Wordsworth Books Christmas Choice Catalogue 2021

Christmas Choice 2021

Dear Wordsworthians...

The last two years have been hard on society at large, as we have faced illness, isolation, and economic trouble.

But humanity is nothing if not resilient.

Whatever was thrown at us, we found a way to grow and evolve from it. We adapted our work styles, our teaching styles, our parenting styles, and - yes - our clothing styles.

We found new ways to socialise and celebrate in safety.

And we found comfort in the things we love.

For us readers, one of those things is books.

We wreathed ourselves in stories. We lost ourselves in far-off fantasy lands. In an uncertain world, we found certainty in the familiarity of our favourite characters.

We found strength in those who have dedicated their lives to helping others through storytelling.

And as booksellers, we found strength in you.

Your smiling faces have kept us going throughout these difficult times, and continue to do so every day. It lifts our spirits to connect you with stories that will offer a bright spot in the darkness.

So we wanted to give back.

We have spotlighted the best in fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. To thank you for your unwavering loyalty and support, we are offering our Christmas Choices at the best possible prices. We hope this selection will brighten your lives, as you continue to brighten ours.

“There is comfort in the strength of love.”

- William Wordsworth

Fiction Wayfarers’ Hymns - Zakes Mda

Meet the boy-child Kheleke, a wandering musician, and his surprising sister Moliehi. Then sigh with pleasure at being reunited with Toloki, the professional mourner from Ways of Dying, and his beloved Noria.

Passionate and ambitious, Kheleke is a weaver of songs, and his own story is intertwined with the incredible yet true social history of the music: the Time of the Concertina and the Accordion, the wars of the famo gangs, and the battle for control of illegal mines. The end is always a journey – and what a journey this is!

Was R290

NOW R249

“This book reads like a song.”

– Annicia Manyaapelo Read an extract...

“She was the one I sang my hymns to, Moliehi, child of my mother.

Though she was not there to hear them with her own ears, they told her when they returned from the mines of Welkom, Rustenburg and Johannesburg that hey, Moliehi, your name is famous among travellers and their lovers. Your name and your beauty. Drunken men and women perform to your name at famo parties. They dance the focho dance to your poppy-seed beauty. They make love to it. The accordion goes maniacal when the kheleke – the eloquent one, the one who can compose verse at the bat of an eyelid – describes you against the background of the valleys and the rivers and the fountains and the hills and the deep dongas that cut ruthlessly through the land, leaving it wounded and bleeding.

She only smiled shyly when she heard these stories and carried on with her life as if the fame meant nothing to her. As if it was about someone else. As if she was just an ordinary village girl whose brother was not a revered kheleke.”

Fiction The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles

June 1954: eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter.

With his parents gone, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett plans to pick up his little brother Billy and head to California to start a new life.

But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have stowed away in the trunk of the warden's car.

They have a very different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take thefour of them on a fateful journey in the opposite direction - to New York City.

Was R320

NOW R299

Wish You Were Here - Jodi Picoult

At 29, Diana O’Toole’s life is going perfectly. She is up for promotion to her dream job and she's convinced that her surgeon boyfriend, Finn is going to propose on their upcoming trip to the Galápagos.

But then the virus hits New York City and Finn breaks the news: he has to stay. But he insists that she go, and reluctantly, she agrees.

Was R330

NOW R299

Once she's in the Galápagos, the world shuts down around her, leaving Diana stranded. Completely isolated, with only intermittent news from the outside world, Diana finds herself examining everything that has brought her to this point and wondering if there's a better way to live.

But not everything is as it seems…

Never - Ken Follett

A stolen US army drone.

A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert.

A secret stash of deadly chemicals.

Each threat is a problem that can be overcome, but in the diplomatic arena, everyone will have a different way of dealing with them. And when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, it will kick off an international chain reaction with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war…

Now three people must work tirelessly to stop that from happening.

The only question is, in a game of brinksmanship can the inevitable ever be stopped?

Was R370

NOW R299

Fiction Billy Summers - Stephen King

Billy Summers is a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he'll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out.

But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong?

How about everything.

Was R330

NOW R289

This spectacular novel is part war story, part love letter to small town America and the people who live there, and it features one of the most compelling and surprising duos in King fiction, who set out to avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. It's about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption.

The Dark Flood - Deon Meyer

Detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido find themselves exiled from the elite Hawks unit and dispatched to the streets of Stellenbosch. Working a missing persons report on a student is not the level of work they are used to, but it's all they get. And soon, it takes a dangerous, deeply disturbing turn.

