Showing 1–20 of 148 results

SOUTH AFRICAN Categories

  • Stories Gogo Told Me (Paperback) Lisa Grainger

    In almost every village in Africa lives a storyteller. Telling stories is not her official job. By day she may be a Gogo (or granny), a teacher, a farmer or a seamstress. But by night, round the fire, she will sit, surrounded by young children, old friends, neighbours and travellers, and will tell of how it was in the olden days, when the Earth was young, when man was a hunter-gatherer, and when the animals roamed wild throughout the continent. The stories are for old and young alike, but it is usually children who beg her to sit down after supper. “Please, please, Gogo,” they will plead in unison. “Sit and tell us a story.” If she isn’t too busy, tending to food or family or her home, she will. Sitting on a little wooden stool under the stars, she will close her eyes, and think back to the tales her grandmother told her when she was a girl. Then slowly, by the light of the fire, her face will light up and she will begin with the words everyone loves to hear – “Once upon a time”.
    R70,00
  • Killing Kebble: An Underworld Exposed by Mandy Wiener (pperback)

    In September 2005 one of South Africa’s most eminent mining magnates and businessmen Brett Kebble was killed on a quiet suburban street in Johannesburg. The investigation into the case was a tipping point for democratic South Africa. The top-level investigation that followed exposed the corrupt relationship between the country’s Chief of Police and Interpol President Jackie Selebi and suave Mafioso Glenn Agliotti. A lawless Johannesburg underbelly was exposed – dominated by drug lords, steroid-reliant bouncers, an international smuggling syndicate, a shady security unit moonlighting for the police and sinister self-serving sleuths abusing state agencies.
    R70,00
  • Southern Cross by Jann Turner (paperback)

    Anna and Paul are bound by a love so deep that it seems nothing can come between them. He is white, she is not, and in apartheid-riven South Africa, their work in the underground resistance movement is riddled with danger. Then, one night, Paul is brutally murdered. Trapped in a deep-seated grief, but sustained by Paul’s memory, Anna continues to fight for justice. Ten years later, in the newly democratic South Africa, Anna brings the unsolved murder to the Truth Commission, setting off a chain of events that uncovers the lies surrounding Paul’s death and a darker truth no one wants to see.
    R40,00
  • Carte Blanche: The Stories Behind the Stories by Jessica Pitchford (paperback)

    Carte Blanche burst onto the scene in 1988 as a genre never before seen on South African television: a trail-blazer, a blend of sociological awareness, sophistication and audacity. When pay channel M-Net came up with this different and daring weekly eye-opener that pushed the envelope, it brought promise of freedom and creativity and ended a period in our history in which television news and current affairs were limited to the state broadcaster. Twenty-five years on, the familiar Carte Blanche melody has become an institution, announcing the end of the week end and the start of an hour that resists the mundane and stimulates debate. What’s become a Sunday night ritual began in a make-shift studio with a small team of firebrands, led by an arrogant, fearless talent, a showman with scant respect for the conventions of the time: Bill Faure was the most dynamic director of his day, a visionary who shared his passionate love of television with the world. He set the stage for what has become South Africa’s longest running investigative current affairs show and the most valuable real estate in broadcasting. Faure passed the baton on to an extraordinary generation of journalists that created a vault of diverse memories, brought into homes across the country and into Africa, stories of delight and daring, cheek and chutzpah, heartbreak and heroism, of the weird and whacky. Its said that his spirit still guides Carte Blanche into shaking complacency and bringing to the screen a social and ecological conscience, be it the cruelty meted out to the Tuli elephants, the selfless courage of Sally Trench, or blast off with Mark Shuttleworth. Its enabled us all to chase car thieves across our borders, catch out rogue mechanics and find out what security guards and plumbers do and don’t do in our homes. Its brought to our screens a host of unforgettable characters from the transsexuals of Beaufort West to the shady directors of Aurora.
    R50,00
  • After Dawn: Hope After State Capture by Mcebisi Jonas (paperback)

    In October 2015, the Gupta brothers offered Mcebisi Jonas the position of minister of finance in exchange for R600 million. Then deputy minister of finance, Jonas turned down the bribe and a period of deep introspection followed for him. How did we reach this point, and what did the future holds for South Africa’s democracy and the economy?

