During the final years of the apartheid era and the subsequent transition to democracy, South African literary writing caught the world's attention as never before. Writing South Africa offers a window on the literary activity of this extraordinary period, conveying its range and its significance for anyone interested in the impact of decolonization and democratization on the cultural sphere. It brings together for the first time discussions by some of the most distinguished South African writers, with those of leading commentators based in South Africa, Britain and North America.