Book Reviews
‘It really takes your breath away’: Diane de Beer reviews Hoerkind by Herman Lategan
Book review: Arts journalist and blogger Diane de Beer describes Hoerkind by Herman Lategan as a ‘radiant read’ – a story that takes your breath away.
‘Dis ’n merkwaardige ervaring om jou oë oor hierdie beelde te gooi’: Melvyn Minnaar resenseer Die Anglo-Boereoorlog in Kleur
‘Hy is van ’n eeu of meer gelede, maar die figuur op die blad gee jou ’n emosionele en intellektuele rilling: ’n spook wat in die hede aandag opeis’ – Melvyn Minnaar oor Die Anglo-Boereoorlog in Kleur deur Tinus le Roux.
‘Fassinerend!’ Lees wat skryf Phyllis Green oor Die Anglo-Boereoorlog in Kleur deur Tinus le Roux (Plus: Loer na die foto’s!)
‘Die Anglo-Boereoorlog in Kleur laat mens werklik met ander oë na hierdie tragiese geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika kyk,’ skryf Phyllis Green oor Tinus le Roux se pragboek in Sarie.
‘Onthutsend eerlik en onmoontlik om neer te sit’: Deborah Steinmair resenseer Hoerkind deur Herman Lategan
‘Hoerkind van Herman Lategan het my diep ontroer,’ skryf Deborah Steinmair (As jy van moord droom, LAPA) in die Vrye Weekblad.
‘Skerp en toeganklik’: Jan-Jan Joubert resenseer Terreur en Bevryding deur Leopold Scholtz
Min mense kan by Leopold Scholtz kers vashou, meen Jan-Jan Joubert. Lees sy resensie oor Terreur en Bevryding.
‘Ek was banger vir my ma om dit te lees as om dit in die res van die wêreld in te stuur!’ An-Mari do Carmo gesels oor Toe als groen was
Toe als groen was deur An-Mari do Carmo het onlangs by LUCA verskyn! Cliffordene Norton het met die skrywer gesels oor haar treffende debuut wat gebaseer is op ware gebeure …
Staal jouself – die storie ruk ’n mens aan die hart: Amanda Claassens resenseer ’n Ballade vir Nkunzi deur Ben Viljoen
Amanda Claassens het onlangs ’n Ballade vir Nkunzi deur Ben Viljoen op haar blog geresenseer. Lees die resensie.
Louise Viljoen resenseer Mirre deur Chanette Paul: ‘Sy beeld haar karakters natuurlik en realisties uit’
‘Die menslike aspek vier hoogty in Paul se werk,’ skryf Louise Viljoen in haar resensie van Mirre deur Chanette Paul.
This Saturday, bring your kids to the virtual launch of Emily Child’s new picture book, Listen to Your Diddalum (Plus: review and video)
Anna Stroud reviews Listen to your Diddalum by Emily Child, a story about exploring and loving your inner self, out now at Imagnary House.
‘Here’s the boykie before he becomes a Bolshevik’ – Praise for Catching Tadpoles, the extraordinary coming-of-age memoir by Ronnie Kasrils
Catching Tadpoles: The Shaping of a Young Rebel, Ronnie Kasrils’s new memoir, reflects on the compelling questions that turned a white youngster from a modest background into a lifelong revolutionary.
Watch Quintus Potgieter’s in-depth book review of The A to Z of South African Politics
Quintus Potgieter reviews The A to Z of South African Politics: People, Parties and Players on his digital talk show – The Quintessential Show.
Footnotes, July 2019: 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 over the last month. Browse and enjoy!
David Kenvyn reviews Barry Gilder’s novel The List
‘If anyone is going to write a novel based on the South African security services during apartheid and since the first democratic elections in 1994, Barry Gilder is a very good candidate.’
Pippa Green reviews Barry Gilder’s novel The List
One of the more intriguing aspects of Barry Gilder’s gripping spy novel comes in the Author’s Note. In Songs & Secrets, his non-fiction account of his life in exile, from where he returned to senior positions in government, he was ‘invariably asked: Why are there not more secrets’ in the book. The ‘Songs’ reflect another part of Gilder’s identity as an accomplished musician.
‘This book is a blessing’ – Tracey Farren reviews The Enumerations by Máire Fisher
The Enumerations is not only luminous with love and elegantly written but meticulously researched. This combination of gifts makes it not only a powerful read but a deeply healing book for people and families who are struggling with psychological ‘conditions’ or the condition of being, well, human. This book is a blessing.
‘It’s a very useful book’ – Eusebius McKaiser reviews Jan-Jan Joubert’s Who Will Rule in 2019?
There’s something in this book for a range of folks: political reporters; commentators and analysts; academics working in various areas of contemporary South African politics; and the general reader keen to beef up their understanding of some of the dynamics in our body politic especially as we head to a general election in 2019.
Moving, authentic, compelling: Marcus Low contemplates the Karoo in 2022 in his debut novel Asylum
Marcus Low’s book is timely and important as it presents a human story behind untreatable infectious disease. Low places incarcerated people who have the dimmest hopes for the future and little consolation at the story’s center. Low movingly describes the mental state of Barry James in a way that seems entirely authentic. A compelling read!
A flamboyant and moving debut novel: Olumide Popoola’s When We Speak of Nothing
When We Speak of Nothing tells the story of friends Karl and Abu, both 17, who live near Kings Cross. Its 2011 and racial tensions are set to explode across London. Abu is infatuated with gorgeous classmate Nalini but dares not speak to her. Meanwhile, Karl is grappling with gender identity, and becomes the target of the local ‘wannabe’ thugs just for being different.