Homebru 2023 - That's Home, Bru

THAT’S HOME BRU

HOME /hə m/ noun

In the beninging...

- the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family BRU /bru / slang

- [brew] a mixture of events, people, or things which interact to form a more potent whole - [bru] brother, comrade, friend

This month, South Africa celebrates Heritage Day; a day where rising smoke signals braai day, and traditional wear is on full display; a day where everyone is unified by food, laughter, and story. Our South African story is built on the quintessential words that map South Africa across the global dictionary. Words that say, THAT’S HOME, BRU.

Homebru is always a highlight of the Exclusive Books calendar. It gives us the opportunity to spotlight homegrown wordsmiths and their writing, with no distractions, for a full month. Using evocative South African expressions and typical African snapshots of our country, Homebru ’23 takes classical book lines and injects them with the ‘Rainbow Nation’ flavour; our words, our experience, our unique wayHERE’S HOME, BRU.

Whether it’s understanding, inspiration, healing, or recipes you seek, the Homebru selection of South African voices captures the history, fiction, biography, current affairs, and business of our literary landscape.

For the month of September, the Homebru books will be on full display, loud and proud, in the front of all our stores and online. Look out for the ‘Here’s Home, Bru’ pin highlighting these titles. Choose from a variety of Homebru events and launches happening around the country, and do follow our quirky ‘That’s Home, Bru’ campaign on social media @exclusivebooks. You may also be intrigued to check out the local bestsellers – celebrated on page 23 of this catalogue, and in store.

We have the power to choose our stories, stories that will serve us now, and own them. We all know the way a South African story begins. “Once upon a now-now…” or “Once upon a dorpie…”; it all starts with youYOU’RE HOME, BRU

-Exclusive Books GM, Books and Brand

*Tongue-in-cheek colloquial version of ‘beginning’

THAT’SFiction

DOWN AT JIKA JIKA TAVERN

Ashling McCarthy

ISBN: 9780620900867

When student anthropologist, Nonhle, returns home to Zululand, she learns that her father, a game ranger, is arrested for rhino poaching - a crime she knows he’d never commit. Unearthing a dark plot of revenge conspired by a conflicted traditional healer and a slippery rhino poaching boss, Nonhle decides to take matters into her own hands..

THREE EGG DILEMMA

Morabo Morojele

ISBN: 9781431432387

Best known for the critically acclaimed, How We Buried Puso, Morojele is back with Three Egg Dilemma. Follow Eg on the outskirts of Lesotho. He drinks too much, sublets rooms on his property, and is softer than his exterior. A haunting and visionary novel with a cast of colourful characters.

BURIED TREASURE

Sven Axelrad

ISBN: 9781415211083

Erudite and wise, magical and quirky, Sven Axelrad’s debut novel is an enchanting adventure that explores what our names mean to us and who we are without them. Set in the town of Vivo, we meet several residents: a prostitute, a professor, a prophetic flower-seller, an old cemetery groundskeeper - Mateus, and his dog, God - who are not quite what they seem.

DIE LAASTE KANARIEGEEL NOTABOEK

Anchien Troskie

ISBN: 9780798183703

Dit is 1963. Mia begin ‘n nuwe lewe in Bloemfontein as tikster, maar Mia se droom is om ‘n skrywer te wees. Toe sy in ‘n eksentrieke boekwinkel instap, kry haar drome vlerke. Kort voor lank vind sy haar voete daar. Haar lewe neem ‘n omwenteling toe sy eers die beroemde skrywer Louis Feldtsmann ontmoet en haar hart verloor.

SUNSHINE & SHADOWS

Busisekile Khumalo

ISBN: 9780795710889

Vimbai, a final-year law student, is determined not to join the long line of unemployed graduates. She would rather trade sexual favours to get a job than regress back home. Nosihle is the good girl who mistakenly falls in love with the wrong man. Ruby is the spoilt socialite leading a double life. Through their messy choices, their lives become intertwined.

MAALKOLK

Marie Lotz

ISBN: 9780798184007

Speurder-kaptein Alek Strauss en sy span is verbysterd. Iewers is ‘n moordenaar wat speletjies speel: Die Woestynroosmisdaadtonele word nageboots, met subtiele leidrade waarvan net ‘n hand vol mense weet. Om sake te kompliseer, vind Strauss bewysstukke van sy oorlede mentor op verskeie van die misdaad tonele. Sal kaptein Strauss en sy span die skuldiges kan stuit, voor daar nog slagoffers geteiken word?

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HERE’S MOREFiction

OF FATHERS AND FUGITIVES

SJ Naudé

ISBN: 9780798183963

When Daniel’s elderly and demented father passes away, there is an unusual clause in the old man’s will: he can only inherit his half of the estate once he visits his estranged cousin at the old family farm. An exquisite, tender novel by the award-winning writer SJ Naudé that explores the dynamic between fathers and sons, masculinity, and loss.

LOST PROPERTY

Megan Choritz

ISBN: 9781990973680

One morning Laine wakes up to discover that the man she’s been married to for 15 years has been secretively living out a monstrous lie. Her world is tilted on its axis. Now she must unstitch her entire existence, and peck through the pieces of her past, to understand what has brought her to this place. A brilliant debut novel.

VAN VADERS EN VLUGTELINGE

SJ Naudé

ISBN: 9780798183949

Wanneer Daniël, ’n joernalis, se bejaarde pa sterf, bevat dié se testament ’n ongewone klousule: Daniël sal slegs sy deel van die boedel erf indien hy besoek aflê by sy neef, op die ou familieplaas. ‘n Pragtige, teer roman deur die bekroonde skrywer SJ Naudé. Dié jongste roman ondersoek die verhouding tussen pa’s en seuns, en vaderskap, manlikheid en verlies.

THE GHOST OF SAM WEBSTER

Craig Higginson

ISBN: 9781776260966

When Sam’s body appears on the banks of the Buffalo River, Daniel decides to visit the scene under the guise of research. What led to Sam’s end?

Written in Craig Higginson’s masterful prose, the lines between loyalty and betrayal, love and hate, cowardice and courage, redemption and shame, soon become blurred as Daniel gets closer to the truth.

ONS SKULDE

P.P. Fourie

ISBN: 9780795710834

Na tragiese omstandighede aanleiding gee tot Emma se man se dood, reis sy na Clarens om sy as te strooi. Terwyl sy by tante Vera tuisgaan, daag ‘n geheimsinnige koevert op waarvan die inhoud Vera angsbevange maak. Met die spannende ontrafeling van ‘n skrikwekkende raaisel word temas van skuld, straf, boetedoening en vergifnis ondersoek.

BRIDGE

Lauren Beukes

ISBN: 9781415211144

The internationally bestselling author of The Shining Girls returns with a glaring speculative thriller! In infinite parallel universes, there’s a version of you who already has everything you’ve ever wanted. But 24-year-old Bridge is paralysed by all the other lives she could have lived, the choices she could have made, and who she’s supposed to be in the wake of her mother’s death.

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LAUREN BEUKESBridge

With international bestsellers like Zoo City, Broken Monsters, and The Shining Girls, Lauren Beukes is a dynamic literary force – just ask George R.R. Martin! Known for her mindbending and daring themes, ‘lovecraftian’ characters, and surreal (or rather cerebral) worlds, Lauren is an ‘awe-thor’, whose reputation for twists and turns leaves every reader hypnotized until the very last page… and beyond.

Exclusive Books chatted to Lauren about her latest feat, Bridge:

Bridge explores the relationship between a mother and daughter through different realities or dreamworms. How has being a mom, and being a daughter informed your writing about the mother-daughter complex?

When Zoo City came out in 2010, I remember being irritated with a journalist who asked me if I thought being a new mom would change the way I wrote, because I felt a dad writer would never have been asked that question. But of course, we write what we know, from our heart and our guts and so much of that is tangled up in my relationship with my daughter, now 15. It’s made me think a lot about being a mother, and my relationship with my own, and how we never truly know our parents or what they’ve been through. That’s natural; we become ourselves in relation and opposition to them and maybe we’re able to get closer in adulthood, to figure out who they are and were and try to understand. I want to be clear it’s not remotely autobiographical (unless my mom has a secret artefact that lets you shift realities that she hasn’t told me about!).

When writing about the many layers of alternate realities, how do you keep track of your characters and their time jumps?

I have a “murder wall”, similar to the one Bridge and her friend Dom assemble in the living room, with stickies up on the wall keeping track of the different timelines and also the different characters, all represented with different colour cards. I use the writing software, Scrivener, which has a corkboard feature to summarise chapters and notes, which you can just print out, but I prefer to write them by hand. It’s all Scrivener’s other features that keep me sane, especially with such a knotty plot, allowing you to attach notes and research to chapters within the chapter, “snapshot” multiple previous drafts so there’s no fear of losing anything, and you can simply drag chapters around to re-order them.

The title Bridge is in reference to the name of the protagonist, but it is also metaphors the portal between worlds. How do books unlock worlds within us? And which books have awakened parts of you that were once dormant?