    In After Dawn, Mcebisi Jonas analyses the crisis at the heart of our current system, which places politics at the centre of policymaking and implimentation at the expense of growth. In this important and authoritative book, Jonas first unpacks and analyses the current balands of the South African economic and political landscape.

    Time is of the essence and the window of opportunity is narrowing for all South Africans to work together towards the South Africa we all imagined was possible in 1994.

    R50,00
  • Theology & Violence: The South African Debate Edited by Charles Villa-Vincencio (paperback)

    The traditional willingness of the church to bless the use of state violence while opposing revolutionary violence is a natural consequence of its political location on the side of successive ruling classes – traceable back to the Edict of Milan in 313 CE.

    It would be wrong, however, to suggest that it is for reasons extraneous to theology that some Christians understand or justify revolutionary violence, while others participate in revolution against tyrannical rulers. It is, in turn, naïve simply to condemn all violence, when in South Africa state repression is at an all time high and revolutionary resistance is intensifying daily.

    The essays in this volume contribute to a quest for a responsible Christianity in a violent society. The contours of political violences in South Africa from the time of colonial and missionary expansionism, through the rise of Afrikaner nationalism to the black struggle for liberation are considered. Prominent black Christians, including Desmond Tutu and Frank Chikane, provide contextual theological comment on the use of revolutionary violence. The classical teaching of the church on violence is critically analysed and specific issues such as women and violence, conscientious objection and the ecumenical debate on violent revolution and military disarmament are considered.

    R40,00
  • Country of My Skull by Antjie Krog (paperback)

    For more than two years, Antjie Krog worked in acute engagement with the many voices that arose in and around South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. From the legislative genesis of the Commission, through the testimonies of victims of abuse and violence, the revelations from apartheid’s operatives, the appearance of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and former president PW Botha’s courthouse press conference, to the Commission’s meeting with the media on Robben Island early in 1998 – this award-winning poet leads us on an extraordinary odyssey.

    Country of My Skull captures the complexity of the Truth Commission’s work in a uniquely personal narrative which is harrowing, illuminating and provocative. Krog’s powerful prose lures the reader actively and inventively through a mosaic of insights, impressions and secret themes, taking us beneath the big movements of the Truth Commissions – and beyond… into the very heart of what it means to be a South African today.

    R80,00
  • The Bishop’s Churches: The Churches of Anglican Bishop Robert Gray by Desmond Martin (paperback)

    (paperback: title page highlighted yellow)

    The Bishop’s Churches documents the churches established by Bishop Robert Gray, the first Bishop of Cape Town. He and his wife, Sophy, arrived in Cape Town in 1848 with a mission to increase the number of Anglican clergy represented in to British colonies of what was eventually to become South Africa, and to implement a church building programme. What the Bishop achieved was nothing short of remarkable; within 25 years he was instrumental in the erection of 50 churches, 40 of which were designed by Sophy.

    Accompanying the historical and architectural comment, Dr Desmond Martin has illustrated 40 churches founded by Bishop Robert Gray and his wife using a combination of watercolours and line drawings. Whether you are interested in the history of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, architecture or conservation in genera;, this book provides information on a hitherto neglected part of South Africa’s cultural heritage.

    R350,00
  • The Cape Town Book by Nechama Brodie (paperback)

    The Cape Town Book presents a fresh picture of South Africa’s first city, one that brings together all its stories. From geology and fynbos to forced removals and hip-hop, Nechama Brodie, author of the best-selling The Joburg Book, has delved deeply into the hidden past of Cape Town to emerge with a lucid and compelling account of South Africa’s oldest city, its landscape and its people.

    The book’s 14 chapters trace the origins and expansion of Cape Town – from the City Bowl to the southern and coastal suburbs, the vast expanse of the Cape Flats and the sprawling northern areas.

    Offering a nuanced, yet balanced, perspective on Cape Town, the book includes familiar attractions like Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch and the Company’s Garden, while also giving a voice to marginalised communities in areas such as Athlone, Langa, Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.

