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If You Keep Digging
If You Keep Digging is a moving collection of short stories, which will resonate with a South African audience. The selection of stories highlights marginalised identities and looks at the daily lives of people who may otherwise be forgotten or dismissed.
'Monkeys' is a skilful commentary on domestic violence, toxic masculinity, patriarchy (and how it is racialised), power dynamics between white and black men and how children come to 'know' that they are white or black. 'Skinned', whose protagonist is a woman with albinism, is a powerful story about learning to accept that you deserve love when the world constantly tells you otherwise. In 'Fourteen' the author deftly demonstrates the ability to play with concepts of time and reality. It is a compelling story about potential and how one can feel unfulfilled despite having hopes and ambitions.
The collection is also deeply concerned with covering the early postdemocracyyears in South Africa. Each of the characters deals with questions around the 'new' country. The book implores one to think about diverse topics and perspectives, difficult family relationships, abandonment, social and class issues, power dynamics at school and at work, mental illness, witchcraft, sexuality, domestic abuse and the ancestral realm, among other things.
'Monkeys' is a skilful commentary on domestic violence, toxic masculinity, patriarchy (and how it is racialised), power dynamics between white and black men and how children come to 'know' that they are white or black. 'Skinned', whose protagonist is a woman with albinism, is a powerful story about learning to accept that you deserve love when the world constantly tells you otherwise. In 'Fourteen' the author deftly demonstrates the ability to play with concepts of time and reality. It is a compelling story about potential and how one can feel unfulfilled despite having hopes and ambitions.
The collection is also deeply concerned with covering the early postdemocracyyears in South Africa. Each of the characters deals with questions around the 'new' country. The book implores one to think about diverse topics and perspectives, difficult family relationships, abandonment, social and class issues, power dynamics at school and at work, mental illness, witchcraft, sexuality, domestic abuse and the ancestral realm, among other things.
172 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
4 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Keletso Mopai
5 books33 followersKeletso Mopai is a storyteller and qualified geologist from South Africa. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town. She was named one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in 2020. Her stories are published internationally in numerous journals including The Kenyon Review, Catapult, Internazionale, and The Johannesburg Review of Books. 'If You Keep Digging' is her debut book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 24, 2019
Such a bittersweet collection of 12 well placed, in terms of time and locality, stories. I HAD to read the shout outs on the back cover again because they were so spot on. Many times, I'd read the shout outs, and wonder whether these reviewers have even read the book🤷♀️🙄🤷♀️🙄
Such a layered delivery with a distinct, almost tactile memory to them. The line between memory and imagination thins out as you read them. These stories did not only happen to other people, they are a regular occurrence in our communities. Simple diction. Themes explored in a sensitive and knowledgeable spirit.
A kaleidoscope of themes are covered in these 12 stories from rape, unwanted pregnancy, albinism, homosexuality in heterosexual relationships, LGBTTQQIAAP, to navigating life as an orphan, women abuse across the races, ancestral beliefs, African gods etc.
Story 2, Monkeys, hit home. It is narrated by Nicholas, a child growing up in a house marred by violence. Women, irrespective of race, the world over, are beaten, belittled, disfigured, humiliated, shamed by men who profess to love and protect them.
Get your copy. Gift copies to your loved ones. Only R200.00. Tell them that Limpopo has been represented on these streets. BlackbirdBooks your collab with #SindisoKhumalo has brought us #CoverYaDiCover. Totally luxurious ❤❤❤❤
Get your copy of #IfYouKeepDigging from a book store closest to you.
Such a layered delivery with a distinct, almost tactile memory to them. The line between memory and imagination thins out as you read them. These stories did not only happen to other people, they are a regular occurrence in our communities. Simple diction. Themes explored in a sensitive and knowledgeable spirit.
A kaleidoscope of themes are covered in these 12 stories from rape, unwanted pregnancy, albinism, homosexuality in heterosexual relationships, LGBTTQQIAAP, to navigating life as an orphan, women abuse across the races, ancestral beliefs, African gods etc.