Books are doors into other universes and other lives we could never have lived. They allow us to be more than we are.

As readers, we bring all of who we are to a book and the way we read it is shaped by who we are and our own experiences. It’s a very deeply personal connection between the book and the reader. We’re carriers and transmitters of stories and they live on inside us. Yes, like a mind parasite! All books open something inside me, unless they’re bad, in which case they only awaken irritation and I close them again and am freed. Your work leans into elements of the supernatural. If you could possess a superpower, what would it be?

“Leans into” may be an understatement. I love high concepts as a distorting mirror to allow us to see things more clearly, like a time-travelling serial killer as a way of talking about violence against women or a reality-switching dreamworm as a way of exploring mothers and daughters and the choices we make. I’m going to go with a cheat superpower, which encompasses all the others I’d love (being able to fly, and breathe underwater, for example): shape-shifting.

A trend amongst booklovers is curating reading playlists; a list of songs that fit the tone of the book they are reading. What song(s) capture the essence of Bridge?

Oh gosh! I have not actually made a playlist. Excuse me, I have to go Google songs appropriate for every character, and every version of the characters in alternate universes. Probably Nakhane’s ‘New Brighton’, which is, as I read it, about change and hope, never being afraid again, finding the god within. I think it chimes with Bridge’s themes around choice and agency – about becoming.

The literary landscape is constantly evolving; heavier topics, inclusive narratives and taboo subjects are being embraced with a universal sense of healing. What themes do you think will become more openly discussed in the upcoming years?

Well, as Skunk Anansie said, “Everything is f*cking political”. I love that the industry is (slowly) shifting to telling more stories from voices who haven’t been heard before, especially queer voices, brown and Black voices. I don’t think anything is taboo – it’s how you write about it, hopefully with equal parts compassion and ferocity.

@laurenbeukes

laurenbeukes.com

@laurenbeukes @laurenbeukes

KATVIS

Annelie Botes

ISBN: 9781776095360

Na ‘n huwelik van twaalf jaar waar sy aan magsbeheptheid en sadisme onderwerp was, het Maria genoeg gehad. Met net haar handsak, ‘n koffer en haar viool, vat sy die pad om ‘n nuwe lewe te begin. Vinnig beland sy in ‘n afgryslike situasie. Hier, in ‘n donker kelder, gekatvis deur ‘n gewetenlose bedrieër, is elke oorlewingsminuut suiwer grasie.

EACH MORTAL THING

Michiel Heyns

ISBN: 9781776380152

As the ghosts of his past relationships visit him, Terence is forced to reconsider the meaning of human connectionshow our lives touch and are touched by others. Michiel Heyns’s Each Mortal Thing shows us the metropolis through fresh eyes, calculates the costs of kindness, and speaks to the grace that friendship can bestow upon us.

VERNON R.L. HEAD On That Wave of Gulls

“I grew up in a bungalow at the sea, under the shadows of drifting gulls, and I found a question there as I came of age: Is the coast the place where we begin, and wilderness ends? When the waves roll, is that the ultimate song of the in between, that chance for a last dance with our primordial past, a moment to remember who we are, our gift of joy and suffering alive together, one last time?

This is a story of how abuse might reshape a boy into adulthood, and how that path is a search for commonality and hope at the tragic edge of love and sexuality, where relationships live in the image of men-women and screaming waves.”

ON THAT WAVE OF GULLS

Vernon R.L. Head

ISBN: 9781431432998

From the bestselling author of The Search for the Rarest Bird in the World, comes an audacious new novel. Told through three voices – an architect, a homeless man and a Seagull - this layered storyline encompasses the closed systems of violence, abuse and intimacy against the backdrop of Cape Town.

“IS THE COAST THE PLACE WHERE WE BEGIN, AND WILDERNESS ENDS?”

EBEN VENTERDecima

Eben Venter is one of South Africa’s most revered writers. With nine critically acclaimed novels, translated into German, Dutch and Afrikaans, Eben masterfully unravels the visceral and delicate ambit of humanness. In Decima, a creative blend of fable and scientific enquiry, loss in all its many guises is unveiled through the voice of a sentient black rhino.

You’ve been working on Decima since 2018, and all through Covid. How would you say your concept of this book evolved over the past 5 years?

I respect animals, that is how I was taught on our Eastern Cape farm. Since 2018, and even before, I noticed more and more articles on rhino poaching – the cruelty of these acts –and I decided to write about the rhinoceros, specifically the endangered black rhino. Rather than writing about poaching only, I wanted to tell the whole story about the megaherbivore: I did research about its feeding habits, about the rhino’s midden where signals are left for one another and about the history of the rhino, especially the colonisation of central and southern Africa when the brutal treatment of the rhino started. And so the rhino story became a vast story, with many divergent storylines.

Why the name Decima? What does it mean to you?

The inital title was rhino-keros, the Greek word for rhinoceros which means: nose-horn. That title was abandoned as I stumbled upon ‘decima’, a tenth or a tithe, a name that would give gravitas to its owner; a creature named Decima would be a blessing on the land where she roams.

There are an array of voices, and an assortment of backdrops in the book, including Kenya, Hong Kong, New York and Belgium. How did the placements in different settings enhance this story?

There is a traditional Chinese medicine man in Hong Kong who believes the rhino horn has medicinal qualities, there is a red-billed bird in the Eastern Cape called ‘ihlalanyathi’ who picks ticks off the rhino’s hide, there was a former president of the USA who believed megaherbivores were for the taking in Kenya – and so I began weaving all the fragments of the rhino tapestry together, using many different voices, speaking from locations all over the world. After all, the story of the rhinoceros is a universal one; awareness of and caring for the rhinoceros as a sentient being is a call upon all of us, right across the globe.

What inspired the voices in this book to be anthropomorphized?

There is the loneliness of the mother in the retirement village, and the loneliness of Decima all by herself in the spekboom veld. The loneliness’s have a different tone: that of a human and that of an animal. Most of all, I wanted the reader to get under the skin of Decima, to see through her young eyes – she was only a calf – what it was like when the murderers came for her mother.

There are universal topics that resonate with the reader, from loss and healing to empathy and equality, with the underpinning plea to protect and save our rhinos. How has your own journey of writing this book amplified your compassion for the fragility of life?

Since I lived in Australia, I have lost a number of people who were very close to me, and, understanding the loss and the effects it had on me, well, I wanted to write that intensity into the story. Except this time the focus of the story would be the life and grief of the animal rather than that of the human. A crash of rhinos are inter-dependant; they’re crucial for the balance in and harmony of the bush and veld. Fierce as they are, especially the black rhinoceros, they become, in the presence of the gun or the machete, fragile. If we can but for a moment grasp the preciousness of their lives, compassion could be kindled.

The striking cover design is based on the 16th century woodcut, Dürer’s Rhinoceros by Albrecht Dürer. In an interview you mentioned that Dürer crafted his depiction based on descriptions; never actually seeing a rhino. There is great symbolism in creation from the unknown. How do you think this relates to the writing process?

How was I going to write from the perspective of a rhinoceros mother, or that of Skalpie, the Cape vulture? Certainly, that was a big unknown to me. I had Irish writers like John Banville to show the way: these writers twist and distort words, let multiple meanings ring out from one word rather than allowing them to mean one, clear-cut thing only. So I worked on the language of Decima and Skalpie, making it funny and sad and odd, but differently so, and so too with the locations where they kept and talked their animal-talk.

You have lived in the Western Cape, the Netherlands and currently in Australia where you obtained your doctorate in the theory of translation from the University of Queensland. What do you miss about South Africa?

Being able to walk west out of the town of Prince Albert on that endless, lonely grondpad, surrounded by the beauty of the bossie veld and the foothills of the Swartberg, like ancient animals waiting for us, humans, to pass.

DECIMA

Eben Venter

ISBN: 9781415209998

‘A mountain of flesh she is, this Decima, as she lies. She summons her strength to rise, all four feet on sand and shale. Puffs twirl and settle as her toes find their place. Three on each foot. Decima stands.’

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Entwined in Eben’s work on the rhino, is an account of his fragile, ageing mother, and the majesty of this sentient being.

(Also available in Afrikaans)

TWENTY LITERARY LUMINARIES.

TWENTY TRANSFORMATIVE TALES. A Multitude of Worlds.

We asked the writers of Fluid why their book is a collection of incandescent importance. This is what they had to say:

Yuwinn

Kraukamp

‘This anthology is an investment in the nation’s creative talents, providing a platform for different voices and perspectives. Fluid is a compilation with diverse authors who have different styles and interpretations of the given theme.’

Diane Awerbuck

‘The only constant is change, and this collection is a reminder that we are all sometimes solid, liquid, gas.’

Vuyokazi Ngemntu

‘Fluid boasts a diversity of voices, perspectives and imaginaries that makes it a treat for anyone looking to tap into the pulse of South African short fiction. Exciting stuff!’