Jasper Boonstra’s corporate fraud has crashed the local property market, just when estate agent Sandra Steenberg desperately needs a big sale. Then she gets a call. From Jasper Boonstra, fraudster, sexual predator and owner of a superb property worth millions, even now. For Sandra, the stakes are high and about to get higher.

For Benny Griessel, clinging to sobriety and the relationship that saved his life, the truth about Callie can only lead to more trouble.

Was R325

NOW R289

Children’s

Wanda the Brave - Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni (illustrated by Chantelle & Burgen Thorne)

Meet Wanda, with her glorious head of hair.

Today, Wanda is visiting the hair salon where she’ll use all the hair secrets Makhulu taught her. But Aunty Ada wants her to straighten her hair with a white chemical. Wanda and her friend Sandra come up with a plan and both girls stand strong and brave in the face of this big challenge.

Bold and zesty, Wanda The Brave is a celebration of girl power, and a reminder that courage and friendship is a mighty force!

Was R130

NOW R99

(Available in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa)

Elephant’s Big Secret - Wendy Maartens (illustrated by Shayna Olivier)

Was R190

NOW R149

This cheerful collection contains 20 fantastic animal fables, each of which includes valuable wisdom for children on how values can be applied in everyday life.

Donkey’s Long Walk to Town conveys the message that one can never satisfy everyone. Bat, Bramble and Seagull Have a Meeting contributes to the idea that one should not only focus on what you lack, you should appreciate what you have. In Gnat Takes On Lion the wisdom is shared that no one is so invincible that you can never be defeated.

Beetle Puts Eagle in His Place gives the courage that even if you are small there is always a way to stand up to a bully.

These are just a few examples from this collection full of gifted, shy, cheerful, scared, angry and brave animals. What does Mrs Crab want to brag about?

What is Elephant’s big secret? Did Hare outsmart the bullies? Don’t wait any longer to find out!

(Also available in Afrikaans as Donkie se Lang Pad Dorp Toe)

Picture books

Andy's been a bit stressed, so Terry has decided the perfect way for them to relax is to head up to their new camping ground level for a much-needed holiday. But it turns out to be not quite as relaxing as Terry originally planned...

Terry forgets to pack the tent and the food, their attempt at fishing ends in disaster, the spooky campfire stories are a little too spooky and then, to make matters worse, all of Andy’s fellow campers start mysteriously disappearing.

Was R160

NOW R109

Can Andy brave the dark, dark woods and rescue them in time to finish writing their next book?

Children’s

The 143-Storey Treehouse - Andy Griffiths (illustrated by Terry Denton)

Diary of a WImpy Kid 16: Big Shot - Jeff Kinney

After a disastrous field day competition at school, Greg decides that when it comes to his athletic career, he’s officially retired. But after his mom urges him to give sports one more chance, he reluctantly agrees to sign up for basketball.

Tryouts are a mess, and Greg is sure he won’t make the cut. But he unexpectedly lands a spot on the worst team.

As Greg and his new teammates start the season, their chances of winning even a single game look slim. But in sports, anything can happen. When everything is on the line and the ball is in Greg’s hands, will he rise to the occasion? Or will he blow his big shot?

Was R200

NOW R149

If you’re planning a holiday, try playing the Heffleys’ road trip game: I Must Confess!

This fun game is one that the Heffleys play in The Long Haul. Take turns going around the car saying something unique you’ve done. You could say anything, such as “I must confess I’ve eaten something that’s fallen on the floor,” or “I must confess I’ve crashed my bike.” If the statement also applies to someone else in the car, he or she earns a point. If the statement does not apply to anyone else in the car, the confessor gets a point. The first person to reach ten points wins!

Ages 9 - 12

Children’s

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World - Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Ari has spent all of high school hiding who he really is.

He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can’t go back.

Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante – dreamy, witty Dante – who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once.

The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them.

But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he’ll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully his own.

“Everything is connected and everything belongs. Everything that is alive carries the breath of the universe.”

- Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Was R230

NOW R199

Was R205

NOW R199

Daughter of the Deep - Rick Riordan Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana's parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family's she's got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP. Ana's freshman year culminates with the class's weekend trial at sea, the details of which have been kept secret. She only hopes she has what it'll take to succeed. All her worries are blown out of the water when, on the bus ride to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a terrible tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives.

