recipes: Andre Sales, Phil Kramer.
Other details: Full-colour printing, large format, rare.

Prufrock no.8

Year: 2015
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Claire Robertson, Pravasan Pillay, Thabo Jijana. Non-fiction: Nick Mulgrew, Anneke Rautenbach, Rosa Lyster. Poetry: Nombeko Eugenia Keke, Genna Gardini, JEC Young, Irene Bronner. Recipes: Andre Sales, Phil Kramer.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.9 – The Sea

Year: 2015
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Matthew Freemantle, Mandla Malandela, Kerstin Hall, Megan Ross. Non-fiction: Hedley Twidle, Athambile Masola, Rosa Lyster. Recipes: Andre Sales, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Genna Gardini, Mthunzikazi Mbungwana, Kristen Whitfield, Megan Tennant, Nombe Eugenia. Keke
Other details: full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.10 – Siblings

Year: 2016
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Afoma Umesi, Tessa Harris, Sinethemba Bizela, Halima Aliyu, Sindi Leigh McBride, Elle Aiello, Vivien Eldridge. Non-fiction: Andre Sales, Rosa Lyster, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Diana Manole, Nombeko Eugenia Keke, Mannini Mokhothu, Hat Bemba, Thabo Jijana, Nick Mulgrew, Genna Gardini, Ruth Loewenthal.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.11 – No-man’s land

Year: 2016
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Pravasan Pillay, Mvelo Dhlamini, Linda Yohannes. Non-fiction: Rosa Lyster, Helen Sullivan, André Sales, Philip Kramer. Poetry: Nombeko Eugenia Keke, Genna Gardini, Thando Njovane
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.12 – Nostalgia

Year: 2017
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Jonathan Botha, Tsholofelo Wesi. Non-fiction: Janet Remmington, Sol Plaatje, Simone Haysom, Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Blessing Nemadziva, Anna Hartford, André Sales, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Zola Nongogo, Mishka Hoosen, Mara Boccaccio, P.R. Anderson, Paul Wairia, Genna Gardini, Siwaphiwe Fortune Shweni, Rosa Lyster
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.13 – Luck

Year: 2017
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Martin Egblewogbe, Nick Mulgrew, Franki Jenkins, Rachel Zadok, Sibongile Fisher, Sydney Ribot, Eley Williams. Non-fiction: Bongani Kona, Rosa Lyster, Andre Sales, Phil Kramer. Poetry: Ariana Munsamy, Francine Simon, Lienkie Diedericks, Sarah Lubala, Maneo Mohale
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.14 – Flowers

Year: 2018
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Richard Rive, Zandile Khumalo, Henali Kuit, Catherine Rudolph. Non-fiction: Liam Kruger, Girinandini Singh, Billy Keniston, Andre Sales, Phil Kramer.
Poetry: Tanatsei Gambura, Chinaecherem Oboo, Chisom Kingdavid, Dr Boni Zungu, Charika Swanepoel, Kapano Moroga.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

Prufrock no.15 – Goodbye

Year: 2019
Pages: 64
Print run: N/A
Size: 27cm X 18cm.
Contributors: Fiction: Mvelo Dhlamini, Lashona iLanga, Olivia Rose Walton, Sean O’Toole, Kiprop Kimutai. Poetry: Haafizah Bhamjee, Vangile Gantsho, Pei Koroye, Roxanne Rose, Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto. Non-fiction: Hedley Twidle, Anna Hartford, Blessing Nemadziva, Kelly Smith, Andre Sales, Phil Kramer. Graphic-Fiction: Su Opperman.
Other details: Full-colour printing, standard format.

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