Story 2, Monkeys, hit home. It is narrated by Nicholas, a child growing up in a house marred by violence. Women, irrespective of race, the world over, are beaten, belittled, disfigured, humiliated, shamed by men who profess to love and protect them.
Get your copy. Gift copies to your loved ones. Only R200.00. Tell them that Limpopo has been represented on these streets. BlackbirdBooks your collab with #SindisoKhumalo has brought us #CoverYaDiCover. Totally luxurious ❤❤❤❤
Get your copy of #IfYouKeepDigging from a book store closest to you.
January 18, 2020
4.85 Lord...This woman knows how to tell stories. It's insane how gifted she is, i'm envious of her capacity to bring them twist and turns when you expect them the least. But above all, i'm blown away by her easiness to make all these women so vocal. For once i felt like we were heard, we were speaking, saying things patriarchy doesn't wanna hear, exposing matters families have always claimed to be better left hidden and never ever dealt with. I used to avoid reading short stories but good Lord this was a pleasure. Bless yourself with each story in this collection. You will not laugh or smile all the time but...
March 11, 2020
In the collection of 12 short stories, Mopai showcases her creative writing and story telling prowess.
Most of the stories are from the point of view of women, however, the tales titled " In Papa's Name" , "Fourteen" and "Monkeys", are skillfully penned from a perspective of Black males and a white boy respectively.
I enjoyed suspense, twists.The dialogues in Afrikaans, Isizulu, tsotso taal ,and selobedu make for an authentic, pleasurable reading experience. Mopai also ventures into the supernatural in the stories" Becoming a God" and "Fourteen."
The content is dark, disconcerting, shocking, sad, and heartbreaking. Unfortunately the reality of many in present SA. Women dying. Mental illness . Suicide. Rape . Youth unemployment. Colourism. Racism, Teenage pregnancy. Homophobia. Migrant labor. Colonised education and domestic violence.
In the stories " Madness" , "Blood of Filth" and " Becoming a God" , a clear and sad reality that rapists are not monsters from another planet, but are our fathers, brothers, uncles and neighbors is painted.
A brilliant, well put together debut by a young, fresh, and bold voice with a bright literary future before her.
Most of the stories are from the point of view of women, however, the tales titled " In Papa's Name" , "Fourteen" and "Monkeys", are skillfully penned from a perspective of Black males and a white boy respectively.
I enjoyed suspense, twists.The dialogues in Afrikaans, Isizulu, tsotso taal ,and selobedu make for an authentic, pleasurable reading experience. Mopai also ventures into the supernatural in the stories" Becoming a God" and "Fourteen."
The content is dark, disconcerting, shocking, sad, and heartbreaking. Unfortunately the reality of many in present SA. Women dying. Mental illness . Suicide. Rape . Youth unemployment. Colourism. Racism, Teenage pregnancy. Homophobia. Migrant labor. Colonised education and domestic violence.
In the stories " Madness" , "Blood of Filth" and " Becoming a God" , a clear and sad reality that rapists are not monsters from another planet, but are our fathers, brothers, uncles and neighbors is painted.
A brilliant, well put together debut by a young, fresh, and bold voice with a bright literary future before her.
November 3, 2021
If You Keep Digging is the debut story collection of South African writer Keletso Mopai. Mopai's stories concern millenials in Limpopo, who are coming to terms with their sexuality, or learning how to process death, or finding ways to navigate the differences of their personalities to their outside culture. I did find the stories totally one-note, and I felt that the voices of the stories could have been better individuated. I couldn't think of a story that really made me think of the world in a new way or stopped and made me think. They are however pleasurable to read.
Mopai does have potential, however, and I look forward to seeing what she later chooses to write.
Mopai does have potential, however, and I look forward to seeing what she later chooses to write.
June 27, 2020
I enjoyed the author's way of narration- she takes a simple story and brings it out in a captivating way👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. The book is a collection of 12 short stories affecting our day to day-the reality on the ground. Stories of rape, mental health, gender-based violence, sexuality, identity crisis with the desire to belong, Apartheid and its after-effects, embracing self with our Africaness, Albinism with its surrounding myths, the curse of a female student at varsity, death, and loss; ancient myths and beliefs. It's a great conversation starter for a reading community, loved it.
