The Johannesburg Review of Books ('The JRB', or 'The Joburg Review') is an independent literary magazine founded in 2017 in Johannesburg. Under the rubric 'Africa Writes Back', it publishes issues comprising in-depth book reviews, interviews, short fiction, poetry, essays and photography, which centre African writing while engaging with recently-published books from around the world. Conceived to give African writers a prominent critical voice in world letters, it pairs rigorous criticism with original creative work. The JRB pays its contributors.
The magazine was founded by Publisher Ben Williams and Editor Jennifer Malec, with a masthead that included Poetry Editor Rustum Kozain, Photo Editor Victor Dlamini and City Editor Niq Mhlongo, alongside Contributing Editors Bongani Madondo, Panashe Chigumadzi and Henrietta Rose‑Innes, Francophone & Contributing Editor Efemia Chela, and Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk. Later, author and photographer Lidudumalingani joined the masthead as Guest City Editor.
The JRB's founding Patrons were Achmat Dangor, Ivan Vladislavić and Makhosazana Xaba.
The JRB's issues are supplemented by The JRB Daily, which reports on literary news, prizes and events across the continent and world.
By May 2022, the JRB had issued 50 editions and published work by 425 contributors, among them Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Carey Baraka, J.M. Coetzee, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nadia Davids, Bernardine Evaristo, Yaa Gyasi, Mandla Langa, Rémy Ngamije, Elinor Sisulu, Zadie Smith, Wole Soyinka and, Zoë Wicomb and Zukiswa Wanner.
Rooted in Johannesburg and modeled on the tradition of serious review journals, The JRB serves readers, writers and scholars interested in African literature and its dialogues with the world, offering a consistent outlet for sustained criticism and new writing.
Work first published in the magazine has received recognition beyond its pages; notably, Panashe Chigumadzi’s essay, ‘History Through the Body or Rights of Desire, Rights of Conquest’ won the 2018 Brittle Paper Award for Essays and Think Pieces; and Rémy Ngamijie's short story, 'The Neighbourhood Watch' was shortlisted for the 2020 Caine Prize for African Writing. The JRB has also received mention in the pages of international newspapers like The Guardian and The New York Times.