Robyn

Nedine Moonsamy

‘This Fluid collection offers quick slices of a changing world and of a wonderful discovery of self, and place anew.’

Lorraine Sithole

‘This collection is daring, it removes all barriers, visible and invisible.’

Lerato Moletsane

‘Fluid is a beautiful contradiction to the norm.’

Shari Maluleke

‘Fluid gives voice to so many writers who have incredible stories to tell. And a lovely way to support local writing!’

Anna Hug

‘Fluid connects us all through stories that could not be more different.’

‘Fluid is a mosaic that reveals a broader societal pathos of the time. It is a beautiful, strange, uncertain, and imperfect mosaic. It makes no one clear picture, has no one clear message, and even still is brave enough to be visible, vulnerable. Perhaps even lovable.’

Lerato Mahlangu

‘Fluid is an important compilation featuring amazing writers who had stories waiting to be told and were brave enough to share them with the world.’

KL Bohle

‘We’re a nation with a rich history of storytelling; this compilation shines a spotlight on local authors and local stories, and helps to keep the words flowing.’

Kingsley Khobotlo

‘Fluid is a stunning showcase of local talent, established and emerging, and an exciting way to engage creatively with a vital theme in our lives.’

‘This compilation, Fluid, showcases and celebrates our diversity, but more importantly, it illustrates how we can begin to shape and take ownership of our own destiny.’

Karina Magdalena Szczurek

Perros

‘Fluid offers a compilation of unique voices echoing different shades of the same colour.’

‘For a glimpse into where we are at as a country, read Fluid for a sometimes fun, other times spiritual but always creative journey into our country’s soul.’

‘The collection of short stories in Fluid captures the diversity of not only South Africa as a country, but also the multifaceted nature of human beings. It offers the page as a space for the representation of bodies so easily left out and erased from literature.’

‘The anthology provides many fingers to the pulses, reverberations and yearnings of the South African present.’

‘The strength of the collection lies in part in the range and unpredictability of its themes and how they are presented. Surprising the reader can itself be a form of fluidity.’

‘In Fluid the thousand voices of Babel sing a single song of imagination.’

‘We live in a time of walls, of divisions, of us and them, and yet never has the need for connection been more urgent. This collection is a timely reminder that borders are porous, that states of being are in constant flux, and our best chance of redemption is to embrace fluidity in all its beautiful manifestations.’

‘Fluid is the voice of South Africa – diverse and compelling and beautiful.’

‘Homebru is a smorgasbord of the catch of the day, a distraction-free panoply of the freshest ideas capturing the local zeitgeist at its most compelling, including Fluid.’

‘Fluid is a scintillating collection that shows the fluidity of human nature, thought and spirit.’

FLUID - THE FREEDOM TO BE

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Joanne

Hichens and Karina M. Szczurek

ISBN: 9780994680570

In these twenty short stories of inquiry, transgression, osmosis and transformation, we embrace the fluid nature of humanity. “Short. Sharp. Stories give aspiring writers a right to write. [This book] is an important and necessary addition to our South African literary landscape.”- Niq Mhlongo

Joanne Hichens

Shanice Ndlovu

Keith Oliver Lewis

Peter-Adrian Altini

Jarred Thompson

Andrew Robert Wilson

David Medalie

Mabel Mnensa

Bridget Pitt

Alex Latimer

THAT’SBusiness

THE BOOK EVERY ENTREPRENEUR HAS TO READ

Various

ISBN: 9781998958733

Starting a business is one thing. Making that business successful is quite another. Full of sage advice, lessons learned, and thousands of hours of knowledge from thriving entrepreneurs, this all-encompassing guide breaks down the ins and outs of the entrepreneurial journey.

WINNING THE PROPERTY GAME

Koketso Sylvia Milosevic

ISBN: 9780624093763

How did an ordinary girl from the township of Ga-Rankuwa build an empire? Koketso reveals how she built her property portfolio, turning it into a multi-million-rand business. Having trained more than 50 000 students, she now shares her secrets with the world. Moving her golden rules into action, you too can watch the results unfold as you achieve financial freedom.

HANDLE BLACK TAX LIKE A PRO

Ndumi Hadebe

ISBN: 9781776391028

Black tax is not so much about money as it is about boundaries. Helping others is commendable, but how do you do it in such a way that you avoid debt and stop the poverty cycle for future generations? Ndumi Hadebe presents ten stories and reflections which explore different themes and complexities on the black tax spectrum.

THE CEO X FACTOR

KC Rottok Chesaina

ISBN: 9781776192380

CEOs can build up a business from nothing or turn around a company that is on the verge of bankrupcy; they are the dynamos of our economy. What is the X factor that ensures a CEOs success? Chesaina’s book takes you into the heart of South Africa’s top companies including Vodacom, Bidvest, Discovery Health and Nedbank just to name a few.

KC ROTTOK CHESAINA The CEO X Factor

KC Rottok Chesaina echoes the words of Brian Tracy, affirming that “It is not becoming a millionaire that is important, it is the person you must become to become a millionaire.” In Chesaina’s previous release, Masters of Money, he ventured behind South Africa’s biggest companies and interviewed 31 CFOs about their strategies of success. He now pinpoints the X Factor that South Africa’s top CEOs possess, giving new meaning to the phrase, “money talks” … kcrottok.com @rawtalk24 @kcrottokchesaina

What has been the common thread of leadership amongst the CEOs, and what are the forces that have shaped them to sit at the head of the table?

I think Edward Kieswetter, SARS Commissioner and one of the interviewees in my book captures the answer to this question best. Leadership is situational, some leaders are great at leading change, others good at maintaining high performance. There are those who are good in structured bureaucracies and others that do well in agile entrepreneurial situations. So there isn’t a universal X factor, but a common thread that they should have is that they are driven by a higher purpose.

Millennials make up the largest percentage of the global workforce, leaning more and more into the dogma of what success looks like; work-life balance, healthy eating habits, rising at 5am, meditation etc, and are still overcoming anxiety and figuring out their purpose. As the CEOs of tomorrow (if they already aren’t), what else needs to be accomplished to achieve this title?

The question covers a few fundamentals particularly that of finding purpose. Many of the CEOs either figured out their purpose early enough or were agile enough to pivot and change course later rather than be stuck in a comfort zone. Mteto Nyati likes the quote from Will Rogers – ‘the road to success has many tempting parking spaces’. Millennials need to be careful to avoid this. Jeanette Marais, new Momentum CEO advises millennials not to be obsessed about work-life balance. Her view, which I agree with is ‘you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and work for it. In South Africa, every job advertisement receives thousands of applications from degree holders - you are going to have to differentiate yourself to get ahead’.

Gen Z is known for being the boundary-breakers who move to the beat of their own drum. Entrepreneurship is a growing trend, both out of necessity, but also as a result of commerce through content creation and social media. How do you think the title of CEO will fare against other titles such as founder, or entrepreneur?

You do not need a fancy title in order to lead. We are at a time where people need to demonstrate bold leadership in whatever sphere they find themselves in. Being CEO or founder of your own two-man company may sound fancy, but at the end of the day, the key question is that of impact. Whatever you are leading or whatever you are founding needs to have an impact on society, it needs to demonstrate that you have genuinely embarked on a journey to solve problems. It is the story of impact that people will respect rather than the title that people will hold.

In each case study, each CEO has a tagline for their methods of success. What would your tagline be?

Seeker of the African success story.

What differentiates a South African CEO from their international counterparts?

A South African CEO needs to have much more diversity of thought than an international counterpart. Because this is truly the rainbow nation, the cultural nuances play a bigger role than say a CEO in the United Kingdom. They also need to be mindful of the gaps that have been created by the country’s history given that this is the most unequal society in the world. Their leadership needs to be couched in that reality and their organisations therefore need to be driven towards solving that social problem. In the words of the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa, Busisiwe Mavuso: ‘Businesses in South Africa are social partners with a disproportionate number of resources which they need to use to create equality. The consequence of social instability is that we have too many people with nothing to lose as witnessed in the riots in KZN in 2021’. A South African CEO must therefore focus on much more than just the financial bottom line.

Considered one of Southern Africa’s leading bushcraft and survival specialists, Quinton Coetzee brings us a jam-packed (or should we say back-packed) entertaining book! With 101 fascinating facts about SA’s wildlife that will have you grinning from ear-to-ear, you’ll be equipped with a spontaneous “Did You Know’’ to whip out at your next campfire braai!

HERE ARE SOME TRIVIA TO GET YOU STARTED:

Did you know:

• A group of hippos on land is called a crash

• A group of giraffes fighting is called a neck.

• A group of aardvark are called an armoury

• A group of butterflies are called a kaleidoscope

• A group of jellyfish are called a smack.

• A group of lizards are called a lounge

Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?

They are black with white stripes.

THE BUCK THAT BURIES ITS POO

Quinton Coetzee

ISBN: 9781776192267

Why do flamingos stand on one leg while bats hang upside down?

Do steenbok bury their poo?

Yes! And not only do they bury their poo, but the females also eat the poo and drink the urine of their babies.

