Lionel Abrahams (1928– 31 May, 2004) was a South African novelist, poet, editor, critic, essayist and publisher. He was born and lived his entire life in Johannesburg.

Best known for his poetry, he was mentored by Herman Charles Bosman and later edited seven volumes of Bosman's posthumously published works. Abrahams went on to become one of the most influential figures in South African literature in his own right, publishing numerous poems, essays, and two novels. Through Renoster Books , which he started in 1971, he published works by Oswald Mtshali and Mongane Wally Serote heralding the emergence of black poetry during the apartheid era.

In 1986, he was awarded honorary doctorates of literature by the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Natal.

Novels

• The Celibacy of Felix Greenspan: A novel in 18 stories, published by Bateleur Press, 1977
• The White Life of Felix Greenspan, published by M&G Books, 2002

Poetry

• Journal of a New Man, published by Ad Donker, 1984
• The Writer in Sand, published by Ad Donker, 1988
• A Dead Tree Full of Live Birds, published by Snail Press, 1988
• Chaos Theory of the Heart, to be published by Jacana Media and Roaring Forties Press, 2005

Works about Lionel Abrahams

• Lionel Abrahams: A Reader, ed. Patrick Cullinan, published by Ad Donker, 1988
• A Writer in Stone: South African Writers Celebrate the 70th Birthday of Lionel Abrahams, ed. G. Friedman and Roy Blumenthal, published by David Philip, 1998