    Many of the images in the book have never been published before, and are drawn from the archives of museums, universities and public institutions.

    This beautifully illustrated, information-rich book is the definitive portrait of the wind-blown, contradictory city at the southern tip of Africa that nearly four million people call home.

    The Cape Town Book includes:
    – More than 500 historical and contemporary photographs of Cape Town
    – 15 original reference maps
    Recommended activities and places of interest in and around Cape Town, together with contact information
    – Suggested further reading – the author’s selection of specialist publications about Cape Town

    R250,00
  • Tribes & Kingdoms by J.S. Bergh and A.P. Bergh (hardback)

    (hardback: dust jacket included, pen inscription on first page)

    Warriors, chiefs and kings dominated a century during which nations were forged and empires were born and broken. This history of 19th century tribes and kingdoms in Southern Africa.

    R60,00
  • Under the Olive: A Book of Garden Pleasures by Eve Palmer (hardback)

    When Eve Palmer first began to plant her hot hillside garden in Pretoria over thirty-five years ago, she knew instinctively what she wanted – the wild trees of the South African countryside. Although indigenous trees had not yet become fashionable and not much was known about their cultivation, she set out, undaunted, on a lifelong experiment that was to culminate in two major pioneering works on the subject.

    Into her garden, then, came trees remembered from her Karoo childhood, trees described by travellers, trees renowned for their medicinal or magic uses, trees rich in historical association. Later came their natural companions – the wild ground covers, climbers, creepers, shrubs. Only one foreigner – the rose – was admitted.

    In Under the olive she pays a personal tribute to the trees and plants of her garden and the pleasures they have brought her: shade and shelter; shape, foliage and bark; flowers and fruit; colour; scent; food; birds and butterflies.

    The catalogue of her pleasures – “holds upon happiness”, she calls them – is interwoven with a wealth of anecdotes, reminiscences, sketches of people and most readable book will be a source of inspiration to experienced and would-be gardeners for a long time to come.

    R100,00
  • Fisherman of the Cape by Bruce Franck and Frank Robb (hardback)

    (hardback: dust jacket included, pen inscription on title page)

    William Bruce Franck, born in Cape Town in February 1907, trained as a lithographic process-artist. He worked as a commercial artist – first in various advertising agencies and then on a freelance basis – and was an assistant instructor in a commercial art at the Michalis School of Fine Art. After World War II he discontinued commercial work and began to concentrate on landscape and portrait painting. He later became a lecturer in art at the Cape Technical College.

    Frank Robb was born and brought up within the precincts of Cape Town  Docks and took to the sea as soon as he was able to cast off the painter of any fisherman’s dinghy found unattended. After that came tin canoes, sailing dinghies, in – and off-shore cruisers and racers – a way of life pursued while earning a living ashore.

    R90,00
  • The Guineafowl’s Spots and Other African Bird Tales by Dianne Stewart and Richard Mackintosh (paperback)

    The rich folklore culture of Africa has been passed down by word of mouth through countless generations. Dianne Stewart has a passions for collecting and retelling these stories, making them accessible to a whole new audience. In The Guinefowl’s Spots and Other African Bird Tales she has created a unique collection of African folktales, exclusively about birds. Drawn from across the continent, these tales often draw on human characteristics and are followed by African proverbs that illustrate various moral lessons.

    This fascinating collection includes classic tales such as ‘Why Flamingo Stands on One Leg’ from Nigeria, ‘The Laughing Dove’ form North Africa, and the Xhosa tale ‘The Bird That Could Make Milk’.

    Beautiful illustrations by Richard Mackintosh bring to life the magic of the stories and the beauty of the birds themselves. Many of the tales include additional facts on the featured birds.