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Quinton Coetzee dispels countless myths that surround the South African creatures that we think we know all about. With fascinating information and fun trivia, this book will enlighten and entertain!

It is a well-known philosophy that we can learn a lot from the ecosystems of the natural world. From your extensive research and love for wildlife, what would you say humanity can learn from mother nature?

“It’s been said that humans are imperfect creatures in a perfect world. The most valuable lesson that we can learn from nature: humanity must learn to co-exist with every other living thing on this planet - the way that the world was before we modern humans came along. This is key in our quest for peace and harmony not only with other humans, but also with all the life forms within the natural systems that envelop our existence. Nature is patient, it’s resilient, it’s honest. It’s ‘black and white’ - no grey. What you see is what you get - it’s honest. There’s no malice in nature, and nothing goes to waste. If we can just get these few things right, we’ll have learned so much from mother nature”.

- Quinton Coetzee

CAT BRANCH

DOG/BEAR BRANCH

Carnivore family tree showing that hyenas fit into the cat branch and not the dog branch.

THAT’SMemoir

DEAREST MARIKY

Louisa Zondo

ISBN: 9781431432936

Through a series of letters to her cherished son and much-loved music star, Riky Rick, Louisa confronts her grief, delving into the trauma of her past and finding the words to express the pain of losing her son. This is a story of resilience, of a mother’s unwavering love, and of a determination to honour her son’s legacy.

FINDING ENDURANCE

Darrel Bristow-Bovey

ISBN: 9781776192861

When Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance was discovered in March 2022, 106 years after it sank, the world thrilled anew at one of the greatest survival stories of all time! Acclaimed South African writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey has a deeply personal connection with the story of Endurance; one that in the face of self-inflicted natural disaster ‘sails’ with a miracle or two.

I AM ELLA

Joanne Jowell

ISBN: 9780795710681

Ella Blumenthal’s story of surviving the Holocaust and building a new life in South Africa could easily be mistaken for fiction. Together with her niece Roma Rothstein, five years her junior, Ella survived three concentration camps before being liberated by the British Army in 1945. Ella’s 101 years of life have been nothing short of herculean. This is her story.

PRISON CHILD

Felicia Goosen and Deonette de Kock

ISBN: 9780796323187

In 1994 Vanessa Goosen is imprisoned for smuggling drugs out of Thailand. Here she gives birth to her daughter, Felicia. In accordance with Thai law, Felicia is sent to South Africa at age three. In her student years, she grapples with loneliness but reaches out to others, spreading the message “you don’t have to feel alone.”

THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED HER MOTHER

Moshitadi Lehlomela

ISBN: 9780624094081

There is a lot of talk in society about bad fathers. Much less is spoken about mothers; it is taboo to question a mother’s love. The ‘mother wound’ has become a buzz phrase amongst millennials. Moshitadi is a mother wound recovery coach. In her book, she details her torturous relationship with her mother and reveals her journey of healing.

DIE BINNELAND IN

Dana Snyman

ISBN: 9780624094517

Dana Snyman is volksbesit. Met Die binneland in verken dié geliefde skrywer ons land en sy mense vandag. Dana reis land in, op soek na sekerheid en lig. Hy rou oor dié wat weggeval het. In die nadraai van die pandemie met beurtkrag, oorlg in Oekraïne en die politiek, begin mense moed opgee, ook oor hulself. Maar Dana vind hoop, liefde - en veral geloof.

R250 R290

R330 R305 R270

R320

SINDIWE MAGONA I Write the Yawning Void

Sindiwe Magona is a South African literary icon. She fearlessly maps the turns of South African history, pinning themes of language, culture, lived experiences and layers of identity into her interrogation of what it means to belong.

Exclusive Books to Sindiwe Magona: You have written expansively about the transition from apartheid to the post-apartheid period, anchoring discourse to sociocultural politics.

Where

do you see the ‘South African promise’ thriving in the future?

The ‘South African Promise’ thriving in the future… shall yet be fulfilled!

Whilst there can be no denying that our beloved country, South Africa, is in terrible shape, it would serve us well to remember our history. We have been in worse spaces, including openly declared war. We have emerged from decades of legally-sanctioned, brutally-enforced racialism, and deeply-entrenched centuries-old othering of all sorts is undeniably in our blood.

However, not so long ago, South Africa emerged triumphant from what the UN labelled ‘A Sin Against Humanity!’ - a triumph that surprised not only the oppressed and the oppressor here but the whole world. Much as the fight against apartheid was robust and wide spread, frail humanity had very little hope the death of that evil would happen during our lifetime. IT DID!

As long as we guard against the death of Hope

The Promise will not die

South Africa will yet reach the golden gates

All its people, in their rainbow array of colours

Shall live in harmony

Be happy Thrive.

@sindiwemagonaauthor @dr_sindiwe_magona

I WRITE THE YAWNING VOID

Sindiwe Magona

ISBN: 9781776148189

Sindiwe Magona is a celebrated South African writer, storyteller, and motivational speaker, who spent two decades working for the United Nations. I Write the Yawning Void illuminates the many facets of Magona’s personal history; her deepest convictions, her love and despair for her country, and her belief in her ability to activate change.

THAT’SCookery

KHANYISAA CULINARY STORYTELLER

Khanyisa Malabi

ISBN: 9780639780269

Khanyisa Malabi’s passion for cooking and storytelling shines through these pages, making it not just a cookbookbut a cultural journey. The photography captures the vibrancy of modern African cuisine, and her recipes are paired with traditional cooking techniques and a focus on local ingredients.

FEED MY TRIBE

Mmule Setati

ISBN: 9781485901426

Are you looking for something healthy and nutritious on a weeknight? Perhaps something special for date night? Or maybe you’d like to wow your guests for a special get together? Look no further - Mmule has you covered! With her tips and advice, she’ll make you feel like an experienced chef in your own kitchen.

FATIMA SYDOWCAPE MALAY COOKING

Fatima Sydow

ISBN: 9780798183697

National treasure Fatima Sydow is back with another helping of must-try recipes! Fatima takes us with her on a nostalgic journey through her memories of the many important feasts celebrated in her Cape Malay culture. Fatima’s foolproof recipes are always a celebration: an unforgettable combination of taste, abundance, and love.

KAREN DUDLEY Onwards

From the dazzling chef, food writer, restauranteur and impeccably-chic, Karen Dudley, comes Onwards – Karen’s fourth cookbook that celebrates her sensuous flavour profiles, bold dishes, and love for local.

Onwards is an emotional yet liberating journey of what came after the closure of your restaurant, The Kitchen in 2020. In your case it was a leaving behind of The Kitchen, for your kitchen. How did you find the strength to, essentially, redirect your food journey?

Early on in my food journey, I realized that food was my way to connect with people. I realized that I could seduce, inspire, comfort. And I learned that I loved to serve. As I closed my restaurant, two things helped me: the knowledge that there was still a community of people, beyond brick and mortar, who loved my food and who needed me! I had to find other ways of reaching them and connecting with them – this time on different platforms: online, books, consulting work… I could still be helpful! I also found strength in the knowledge that we had made a beautiful thing at The Kitchen. Food that was good and true. And it was the love and support of that community that gave me the strength to move Onwards!

Condiments, dressings, sauces, and relishes have become your labour of love; drawing out, intensifying, adding, balancing, and nurturing flavours – mimicking the chapter heading: Recipes to help with letting go. These bottled treasures are a growing trend in homemade anything! What has been one of your favourite flavour pairings, or delightful happenstance?

Indeed! Dressings and relishes are where it is at! Bottled joy! It’s hard to pick favourites but my Deeply Roasted Sesame Sauce on noodles is simply sublime! I try and keep a jar of Caesar Mayo in my fridge at all times… its versatility knows no bounds… A good tomato toast, and of course on a layered vegetable salad with a crispy caper…

You often reference food and food creation as a form of healing. How has writing about food enhanced your love affair and its therapeutic connection?

I really am happiest when I am thinking about/experimenting/ exploring flavours and curating them. I delve deep into where a flavour might find its friends and I love exploring, opening up new possibilities that make the ordinary extraordinary. It is a quiet place of sensory pleasure. I stay hungry for new tastes and textures. This curiosity and longing to share is a driving energy of my life! There is a freedom there, and a real love affair.

Where is your ultimate foodie destination?

Vietnam.

Your luscious and vibrant recipes in Onwards, compel the home chef into the kitchen! But there is one page where you are in front of your cookbook collection, which is probably the envy of any foodie. Which of those cookbooks do you return to the most?

Ooooooo! So many favourites… I like the works of Diana Henry and Sally Butcher and I’m enjoying Matty Matheson’s Homestyle Cookery and Andy Baraghani’s The Cook You Want to Be

Which cookbook came to you unconventionally?