October 26, 2020
Haven't read and finished a book in a while, then someone suggested I try short stories (though I'm not really a fan of short stories). I then decided to try @iamkeletso_m's debut. I'm glad I bought it, I think it might have took me out of my reading slump. It's an important book, relatable and has important themes. My favorites were Hair tales and Baba's Jwansburg. Madness definitely did set the tone for me, made me wanna find out more. What else do we have?! Cannot wait to read more of Keletso's work.
April 10, 2020
An exciting read made of short stories. I love this book and it will go down as one of my favorites this year without a doubt.
These stories kept me glued to the pages as I went through laughter, emotional and historical events which the author made it so easy to understand and enjoy.
I found myself relating to most of them and it was an awesome experience for me.
A view of the world from different perspectives. Interesting book.
These stories kept me glued to the pages as I went through laughter, emotional and historical events which the author made it so easy to understand and enjoy.
I found myself relating to most of them and it was an awesome experience for me.
A view of the world from different perspectives. Interesting book.
July 22, 2019
This is easily of if the best short story collections I’ve read. Keletso has this amazing way of inhabiting very different types of characters comfortably. She is also really good at saying a lot with only a few words, which is the essence of short fiction writing.
June 29, 2020
Keletso Mopai speaks of lives I do not know and struggles that are at times absolutely horrifying and devastating. And yet, with her crystal clear prose, she conveys moments of beauty in the most unexpected places. She takes her readers by the hand and leads us to the most basic of human emotions, and connects with us through them, no matter where we are geographically.
July 12, 2021
Two years. That’s how long I’ve had this book. It was delivered at my house on this day two years ago, along with Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and Remy Ngamije’s The Eternal Audience of One.
I finished reading this book as part of my July TBR/annual re-reading ride a week ago, and my thoughts on it are still pretty much the same - the book is without a doubt a 5 star read, top tier. Mopai is a very talented writer; a fresh, somewhat inquisitive and jarring voice in the literary space - her writing is confrontational and deliberate. She writes to say things, and she does so in a straight-to-the-point manner that leaves no room for one to question her intentions.
The whole book is a treasure trove of genius, thought-provoking conversation starters, and there is simply no way you would have an easy time being asked to pick just one favourite story; however, there are some that stir up emotions in you that may provoke you to mention them. The stories are eye-opening, haunting and very timeless - in stories like Madness, Baba’s Jwansburg and Growing Caterpillars, Mopai dives into a myriad of things that aren’t spoken about in the Black family unit like rape, mental illness, hate crime, and goes on to critique the effects that this chucking of problems under the carpet and ignoring them has on not just our relations as a family, but our personal experiences and the generation that follows.
If you have not read this, I would suggest you do, and if you haven’t read any of Keletso Mopai’s writing period - I really hope that you do after this. They have written a number of other gorgeous stories that are not on the collection. And, if I’m not mistaken, we may be receiving a second offering from the author soon. Fingers crossed.
I finished reading this book as part of my July TBR/annual re-reading ride a week ago, and my thoughts on it are still pretty much the same - the book is without a doubt a 5 star read, top tier. Mopai is a very talented writer; a fresh, somewhat inquisitive and jarring voice in the literary space - her writing is confrontational and deliberate. She writes to say things, and she does so in a straight-to-the-point manner that leaves no room for one to question her intentions.
The whole book is a treasure trove of genius, thought-provoking conversation starters, and there is simply no way you would have an easy time being asked to pick just one favourite story; however, there are some that stir up emotions in you that may provoke you to mention them. The stories are eye-opening, haunting and very timeless - in stories like Madness, Baba’s Jwansburg and Growing Caterpillars, Mopai dives into a myriad of things that aren’t spoken about in the Black family unit like rape, mental illness, hate crime, and goes on to critique the effects that this chucking of problems under the carpet and ignoring them has on not just our relations as a family, but our personal experiences and the generation that follows.
