South Africa

Thursday – 2nd November 2023

Join Caster Semenya at the Mall of the North in Polokwane for the launch of her memoir The Race to Be Myself (16 Nov)

Jonathan Ball Publishers, Bargain Books and the Mall of the North invite you to the launch of The Race to Be Myself by Caster Semenya.

Wednesday – 1st November 2023

Listen to the new episode of Pagecast! Iconic athlete Caster Semenya chats about her biography The Race to Be Myself

In this week’s episode of Pagecast, the podcast from Jonathan Ball Publishers, Sias du Plessis chats with the phenomenal Caster Semenya about her new biography The Race to Be Myself.

Tuesday – 31st October 2023

Join Lauren Beukes for the launch of her new novel Bridge at The Book Lounge (8 Nov)

You are invited to the launch of Bridge by Lauren Beukes!

Don’t miss Tessa Dooms and Lynsey Ebony Chutel at the Cape Flats Book Festival (5 Nov)

Tessa Dooms and Lynsey Ebony Chutel will be at the Cape Flats Book Festival to discuss their book Coloured: How Classification Became Culture.

Monday – 30th October 2023

Crawling marvels and winged wonders – the making of Southern African Moths and their Caterpillars

Hermann Staude, Mike Picker and Charles Griffiths describe the craftsmanship involved in creating their guide Southern African Moths and their Caterpillars.

Friday – 27th October 2023

Nuut by Jonathan Ball Uitgewers – Onkant! ’n Rugbyliefdesverhaal

Onkant! ’n Rugbyliefdesverhaal deur Hendrik Hancke is nou beskikbaar by Jonathan Ball Uitgewers.

Why politics matters to prosperity – Greg Mills examines why some countries succeed while others fail in Rich State, Poor State

Africans are half as wealthy today compared to their global peers than they were at independence. There is a persistent default to economic crisis, and the appetite to carry out reforms never matches the rhetoric, says Dr Greg Mills. The reason Africa fails is … politics.

Footnotes, October 2023: Book links from around the web

At The Reading List, we’re trainspotters when it comes to interesting book links, and here are a number that caught our eye.

Wednesday – 25th October 2023

Five minutes with Lauren Beukes on her new novel Bridge

Bursting with humour, action and reality-bending experiences, Bridge is Lauren Beukes at her finest.

Tuesday – 24th October 2023

Don’t miss the launch of Penny Haw’s new novel The Woman at the Wheel at Liberty Books (31 Oct)

Penguin Random House invite you to the launch of The Woman at the Wheel by the brilliant Penny Haw!

The new episode of Pagecast is out now! Farai Mudzingwa chats about his brash and confident debut novel Avenues by Train with Mphuthumi Ntabeni

In this week’s episode of Pagecast, Mphuthumi Ntabeni interviews Farai Mudzingwa about his new book Avenues by Train!

Monday – 23rd October 2023

Coming 31 October! The Race to Be Myself by Caster Semenya – the coming-of-age story of an iconic athlete

Caster Semenya’s biography The Race to Be Myself will be published on 31 October 2023 by Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Friday – 13th October 2023

‘It takes a lawyer, an activist and a storyteller to change the world’ – Find out more about The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated

The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated: People Power and Legal Power in the 21st Century, edited by Katie Redford and Mark Gevisser, is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

‘The doctor’s bedside manner is one of the coldest, most violent experiences of my life’ – Read an excerpt from Hot Water by Nadine Dirks

Jacana Media has shared an excerpt from Hot Water by Nadine Dirks – an intimate and daring look into the life of a young African woman from the Cape Flats with a chronic illness.

Dianne Stewart on how to journal your way to a novel

Journaling is an accessible way for writers to hone their craft and keep track of details while writing a book, says Dianne Stewart, author and recipient of SA Children’s Laureate Award for her lifelong contribution to children’s literature.

Don’t miss the launch of Breaking the Bombers: How the Hunt for Pagad Created a Crack Police Unit by Mark Shaw in Cape Town (9 Oct)

Jonathan Ball Publishers and Exclusive Books invite you to the launch of Breaking the Bombers: How the Hunt for Pagad Created a Crack Police Unit by Mark Shaw.

Thursday – 5th October 2023

Are you feeling stuck and limited in your profession? Join Shea Karssing for the launch of Freelance Like a Boss in Cape Town (16 Oct)

Are you waiting for the next bonus, the next promotion, the next public holiday, the next best thing?

Listen to the new episode of Pagecast! Sam Beckbessinger chats to Jenna Berkowitz about her new book Moving to the UK: A Concise Guide for South Africans

In this week’s episode of Pagecast, the podcast from Jonathan Ball Publishers, Jenna Berkowitz chats to Sam Beckbessinger about her new book Moving to the UK: A Concise Guide for South Africans.