I opened The Kitchen in 2009, and a few days after opening, someone came into the shop and said, “This is just like Ottolenghi”. “Otto who?” I asked. “An Israeli and Palestinian guy who make salads and baked goods and puts them on display”, said the person. I rushed to the book shop and asked for an author called Otto Lenghi. Ah! I read the introduction and had gooseflesh. What they were doing, and the expression of identity from a mixed, troubled culture, was exactly what I was articulating! Phew! What an electrifying time!

And when you open a cookbook, which section do you tend to gravitate towards?

I drink in the pictures. And then I look for anything new or interesting to do with vegetables!

The hospitality industry is one of the most taxing career paths one can take. Where do you think cheffing will be in the next 5 years?

We need chefs. We need cooks. We understand and create culture when we go to restaurants and eateries. It is where we make memories! I am hoping that in the next five years, we will see chefs who will continue to deliver dishes of great deliciousness, who will refine their craft, innovate, use local ingredients and champion our amazing produce. We also need eaters who are more discerning and demanding of an experience which is memorable and affordable. It is most exciting to me when restaurants gather a community of returning customers who are expressing what they love and growing the restaurant economy.

karendudley.co.za @lovethekitchen @capetownk

INGREDIENTS

Salt

500 g linguini pasta

450 g pork sausages or ‘sizzlers’

1 scant Tbsp vegetable oil

200 g courgettes, very well washed and dried (with a clean kitchen towel) and chopped into 1½ cm pieces

4 spring onions, white + ½ green parts, finely sliced

30 g fresh mint leaves, shredded (not too roughly, though; you do want to be gentle with mint. It is extremely sensitive by nature)

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Flaked salt and white pepper

¾ cup Whipped Feta (p. 46)

TO SERVE

Extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

SERVES 4 - 5

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a good handful of salt and the linguini pasta to the water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Snip the skin off the end of each sausage and pinch out little balls of the meat 2–3 cm in size. In a pot or a deep pan, add the vegetable oil and fry these rough little sausage balls over high heat, stirring from time to time so that they get good colour all round. After about 5 minutes, when the balls are mostly cooked through, add the courgettes and let them cook along with the sausage balls. Do not be tempted to add more oil; there is enough right there with the sausages. After the courgettes have been frying for 4 minutes, they should have some colour and be cooked through.

In a large mixing bowl, using 2 wooden spoons, add the cooked linguini, along with the sausage balls and courgettes. Add the spring onions, mint, lemon juice and zest, flaked salt and white pepper, and gently toss with the spoons to move the vegetables through the pasta.

Spoon the Whipped Feta over the hot pasta but do not toss through (unless you really want to). Pour a little olive oil over the Whipped Feta and, on the roughest setting, grind over a healthy amount of black pepper (feta and pepper are particularly good friends). The creamy feta will spread through the pasta as people serve themselves.

LINGUINI WITH PORK SAUSAGE BALLS, COURGETTES, SPRING ONION & WHIPPED FETA

ONWARDS

Karen Dudley

ISBN: 9781485901143

Onwards is a divine cookbook filled with wholesome, nourishing, and indulgent recipes, with a story of hope and happiness threaded throughout. After the Covid-19 pandemic, Karen’s life changed with the closure of her restaurant. She welcomed a time to rediscover her connection with food; shifting her perception of what it means to cook. This book reveals her findings…

R360

‘Yes. It is as good as it sounds. And not at all schleppy to make.’

BEER COUNTRY’S

BLACKOUTS AND BOEREWORS

Karl Tessendorf and Greg Gilowey

We all release a collective sigh when the EskomsePush notification vibrates with “Loadshedding starts in 55 minutes…”. We also all react collectively 5 minutes before loadshedding with a hop, skip and sprint to the kettle and microwave and enter ‘survival mode’ - almost as though light will never be shed again. One thing we can all agree on is that loadshedding has dimmed our creativity in the kitchen, and rather invited takeout to our doorstep. But, fear not!

Karl Tessendorf and Greg Gilowey, the producers of Beer Country, present forty bright braai recipes for dark times.

Gas, Briquettes, Charcoal or Wood? What is your go-to heat source?

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times – a wood fire is a good fire! It’s our preferred fuel because of the flames, smoke, and flavour it brings to the party. As for the rest, anything that gets you outside turning a ‘tjop’ is good enough for us. That said, our load-shedding braai is built-for-purpose to get us cooking as quickly as possible. For best results, we use a combo of charcoal and small wood pieces. The charcoal provides consistent heat and small wood pieces bring flames, smoke, and flavour.

Your TV series, Beer Country, has a massive following. WOf all the places you have travelled to, what was your most unusual beer pairing?

We had some crazy dishes on our travels. Some were great but there were definitely a few stinkers. The infamous pilchard smoothie on the Weskus really stuck to the gums, and the ghost pepper ostrich penis left a lasting impression. Luckily, we had plenty of beer to wash them down. As for the good stuff, one of our favourite beer pairings happened right here in Cape Town. It was a blue cheese cheesecake paired with a bourbon barrel-aged stout and it was epic!

The Smoky Steak Tacos are not just for Tuesdays. Tacos have become a versatile weekday choice. How would you turn this recipe into a meat-free option?

Braaied mushrooms with a smoky marinade is always a winner. They have tons of meaty umami flavour and you probably wouldn’t even miss the steak. We recommend big braai mushrooms. Oil and season them up then braai whole until soft and juicy. Slice them like you would the steak and smash those tacos in ya face!

You’ve both released previous cookbook bestsellers: Beer Country’s Beer Food Fire and Beer Country’s Pots, Pans and Potjies in the past 3 years. How is it working as a team, and as brothers-in-law? How do you decide which recipes make the cut?

As with anything worth doing, and doing well – it takes time and practice. We’ve had our ups and downs, lefts and rights, but ultimately always agree that we’re working toward the same goal – making the world a better place, one braai at a time. As for the recipes, we both enjoy the same kind of food and we’re always on the lookout for tasty new things. We usually brainstorm ideas and then do a lot of taste testing. If we’re ever uncertain about a recipe, we always ask ourselves if we’d ever make it again. If there’s any hesitation, then it stays on the drawing board until we tweak it or bin it.

You’ve both probably tried and tested a whole pantry full of kitchen staple recipes on the fire. Which meal is yet to see the light of success?

You learn a lot from failure, and we’ve had a few epic braai speedbumps along the way. Our greatest hits are probably an under-done spit-roast duck, the muddiest tasting braaied catfish ever, and our infamous smoked snoek chilli poppers. That said, never let a culinary flop dampen your ‘gees’! We’re always exploring and learning something new every time we light a fire.

Loadshedding has become a permanent unwanted guest in our households. What is one unexpected positive that has come out of these stages of darkness? (Besides this innovative cookbook).

In this insta-everything world, distraction-free quality time is rare these days. So instead of dreading the downtime, we’ve chosen to embrace it. Whether you spend it with friends, family, or solo staring into your own version of Karoo TV, crack a beer and enjoy the moment. Cheers!

‘Welcome to the braaight side of loadshedding life!’

SMOKY STEAK TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE ESQUITES SALAD

Chipotle Esquites Salad

4 corn cobs, husks removed

Olive oil

1 avo, peeled and diced

2 rounds of feta cheese, crumbled

2 spring onions, finely sliced

A small handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2–3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp paprika

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Steak and Tacos

600 g rump or ribeye steak

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper or your favourite braai spice

Flour or corn tortillas

To Serve

Green Chilli Sauce (see p. 7)

Lime wedges or halves

BEER COUNTRY’S BLACKOUTS & BOEREWORS

Karl Tessendorf and Greg Gilowey

ISBN: 9781485901853

Feeds: 4–6 | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 15 min

Drizzle the corn with some olive oil, then braai over high heat to char. When the cobs are charred on all sides, remove them from the heat and allow to cool. Slice the kernels off the cobs and place into a mixing bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients and mix well. Season to taste and set aside.

Drizzle the steak with oil and season. Braai the steak over hot coals for 3–4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature hits 50ºC for medium-rare. Let the steak rest while you heat up the tortillas on the fire. Place the warm tortillas into a pot with a lid to keep them from drying out. Slice the steak thinly and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, lay a few slices of steak on each tortilla, top with the esquites salad and drizzle over the Green Chilli Sauce. Serve with lime wedges or halves for squeezing.

R220

Every blackout is a fire begging to be built, a juicy chop ready to be turned and a family braai just waiting to happen. With a little planning and some clever thinking, put your money where your braaibroodjie goes and join the Beer Country duo as they dive into their best braai recipes for the Eishkom disaster!

This Mexican street-food classic gets a braaied taco supercharger.

THAT’S Current Affairs and History

CORRUPTED

Jonathan D. Jansen

ISBN: 9781776147946

In South Africa’s higher education system, the images of dysfunction are everywhere. Taking a political-economic approach, Jonathan Jansen describes the daily struggle for institutional resources and offers accessible, sensible insights. This groundbreaking and long overdue study will offer a promising way forward for universities to better serve their communities and the country more broadly.