If you have not read this, I would suggest you do, and if you haven’t read any of Keletso Mopai’s writing period - I really hope that you do after this. They have written a number of other gorgeous stories that are not on the collection. And, if I’m not mistaken, we may be receiving a second offering from the author soon. Fingers crossed.
Read
October 28, 2019~I look at it, the body, lying inside the white box in the middle of the living room, surrounded by pretty white sheets and mourners lined up to see it. I tilt my head to get a better view; I still can't find him. He is gone.~
~The first few weeks living in South Africa, I realised that I was empty, longing for a place no one would take me to.~
~Do you have a car? With what money? You feel sad. This is not the type of interview you'd prepared for. Your friends and the internet had told you to expect, "Tell me about yourself", "What are your weaknesses?", "What are your strengths?"...But here you're being asked if you own a flipping car.~
~As soon as you open the door, you wrap your arms around her and just weep. You would did your heart out with a shovel if you could. If it means not feeling the heaviness of your bones. The dryness of your throat. The pain.~
~You hope someone will call her beautiful. That life makes her dance to every love song played on the radio. And when she goes cold someday, you hope she won't stop loving, because you won't.~
~The first few weeks living in South Africa, I realised that I was empty, longing for a place no one would take me to.~
~Do you have a car? With what money? You feel sad. This is not the type of interview you'd prepared for. Your friends and the internet had told you to expect, "Tell me about yourself", "What are your weaknesses?", "What are your strengths?"...But here you're being asked if you own a flipping car.~
~As soon as you open the door, you wrap your arms around her and just weep. You would did your heart out with a shovel if you could. If it means not feeling the heaviness of your bones. The dryness of your throat. The pain.~
~You hope someone will call her beautiful. That life makes her dance to every love song played on the radio. And when she goes cold someday, you hope she won't stop loving, because you won't.~
January 5, 2025
Keletso Mopai handles the themes of her book with so much care through her characters. My favourite thing about this book is the palpable rage and dissatisfaction at the establishment, the socials systems, the socioeconomics of the country, racism, homophobia – the rage almost lives in every page, and righty so. The language in these stories can be perceived to be ‘simple’ but that is exactly the richness of it; its ’easy readability’ renders the book its beauty. The sentences are lucid, witty as the characters whose stories they tell.
This book is, simply, incredible. Read it!
This book is, simply, incredible. Read it!
August 25, 2019
This debut collection of real-time stories is very much relevant to our South African reality times. The stories brought so much childhood memories to time; intriguing a lot of thought in so far as theorizing the future. Through stories like "Monkey", the book sets a tone towards the necessity to tackle issues such as gender-based violence, race and inequality. Overall, the book is simple to follow and relatable.
October 27, 2019
I read and I finished 'If you keep digging'.
Some stories will forever in my writer's heart like 'become a God, Madness, Skinned and fell in love with Fourteen brilliant writing.
Looking forward to the author's next offering.
Some stories will forever in my writer's heart like 'become a God, Madness, Skinned and fell in love with Fourteen brilliant writing.
Looking forward to the author's next offering.
March 28, 2021
I’ve enjoyed the collection of the short stories was just left hanging most of the time and at some point felt the story could go on and it would have been more interesting other than that they were well written.
July 27, 2019
Thank you Keletso for this wonderful read, I can't fault it. Congratulations!
October 5, 2019
Keletso has managed to bring a new life to short stories. Simple ,clean prose but what a delight. Definitely a talent to watch.
May 9, 2020
Themes so multifaceted in an ever enchanting way. All 12 short stories featuring characters that jump out of paper and demand your undivided attention. You know them. You’ve heard of them. You’re one of them. So enticing, I felt some chapters ended too soon. So many unanswered questions but with that, I still felt it enough. Chapters such as Madness, Monkeys, Professor Banda, Blood of Filth and Fourteen left a lasting impression on my mind. These are everyday stories- most of which had you thanking the powers that be, to not have personally experienced in your lifetime. You have to commend the author for her impeccable literary prowess. A book about marginalization, LGBTQ, Gender based violence, Corrective rape, Mental health and Socioeconomic ills etc...