    R80,00
  • Victoria Falls and Surrounds: The Insider’s Guide by Ian Michler (paperback)

    Victoria Falls & Surrounds: The Insider’s Guide presents appealing safari destinations in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana, within reach of Victoria Falls.
    It is loaded with local knowledge and practical tips for making the most of a holiday in this richly diverse tourist region: from spectacular game safaris to sophisticated beach lodges; from southern Africa’s fascinating historical and cultural roots to Zimbabwe’s modern day adrenaline capital; Victoria Falls town, and its Zambian equivalent, Livingstone; from exploration and leisure sports on the breathtaking Zambezi River to a personal encounter with the spectacular Victoria Falls, also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders. In a lively and evocative style, the author paves the way for an unforgettable adventure with useful advice, contact names, and addresses, and even a selection of helpful phrases.
    R70,00
  • Journey Through Kenya by Liz Gogerly and Rob Hunt (hardback)

    Journey Through offers young readers the chance to take a trip through exciting world countries using different modes of transport, from train and car to bicycle and private jet. Along the way the traveller visits highlighted places both well known and less known, and learns lots of exciting facts about history, language, culture and much more.

    Journey Through Kenya offers a look at the geography landscape, culture and people of this country in East Africa. Explore the exciting buzz of Nairobi, the beautiful national parks and stunning lake Victoria, sample local delicacies and explore the Masai Mara where you might even spot the ‘big five’ on safari in this colourful and diverse part of the continent of Africa.

    R40,00
  • Shattered Dreams: stories of fate by Jann Bader (paperback)

    When you drive through the country, through the small towns and villages you are often confronted by symbols of failure… houses stand derelict, vehicles lie rusting in the sun, crumbling factories, boarded up shops and you wonder… what happened here? Sometimes your imagination wanders and you see happy laughing children on the stoep, men in hats working in the land, shopkeepers sharing a joke with their customers and images of how it once must have been flood your mind. Shattered Dreams is an imaginary journey into what might have happened. A journey to discover and photograph the shattered dreams and hopes of those who have abandoned a dream and left it behind… and to tell a story of their passing. Some might view the photographs and choose to imagine their own story. Some might question the validity of the written stories. Others might experience moments of regret for what might have been, but Shattered Dreams does what all books are supposed to do… set your imagination free!

    R70,00
  • Plaasmoorde: Slagoffers Vertel Self by Carla ven der Spuy (paperback)

    Hierdir boek laat mens met drie hoofgrdagtes: the absolute brutaliteit van die aanvallers; die volslae magteloosheid van onskuldige slagoffers en die onverklaarbare krag van geloof en vergifnis.

    R30,00
  • Laat Los jou Las by Kate Emmerson (paperback)

    Laat Los jou Las weerspieel Kate se geliefde styl van eerlik, outentiek, inspirerend end gevoelvol wees. Haar unieke proses van intree, vorentoe tree en buite tree sal jou help om eksponensieel can ratte te verwissel om ‘n nuwe pad corentoe te vind. Dit is propvol brokkies uit haar eie fassinerende lewensverhaal, verweef met suksesstories van dapper kliente wat hulle laste laat los het. Hierdie boek neem jou op ‘n kragtige praktiese reis na selfverwesenliking deur diep selfondersoek en transformasie sodat jy gehoor kan gee aan haar oproep to ‘n manjifieke lewe.

    R50,00
  • Ditch your Glitch by Kate Emmerson (paperback)

    Ditch Your Glitch is true to Kate’s well-loved style of being honest, authentic, inspirational and compassionate. Her unique process of step in, step up and step out into the world helps you shift gears exponentially to find a new way forward to shine your light, It’s filled with snippets of her own fascinating life story and interwoven with the success stories from brave clients who faced their glitch. This book takes you on a powerful yet practical journey to the self, through deep, inner exploration and transformation so that you can heed her all to live a life of magnificence.

    R50,00
  • This Child Will Be Great by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (paperback)

    In January 2006, after the Republic of Liberia had been racked by fourteen years of brutal civil conflict, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—Africa’s “Iron Lady”—was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of the West African nation.

    In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the story of her rise to power, including her early childhood; her experiences with abuse, imprisonment, and exile; and her fight for democracy and social justice. She reveals her determination to succeed in multiple worlds, from her studies in the United States to her work as an international bank executive, to campaigning in some of Liberia’s most desperate and war-torn villages and neighborhoods. It is the tale of an outspoken political and social reformer who fought the oppression of dictators and championed change. By telling her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to pursue leadership roles at the highest levels of power, and gives us all hope that we can change the world.

    R40,00