INSIGHTS INTO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

Nick Mallett and Lloyd Burnard

ISBN: 9781776192977

Ever since the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, South Africans have been passionate about the tournament that is the pinnacle of sporting achievement. Join Nick Mallett, who coached the Boks at the 1999 World Cup, as he takes you into the beating heart of the tournament, which kicks off in Paris in September.

DAISY DE MELKER

Ted Botha

ISBN: 9781776192779

Mother. Nurse. Gold-digger. Cause célèbre. When Daisy de Melker stood trial in 1932, accused of poisoning her son and two husbands, the public couldn’t get enough of her. For almost twenty years Daisy hid in the shadows. But when someone finally spoke up about the suspicious deaths around her, it led to a trial like nothing the world over had ever seen...

BLACK RACIST BITCH

Thandiwe Ntshinga

ISBN: 9780624093107

There has been a lot of uproar in the United States about Critical Race Theory (CRT). The assertion is that it is divisive and racist towards white people. It is sometimes referred to in the shorthand as ‘woke’. This panic has now reached our shores. Critical whiteness studies is an offshoot of CRT that Thandiwe Ntshinga believes is desperately needed in South Africa.

NICK MALLETTRugby Insights

We’re gripped by rugby fever again. The Bokke are battling it out against the world’s best and all the talk is about how our team is going to fare against the old foes on the biggest stage.

What is unique about South African rugby that gives us the staggering statistic of 3 World Cup wins out of 7 appearances?

“There will always be an overwhelming sense of pride that comes with being the best on the planet, and South Africans love winning more than most! When the Springboks are on top of the world, that filters down into society.”

WIN 1 OF 2 OFFICIAL RUGBY WORLD CUP BALLS, SIGNED BY NICK MALLETT, + A COPY OF HIS BOOK!

To enter: WhatsApp HOMEBRU to 068 815 8660 (Competition closes: 30 September 2023)

R360

R310

R290

R290

Tata Tata

ma ma chance, loadshedding

RYAN BLUMENTHAL Risking Life for Death

Ryan Blumenthal’s, Autopsy: Life in the Trenches with a Forensic Pathologist in Africa, was released in 2020, and has become a runaway bestseller for crime and forensic enthusiasts globally. It is said that the youngest person claiming to have read his book was seven years old, whilst the oldest was 96. Forensic Pathology really is for the ages! Now Ryan is back, Risking Life for Death…

Risking Life for Death weaves Locards’s Exchange Principle through each case study. Can you tell us more?

Locard’s Exchange Principle is the bedrock of modern forensics. Everyone’s favourite detective uses this principle (without naming it) – Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Philip Marlowe, Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, Thomas Magnum, Nancy Drew, Columbo, Patrick Jane, Adrian Monk, even Tintin – have all at one point or another used Locard’s Exchange Principle.

Risking Life for Death contains forensic pathology case studies from my 20-year career. A golden thread runs through all my case studies, namely Locard’s Exchange Principle. This book is a master class in Locard’s Exchange Principle!

Dr. Edmond Locard was a pioneer of forensic science and it was he who formulated the basic principle of forensic science: ‘With contact between two items, there will be an exchange’ or stated another way, ‘every contact leaves a trace’.

Locard’s Exchange Principle holds, in essence, that the perpetrator of a crime will bring something into the crime scene and will leave with something from it, and that both these can be used as forensic evidence.

Often what we do not find at autopsy is more important than what we do find. In other words, the absence of evidence can sometimes be of greater value than the presence of evidence.

For example: how would one know what may have been stolen from a deceased person in the case of a house robbery? You would assume that the average person has a mobile phone, a wallet or a purse and hence, when these items are not present at a death scene, you can assume that these items were stolen. This requires a special way of reasoning and looking at things and a mind-set of noticing what is not there.

Technology is a big part of our everyday lives and has influenced career dynamics. Has technology changed the way you work - is there still a place for instincts honed over years of experience?

At my university, we are urged to use Artificial Intelligence, such as ChatGPT, to help with our research. ChatGPT can do a lot of the hard work and free-up some extra time for us.

We need to embrace technology.

Technology has changed the way we work. We are currently doing research with a compact, nimble, quadrupedal robot (a four-legged robotic dog) that can map its environment, sense and avoid obstacles, climb stairs, film, etc. This becomes critical when it comes to hazardous forensic death scene examination, such as fires or chemical death scenes. It can save first-responders lives!

Having said this, there is still a lot of knowledge which is passed down from Master to Student. This practical knowledge is NOT on the internet. We may call this knowledge the ‘Secrets of the Masters’. Even ChatGPT has no insight into the years of practical experience gleaned from years in the cold-hard trenches of the mortuary.

You talk about keeping a plant in your office to remind you of life because of the morbidity of your work. How do you remain positive and not wallow in the shadows?

Many people are still carrying shock, trauma, grief, heaviness, disbelief and memories of a surreal existence post the Pandemic. We need to remind ourselves of what we have come through. We also need to remind ourselves that despite it all, we are still here post Covid-19. We belong to some sort of ‘Survivors Club’. Understanding this can bring some compassion.

There is still a lot we all have to work through post the Pandemic. There is still a lot which needs to be processed and managed.

The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest. I believe that extreme work is rest. The secret is to keep busy. Even if you are doing nothing – you must be ‘busy’ doing nothing!

Have a game plan. Wake up early. Have tea or coffee. Do sport. Keep reading. Keep learning. Phone up a friend. Encourage the discouraged. Energize the exhausted. Be of some service to your fellow human being.

Beware of social isolation. Do not wall yourself off from life, do not entomb yourself in your own mental vault. Instead of building a wall around yourself, build a bridge to other people. Light, food, water, life and love – the very things that can bring you happiness.

Be discerning with whom, and what, you come into contact in life.

Infect yourself with wiser, happier and healthier people and things. This is a good start in remaining positive, and not wallowing in the shadows.

You’ve mentioned that the dead have so much to teach the living. What would you say has been your greatest lesson?

The biggest lesson that I have learned in forensics is to continually seek out the best of the best.

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.

Seek out the company of those who know more than you and learn at their feet.

Read old books, you will find yourself in the company of great minds.

If you play against the ‘best’, not only will your game improvebut you will be kept humble.

(If you play against the ‘average’ or ‘less-than-average’ – not only will you win but you will become arrogant).

This is true for forensics, sports and all aspects of life. Seek out the best of the best!

In the opening chapter of the book, you recall a “Is there a doctor on board scenario” that leaves the reader in stitches. One would not think that humour would be the first intro into forensic pathology. How has humour been a pivotal anchor for sanity?

One needs to have a good sense of humour and resilience in the face of ugly reality. Courage and a good sense of humour are the essential vitamins for a good life.

RISKING LIFE FOR DEATH

Ryan Blumenthal

ISBN: 9781776192687

R290

Every contact leaves a trace: a single strand of hair or a tiny droplet of blood can be the silent witness at a crime scene. South African forensic pathologist, Ryan Blumenthal, offers a masterclass on how to look for clues and traces, and argues that what he does not find at an autopsy, is often more important than what he does find…

You met Thomas Tsunetomi Noguchi, who served as the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for Los Angeles County in 1962, and who profiled the infamous suicide of Marilyn Monroe. The American mystery medical drama, Quincy, was loosely based on his career, and was played by Jack Klugman. Which actor would you cast to portray your life story?

I would want a man of consequence to play me. A man with pure heart and soul. A man long past the stage of suffering. A man faithful to his own individuality. One who has self-belief. A man with a good sense of justice. A man who has contributed most to his society.

Most importantly, the man who portrays my life story must have a HUGE sense of humour!

How do you think Forensic Pathology reveals and develops the qualities of a leader?

The world has had career politicians of late, slick speakers with the gift of the gab – Politicians, raised and groomed into their roles. (Real leaders are rare).

The world has never been in so much need of real leaders, people of vision and courage, as today!

A real leader, to me, is someone who knows the way, and shows the way. They emerge from time to time.

Forensics teaches skills which are not taught in school: Adaptability, curiosity, grit, tenacity, creativity, initiative and persistence. Real leadership is also about social and cultural awareness.

Exceptional leaders can rise to power from nowhere. Real leadership is a function, not a position. Real leaders have a good, calm view of things. They are practical. (They were once good followers).

My advice: “Where there are no leaders, be a leader!”

HERE’S MORECurrent Affairs and History

DOMESTIC TERROR

Nechama Brodie

ISBN: 9780795710858

Domestic Terror is a powerful book that sheds light on the plight of women who face domestic violence and the harsh realities they encounter when trying to protect themselves. Through poignant case studies, Nechama Brodie exposes the limitations of our systems and challenges us to rethink our approach to domestic violence.

LEGENDS

Matthew Blackman and Nick Dall

ISBN: 9781776391066

Believe it or not, we have a lot to be positive about in South Africa. With corrupt politicians and institutional failures collapsing the country, it’s easy to get all depro. But hold those thoughts, because Legends might just inject you with the all-natural and organic anti-depressant you need. This book sheds light on the remarkable people who changed South Africa for the better.