April 10, 2020
A writer I will continue reading as long as she continues writing. Wonderful debut collection! Can't wait to see what Mopai publishes next.
August 20, 2021
An easy Five star ⭐️
A short stories with a rollercoaster of emotions. I don’t read a lot of short stories but I really loved this. Beautiful work by Keletso Mopai, I loved the different style of writings and the different perspectives by the narrators. My favourite really has to be Skinned.
A short stories with a rollercoaster of emotions. I don’t read a lot of short stories but I really loved this. Beautiful work by Keletso Mopai, I loved the different style of writings and the different perspectives by the narrators. My favourite really has to be Skinned.
February 26, 2024
I enjoyed this collection very much, especially how some of the stories were interconnected. Also,reading Pedi names made me very happy.
January 7, 2021
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! I had to wrestle myself away from this book as each story left me yearning for more!! Each story really captured my heart and mind!
October 5, 2020
Able to tackle/highlight different social issues in each chapter, through storytelling and context placing from different perspectives. Beautiful.
January 3, 2025
The short stories in this collection are always good, sometimes excellent. Here are my favourites :
Monkeys
In Papa's name
Baba's Jwansburg
Growing caterpillars
Fourteen
Becoming a god
For a debut, it is very impressive. And high instructive for someone like me, since I moved from France to South Africa less than two years ago and know next to nothing about contemporary south african society. But that's "only" the cherry on the cake. This book is worth your time based on its literary qualities and ideas alone.
There is wit in this prose, astute observation, an definite delicacy in the attention Keletso Mopai gives to small details.
Monkeys
In Papa's name
Baba's Jwansburg
Growing caterpillars
Fourteen
Becoming a god
For a debut, it is very impressive. And high instructive for someone like me, since I moved from France to South Africa less than two years ago and know next to nothing about contemporary south african society. But that's "only" the cherry on the cake. This book is worth your time based on its literary qualities and ideas alone.
There is wit in this prose, astute observation, an definite delicacy in the attention Keletso Mopai gives to small details.
July 17, 2019
Keletso's debut collection of stories is very relevant to our times. Through stories like "Hair tales" we can all relate as black people who have consistently had our hair policed. My favorite though has to be Monkey's which tackled gender based violence as well as issues of race and identity. Keletso easily weaves herself into the identity's of her characters to give them even more depth. Her rewrite of "Professor Banda", which first appeared on Brittle Paper conveys her growth and maturity as a writer. This is definitely a book worth reading.
December 8, 2020
This collection of short stories is so thought-provoking and powerful. I often had to read some of the stories twice because of the nuances and underlying messages.
The author is a brilliant story-teller and is able to create a flowing narrative in so few words.
I'll definitely be returning to this novel.
The author is a brilliant story-teller and is able to create a flowing narrative in so few words.
I'll definitely be returning to this novel.
June 22, 2019
Brilliant new voice in SA fiction.
December 18, 2019
Achingly beautiful. This book is a gift
June 16, 2025
What does it mean to assess an invisible wound? What would the steps of care look like? - Mopai weaves the geography of a rural and an urban landscape together that are shared, across diverse South Africans. She considers cross generational bodies that have witnessed a pre and a post apartheid South Africa. She weaves these narratives together to thread the moments within history, and the current present that clash with the imagination of an emancipated country. Her stories can be described as case studies that do not contain a final conclusion or report - instead they end with long durational pauses, for the reader who is from a South African context, to figure out. She unpacks the unwanted inheritances that have now been contaminated by newer social ills that hinder progress. The collection is not an easy read from the beginning to the end because of the raw and blunt visuals and raw telling of each story. If You Keep Digging is a compilation of everyday South African stories that are written and set in post apartheid South Africa. Keletso Mopai traverses back and forth between the timelines - treating South Africa's past as a shadow that follows the present; it is a lamentation for hope and freedom. This collection was published in 2019 by Blackbird Books, and it contains 12 short stories in total.