The professor accompanying them informs Ana that their rival school, Land Institute, and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war for a hundred and fifty years. Now that cold war has been turned up to a full broil, and the freshman are in danger of becoming fish food. In a race against deadly enemies, Ana will make amazing friends and astounding discoveries about her heritage as she puts her leadership skills to the test for the first time.

Teens & YA

Non-Fiction

Was R390

NOW R349

Home Cooking - Herman Lensing

Home Cooking tells the story – in his own words – of Herman’s 34 years. Unlike his previous books, this one also sees him sharing friends’ recipes, as well as many he discovered during his journeys throughout South Africa.

There are more than 80 recipes, from breakfast to main courses, side dishes to meat dishes, cakes, biscuits and rusks to desserts (such as trifle, ice cream and even bazaar pudding). Each chapter reflects Herman’s love of food and people, accompanied by entertaining anecdotes.

The recipes are completely unpretentious, featuring ingredients that are available anywhere in the country. Home Cooking invites you into Herman’s kitchen, to prepare food anyone can cook.

(Also available in Afrikaans as Huiskos)

Non-Fiction Will - Will Smith & Mark Manson

Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, is an epic tale of transformation and triumph. But it's only half the story.

He thought that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for.

Was R350

NOW R299

Part memoir, part self-help book, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same.

The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.

“I’m a master storyteller. I thought about showing you the pretty me, a flawless diamond; a swaggy, unbreakable winner. A fantasy image of a successful human being. I’m always tempted to make-believe. I live in an ongoing war with reality. [There’s] ‘Will Smith’... And then there’s me. This book is about me.”

- Will Smith

The Spiritual Path - Gregory David Roberts

The author of the international bestseller Shantaram takes us on a gripping personal journey of wonder and insight into science, belief, faith and devotion.

Drawing on sacred traditions, rigorous logic and the six-year instruction of his spiritual teacher, Roberts describes the step-by-step process he followed in search of spiritual connection - a process that anyone - of any belief or none - can benefit from in their own lives.

Was R240

NOW R215

“The Spiritual Path is a book on spiritual matters that my younger self wanted desperately: one that offers more answers than questions, and helps to reset the spiritual compass.” - Gregory David Roberts

Non-Fiction Scatterling of Africa (My Early Years) - Johnny Clegg

NOW R260

Was R360

NOW R260

‘There are moments in life that are pure, and which seem to hang in the air, unhitched from the everyday world as we know it.

Suspended for a few seconds, they float in their own space and time with their own hidden prospects. For want of a better term, we call these moments “magical” and when we remember them they are cloaked in a halo of special meaning.’

For 14-year-old Johnny Clegg, hearing Zulu street music one evening outside a café in Johannesburg, was one such “magical” moment.

Scatterling of Africa is the origin story of Juluka and later Savuka, as Johnny Clegg wrote it and wanted it told. It is the story of how the son of an unconventional mother, and grandson of Jewish immigrants, came to realise that identity can be a choice, and home is a place you leave and return to as surely as the seasons change.

Rise - Siya Kolisi

His truth. His story. In his words.

Siya Kolisi, captain of the Springboks, and the first black man to lead his country in over 128 years of South African rugby shares his story in Rise. In an extraordinarily intimate memoir, Kolisi charts his story from being born into the impoverished Zwide township, to leading his proud nation to an astonishing victory at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

However, Rise is not simply a chronology of matches played and games won; it is an exploration of a man’s race and his faith, a masterclass in attaining a positive mindset, and an inspirational reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how they are stacked against you. The title, Rise, is inspired by Siya’s mother – Phakama – which translates to the book’s name, as well as a celebration of his Xhosa heritage.

Was R320

NOW R299

Beating Chains - Rusty Labuschagne

Rusty Labuschagne has been through trauma that few have experienced. In 2003, the successful Zimbabwean businessman ran a safari outfit, flew his own aircraft and had a fishing resort on Lake Kariba. By the end of that year, he had been framed by a poacher and the police and wrongfully convicted by the courts of drowning a man.

He served 10 years in Zimbabwe's prisons, including the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, where food shortages were common, there was no running water and people were dying around him on a daily basis. He lost everything he worked for and his freedom.

Was R295

NOW R249

Rusty's story is a testimony of incredible resilience in conditions most would find unbearable. He shares the life lessons he learnt - how to harness your inner strength, forgive and show gratitude - as he found true freedom through sincerity and humility.

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