KILLER COP

Naledi Shange

ISBN: 9781990973642

In 2021, South Africa was introduced to notorious serial killer, Rosemary Ndlovu. Despite Rosemary being a police sergeant, taking an oath to serve and protect - in court it emerged that she was the mastermind behind a number of murders. Regarded as our nation’s most significant female serial killer since Daisy de Melker, this book documents the trial that has the nation gripped!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Ray Hartley, Greg Mills and Mills Soko

ISBN: 9781770108820

South Africa is facing an extraordinary ‘polycrisis’; energy collapse, a failing rail network, weak education outcomes, interrupted water supply, and the effects of decades of endemic corruption. This book takes you on a journey that ends with one of three possible future scenarios: the Good, the Bad or the Ugly.

Ona notplaas far away so

R340 R260 R330

TOP 10 LOCAL BESTSELLERS OF2023

These 10 books have topped our local book charts for 2023, and are still ticking along! How many have you read?

ONE WORD REVIEW? CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

‘‘National Braai Day turned 18 last year, and that got my thoughts going. We are reaching that era where adults in South Africa, who grew up when Braai Day was started and had a braai with their parents on Braai Day, now have children of their own; we have reached the next generation of braaiers. So I thought the timing is ideal to write a book specifically for a new generation of great braaiers. Teach them while they are still young, and create an entire generation that learns how to braai from a young age.

JAN BRAAIJunior

Always remember:

Braaibroodjies is draaibroodjies. A braaibroodjie is your chance in life to have the bread buttered on both sides!”

ROOSTERKOEK

To be able to prepare proper bread dough and bake roosterkoek over the coals of a fire is a huge step in the development of civilisation and in a person’s life. This is a skill that you will never unlearn and that will stay with you forever. It will create many years of fun and good eating times for you and those around you. When making this recipe for the first time, aim for 12 roosterkoek. Afterwards, you can decide if you prefer the roosterkoek bigger or smaller, and adjust the number of roosterkoek to your liking.

WHAT YOU NEED

4 cups cake wheat flour

1 packet instant yeast

1 tablespoon salt

1¾ cups lukewarm water

WHAT TO DO

In a bowl, mix together the flour, yeast and salt. Then, add the water, and use your hands to mix until everything is combined and the dough comes together. Cover the dough in the bowl with cling wrap so that the cling wrap sticks directly onto the top of the dough. Leave the dough to rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, sprinkle some extra flour onto the surface of a table or work area. Remove the cling wrap from the dough. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto the floured surface. Sprinkle more flour over the dough. All of this extra flour makes the dough easy to handle. The dusting of flour will also make your roosterkoek look pretty. Use your hands to spread out the dough. Then, cut the dough into 12 portions. Place all the pieces of dough onto a big enough tray and use this tray to transport them to the fire. If any of the pieces of dough are sticky and difficult to handle, dust them with more flour. At the fire, pack the roosterkoek onto your braai grid. Braai for about 15 minutes over hot coals, turning a few times until the roosterkoek is done, with brown spots forming here and there. Break one open to see if they are ready.

Serve and enjoy with butter and cheese, or any other toppings of your choice.

BRAAI LIKE A CHAMPION

You have to braai roosterkoek over hot coals and turn them often. If the coals are not hot enough, the dough will sink into the grid and get stuck before it has the chance to firm up.

JANBRAAI JUNIOR (ENGLISH)

Jan Braai

ISBN: 9781485900016

This is a cookbook for the next generation of braaiers. Filled with a collection of Jan Braai’s very best braai recipes and simplified with easy-to-follow guidance, JanBraai Junior can be enjoyed by the whole family. Covering all the fundamental braai knowledge every South African should have, Jan Braai’s tips and advice will set you on your way to braaing like a champion!

JANBRAAI JUNIOR (AFRIKAANS)

Jan Braai

ISBN: 9781485900313

JanBraai Junior is ’n boek vir die volgende geslag braaiers. Gevul met Jan Braai se heel beste braairesepte en vereenvoudig deur maklik-om-te-volg, stap-vir-stap instruksies, kan die hele gesin JanBraai Junior geniet. En met Jan Braai se wenke en raad sal hierdie boek jou die eerste treë laat gee om die res van jou lewe soos ’n kampioen te braai!

IT’S COMPETITION TIMEBRU

WIN THE ULTIMATE JAN BRAAI-DAY HAMPER, INCLUDING A COALSMITH SERIES CHARLIE GRILL AND SMOKER, AND A BUNDLE OF JAN BRAAI GOODIES!

To enter: WhatsApp HOMEBRU to 068 815 8660

(Competition closes: 30 September 2023)

“Braai is part of any South African’s DNA, and at Megamaster we are passionate about celebrating this beautiful country, good food and quality time spent together around a fire. What better way to do this than South Africa’s biggest braai brand taking hands with our biggest braai personality. We are excited to take this partnership even further by celebrating not only braai, but also the incredible local talent capturing the stories we live.”

- Elize Smith, Megamaster Marketing Manager

@janbraai @braai.com @janbraai @janbraai

ZANDI’S SONG Zandile Ndhlovu

Zandile Ndhlovu, better known as @zandithemermaid when sporting her signature ocean blue braids and ethereal mermaid tail, is South Africa’s first Black Freediving Instructor. Her life work is dedicated to diversifying ocean spaces, exploring aquatic wonders, and sharing her advocacy for ocean conservation. In her debut children’s book, Zandi’s Song, she shows us the magic of purpose, place, and peace.

Where did your fascination and call for ocean conservation first begin?

I grew up in Soweto, and so, in all the worlds, could never have imagined what lived beneath the surface of the ocean. My trip to Bali in 2016 changed my life. I went on a snorkel trip, my first time out at sea, once we jumped in, I was absolutely mindblown - watching the bright yellow fish coming past us, the honeycomb moray eel swimming through the frame…and the bottom of the ocean, the reef, looked like it was lit up from beneath… how the sun rays were dancing on its colourful coral… it was the most incredible sight I’d ever seen… I fell in love. I then came home to South Africa and started my journey to becoming a Freediving Instructor, conservationist, and storyteller.

AGES 3-6

ZANDI’S SONG

Zandile Ndhlovu

ISBN: 9781776252657

R157

Zandi dreams of the big blue ocean and bright colourful fish even though she lives far away from the sea and hasn’t learnt to swim. One day the sea gives her a gift that changes everything, but something is threatening this magical world … is the key to protecting it buried in stories from the past?

(Also available in Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu & Sesotho)

How can the power of storytelling, like Zandi’s Song, incite change and create the next generation of ocean guardians?

Beautiful stories allow us to expand our dreams, they create a safe space for us to fall in love with new ideas in a way that seems less daunting and consider being the ‘chosen one’ to create change.

Touches of cultural elements are woven into Zandi’s accessories, like her beaded bracelet. As a diversity and inclusion specialist, why do you think representation is important?

Representation, in a way, gives us permission to dream, the idea that ‘we can too’, it not only belongs over there but here too. In a world that inspires generic expression, it is vital to remember the power that lives in our lineage. I think a mixture of our traditional knowledge, meeting the current world and present-day science can bring solutions that are multidimensional, solutions that can meet people from all walks of life to create powerful tomorrows.

You have been filming for Discovery’s Shark Week special, which saw you positioned inside a mechanical shark that swims alongside a shiver of sharks (we learnt this collective term recently!). How was this epic experience?

Lol, shiver of sharks is one of the most fun tongue-twisters out there! The experience was incredible. I’m an avid lover of sharks and love telling stories that inspire. When science meets powerful storytelling, we really can bring people closer to the most important cause - protecting our sharks and protecting our oceans.

You are the founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation, which is “an organization seeking to create diverse representation in the ocean arena.” How can communities get involved to support this initiative?

Find ways to educate everyone in your community about the importance of preserving and conserving nature; being more intentional - ensuring less use of single use plastic; clean our water ways - water is a scarce resource – these are some powerful ways to be an ocean steward, an ally, wherever you are.

Freediving is seen as an extreme sport - evident in Netflix’s latest documentary, The Deepest Breath, which tests the magnitude of the breath. How has “breath hold” become a philosophy of self-exploration?

Freediving is powerful for me, because on a dive you’re often diving into yourself, managing your own fears, managing your own panic, and managing your body in a way that is surreal, essentially teaching the self to not be reaction-based, but present first, observing first before expanding any kind of energy. It’s a powerful way to lead life and an incredible torch for self-exploration.

“We are all one. Everything in the universe speaks. Maybe not in words, but if you listen closely, you will hear exactly what it is saying. You will learn to understand the language of the ocean and everything I am telling you.”

THAT’SChildren’s and Teen

AGES 6-9

MY FIRST WILD ISLAND ADVENTURE

Riaan Manser with Murray Williams and Chantal Tarling

ISBN: 9780637001854

In July 2009, Riaan Manser became the first person to circumnavigate the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, by kayak. He had many memorable close encounters with Madagascar’s marine life, and experienced extreme political turmoil when he landed up in prison 5 times!

THE SOUTH AFRICAN ALPHABET OF AFFIRMATIONS

Nyasha Williams, Disemelo Hoeane and more

ISBN: 9780637001458

A book of affirmations that highlights each of South Africa’s eleven official languages. Written by ten authors, the book is a love letter to the children of South Africa - honouring their magic, worth, and power, through the recitation of these positive affirmations.

TEEN DIE REELS

Trevor Noah

translated by Jaco Jacobs

ISBN: 9781776251940

Nou vir die eerste keer in Afrikaans, ’n verwerking van Born a Crime and Other Stories – die Suid-Afrikaanse en New York

Times- #1-topverkoper. In Teen die reëls vertel hy van sy grootwordjare. Die stories wat hy in dié boek vertel, sal jou laat lag, huil en jou vol verwondering en inspirasie laat, terwyl jy dié ondeunde seuntjie met sy vlymskerp brein en humorsin leer ken.

(Also available in English)

AGES

MY EERSTE WILDE EILANDAVONTUUR

Riaan Manser with Murray Williams and Chantal Tarling

ISBN: 9780637003452

In Julie 2009, word Riaan Manser die eerste persoon om met sy kayak om die wêreld se vierde grootste eiland, Madagaskar te seil. Sy ervaringe wissel van onvergeetlike blootstelling aan Madagaskar se seelewe, tot erge politieke onrus en hy beland selfs 5 keer in die tronk!

AGES 6-9

LEO JANTJIES AND THE ESPORTS

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sally Partridge

ISBN: 9780798183260

Leo Jantjies loves playing Theatre of Gods and Heroes (TOGAH). When a clip of Leo playing TOGAH goes viral, he is branded the best player in the world. But what he doesn’t expect, is to get a call from a pro team wanting to recruit him. Leo learns some valuable lessons about himself, and realises there is more to sportsmanship than just prize money.

9-12AGES

@jacozombie

R210

R210

R187

R235

R230

‘Dit was vir my ’n groot voorreg om dié wonderlike boek in Afrikaans te vertal. Jong lesers sal dié gewilde komediant se vertellings oor sy grootwordjare in die apartheidstyd terdeë geniet. Dit is spitsvondig, humoristies, vol deernis - en onvergeetlik.’

THAT’SYoung Adult

FOR BLACK GIRLS - WHO HAVE YET TO FORGIVE THEMSELVES

Tlhalefo Tefo Molatlhegi

ISBN: 9781990931253

The lives of three young women come together and unfold in poetic chaos. Beautiful, unruly, obstinate and insistent on pursuing life on their own terms, Zee, Moon and Melissa navigate sexuality, disease, death and the awakening of political consciousness in a country that is battling to realise its post-apartheid democratic ideals.

LANGABI

Christopher Mlalazi

ISBN: 9781776413515

Christopher Mlalazi has produced an African epic fantasy. Fast paced and vivid, the richly detailed people of Langabi, in love and in battle, must endure a punishing fight to survive and secure their freedom and their land. This quest is a searing tale of manipulation and monsters, which will leave you hungry for more.

Ina land of en vleis Pap

R230 R250

SOUTH AFRICAN PROVERBS

We asked our featured authors, “If you could coin your own South African ‘proverb’, what would it be?”

“Better now-now than nooit.”

-Anna Hug

“When one cooks, bakes and shares recipes with the intention of creating harmony in community... we are not just spreading ideas of sustenance, but also the preservation of an emotion that is unconditional... And that is... to feed the ones you love... with love”

-Fatima Sydow

“A spider builds its web under the cover of darkness.”

-Ashling McCarthy

“Ku dya k’engeta en’wanati.”

-Khanyisa Malabi

“Kgabutle ga a fete gaabo a re go tlala.”

-Phuthanang Motsielwa

“Trust in God but tie your goat.”

-Diane Awerbuck

“Ita hune wa kona hone, tshanduko I da nga zwituku.”

-Matodzi Amisi

“Intaka yakha ngoboya benye.”

-Vuyokazi Ngemntu

“When all else fails, establish a commission of inquiry.”

-Mabel Mnensa

“For South Africans, every year is the year we think the country is finally going to crumble.”

-Nedine Moonsamy

“Good leaders build, bad leaders preside complacently over rubble.”

-David Medalie

“A baby flamingo is not born pink.”

-Robyn Perros

“Legae le hlokang polokego ke molomo wa Tau.”

-Moshitadi Lehlomela

“Sport unites us despite our challenges.”

-Nick Mallett

“The smoother the tongue, the more venomous.”

-Deonette de Kock

“Inyathi ibuzwa kwabaphimbili.”

-Nomveliso Mbanga

“There’s an ocean between saying and doing…”

-Riaan Manser

“When in doubt, braai.”

-Karina Magdalena Szczurek

“Sihleka ngisho kumnyama.”

-Mpumi Mbethe “If they look at you, like you are a cup of Rooibos tea – then it’s love!”

-Shari Maluleke

“Ema o iketsetse, o tshepo ea bokamoso ba hao.”

-Disemelo Hoaeane

“Be a South African, not a South African’t.”

-Chris Deeks (Exclusive Books, GM Online)

“Angihambi ngedwa, ngihamba nokhokho bami. I do not walk alone, I walk with my ancestors.”

-Misokuhle Nyathikazi

“Iinyosi zidla iluju lazo.”

-Thulisile Bhuda

“Botlhokwa jwa mokwadi bo itsege mo sechabeng”

-Tlhalefo Molatlhegi

“Never sleep with a man who doesn’t have a book beside his bed.”

-Darrel Bristow-Bovey

”Kyk my in die oog, en jou hart sal saf raak.”- ou renostergesegde

-Eben Venter

“Wanne alles uitmekaa begin val, pak jou kas reg.”

-Shirmoney Rhode

“Met jou rug in die huis kom.”

-Keith Oliver Lewis

SOUTH AFRICAN PROVERBS

We asked our featured authors, “If you could coin your own South African ‘proverb’, what would it be?”

“Iliso ludondolo kuwe. Ulilandela liya kukukwebula engozini nobubi likukhobele kwezo mpawu luzingqina njengezona zilulutho.”

-Sindiwe Magona

“The callus remembers the stone.”

-Shanice Ndlovu

“Travelling the dirt road, around the bend the waterfall is bathed in sunlight.”

-Joanne Hichens

“There is gold to be found on the other side of fear. Step into the circle.”

-Zandile Ndhlovu

“Bana ba go ithata, ba ithuta go rata batho.”

-Jostina Mathiba

“Learn the way in the light, so you never get lost in the dark.”

-KL Bohle “When you Learn more you will Earn more.”

-Sylvia Milosevic

“Alles sal regkom, we’re just waiting for the part from Joburg.”

-Michiel Heyns

“Bophelo ke dough, sometimes you make vetkoek, dumplings or a sweek koeksuster.”

-Lorraine Sithole

“Language is a river, dreams are its ocean.”

-Jarred Thompson

“Gago sepe se se botlhokwa ntle le tsotlhe tse dileng botlhokwa.”

-Lerato Moletsane

“A pen is a spear in the hands of the discerning; wield it wisely.”

-Joanne Jowell

“Wherever the greatest challenge awaits – even at the summit of the highest mountain – Mzansi will rise.”

-Kingsley Khobotlo

“Art is the fire we light against the dark.”

-Lauren Beukes

“The dust of Africa is in my bone-marrow.”

-Ryan Blumenthal “If a chicken dances too much, it might just end up marinating itself for the potjie pot.”

-KC Rottok Chesaina

“When talent meets opportunity, the sky is truly the limit.”

-Jonathan

D. Jansen

“Once you release fear, you get to turn around and say, ”Ndim lo, I did that! Ndilapha!!”

-Thandiwe Ntshinga

“Never cross a river believing that crocodiles are not waiting… even if you can’t see them.”

-Quinton Coetzee

“Death is only a dream of the living. Life is only a dream of the dead.”

-Craig Higginson

“Healing is possible, one has to look within the pain to find healing.”

-Felicia Goosen

‘‘The road less travelled has fewer potholes.’’

-Alex Latimer

“If you have any doubt whether your fire is big enough, then it’s too small. “

-Jan Braai

“Every tiny hand is born with a gift, but many a hand knows not its purpose.”

-Lerato Mahlangu

“A word in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

-Andrew Robert Wilson

“The world – everyone and everything in it – inspires your breathtaking story, the one you’ve been waiting your whole life to write.”

-Yuwinn Kraukamp

“Minga holovisi hi swakudya miri va makwavo.”

-Wendy Kimeto

“Make light while the sun shines.”

-Bridget Pitt

“When the meerkat wants to chat, remember what happened when you ignored the aardvark.”

-Peter-Adrian Altini

“Those who feel unrooted, must seek a tree. “

-Nyasha Williams

“The best way to tell the truth, at least in this country, is to make it up.”

-Sven Axelrad

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