Mopai writes into existence different types of national crises experienced daily from sexual violence in institutions - educational, home and work spaces - to rape culture, migration and xenophobia. The writer re-alerts the collective consciousness, to signal the reality that the nation is not okay - because there is a strong emphasis on an ongoing wounding. Each story feels like an entry point into conversations that diverse families - across race, gender, sexuality and class - have together behind closed doors. Her writing feels like a window for the reader to be let into uniquely. She traces migration histories and labour injustice, human rights violations deliberately by not writing about them from an generalised and dominant political narrative. Mopai is interested in intimate settings and individual and collective viewpoints that speak outside of the viewpoint and are situated on the ground. Keletso’s characters exist in rooms, in the streets, on the farms and in the city. But she does not interrogate their experiences through a general voice, she interrogates these issues in conversation to an additional set of societal challenges, Hair Tales, there are multiple characters who are chronicling their struggles with their hair is regarded as problematic in different educational, workplace or lived contexts, Tshepo (1998), Rosina (2007),and Lisakhanya (2018). She breaks each story up to become like a collective journal entry about hair.
Through storytelling, the author exposes the effects of a fragmented society. The short story collection depicts these collective and shared experiences as not being isolated from each other but shared. It challenges the reader to not only engage with South African realities from an external perspective only, that instead it needs to be excavated further, to understand its intricate fibres that cross pollinate across the differences interpersonally. Mopai invites the reader to look beyond the surface of what exists in South Africa at this moment, and causes us to ask “what now?” or “where to from here?”
She gets us to query these collective anxieties from within the walls of the homes - holding the collective “South Africa belongs to those who live in it”6 responsible and accountable. She shifts the conundrum of trauma, identity, and inclusivity in the cities and rural communities out loud by excavating the invisible, because of a broader political and dominant narrative that has blinded the country from facilitating how to address its woundedness. I wonder what would have occurred had she found balance with lamentation in conflict, and incorporated hope to not overwhelm the reader into a space of uncertainty. Perhaps the lack of hope may come from not witnessing an abundance of it post 1994.
Mopai writes into existence different types of national crises experienced daily from sexual violence in institutions - educational, home and work spaces - to rape culture, migration and xenophobia. The writer re-alerts the collective consciousness, to signal the reality that the nation is not okay - because there is a strong emphasis on an ongoing wounding. Each story feels like an entry point into conversations that diverse families - across race, gender, sexuality and class - have together behind closed doors. Her writing feels like a window for the reader to be let into uniquely. She traces migration histories and labour injustice, human rights violations deliberately by not writing about them from an generalised and dominant political narrative. Mopai is interested in intimate settings and individual and collective viewpoints that speak outside of the viewpoint and are situated on the ground. Keletso’s characters exist in rooms, in the streets, on the farms and in the city. But she does not interrogate their experiences through a general voice, she interrogates these issues in conversation to an additional set of societal challenges, Hair Tales, there are multiple characters who are chronicling their struggles with their hair is regarded as problematic in different educational, workplace or lived contexts, Tshepo (1998), Rosina (2007),and Lisakhanya (2018). She breaks each story up to become like a collective journal entry about hair.
Through storytelling, the author exposes the effects of a fragmented society. The short story collection depicts these collective and shared experiences as not being isolated from each other but shared. It challenges the reader to not only engage with South African realities from an external perspective only, that instead it needs to be excavated further, to understand its intricate fibres that cross pollinate across the differences interpersonally. Mopai invites the reader to look beyond the surface of what exists in South Africa at this moment, and causes us to ask “what now?” or “where to from here?”
She gets us to query these collective anxieties from within the walls of the homes - holding the collective “South Africa belongs to those who live in it”6 responsible and accountable. She shifts the conundrum of trauma, identity, and inclusivity in the cities and rural communities out loud by excavating the invisible, because of a broader political and dominant narrative that has blinded the country from facilitating how to address its woundedness. I wonder what would have occurred had she found balance with lamentation in conflict, and incorporated hope to not overwhelm the reader into a space of uncertainty. Perhaps the lack of hope may come from not witnessing an abundance of it post 1994.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews