The leafy seasons brought with it some spectacular books this year! Let’s look at the books from Autumn 2019!
HANS NAZI’S – ‘n Bernie Gunther Speurverhaal
Philip Kerr | Jonathan Ball | 9781868428809 | R250
Berlyn, 1933. Hardebaard speurder Bernard – “Bernie” – Günther word deur ’n miljoenêr-sakeman ingeroep om die moord op sy dogter en skoonseun op te los en waardevolle juwele wat tydens die inbraak gesteel is, te vind. Gewoonlik is Günther op die spoor van vermiste persone, maar in dié onstuimige politieke klimaat betree hy ’n donker onderwêreld waar misdaad, korrupsie en onderhandelinge met Nazi-leiers aan die orde van die dag is. Sy soektog ontbloot ’n skandaal wat hoëkoppe soos Hermann Goering en Heinrich Himmler betrek...
Dié brijante Afrikaanse vertaling van March Violets is die eerste boek in Kerr se Berlin Noir-reeks, sy eerste Bernie Günther-trilogie.
THE LAST HURRAH – South Africa And The Royal Tour Of 1947
Graham Viney | Jonathan Ball | 9781868429240 | R285
The Last Hurrah describes in vivid detail a pivotal moment not just in the history of South Africa, that far-flung imperial outpost, but of the British Empire itself. The year 1947 marked the high-water mark of the British Empire in Africa, but also the very moment at which it began to unravel, ahead of the Afrikaner Nationalist victory in South Africa in 1948, which led inexorably to the Republic of South Africa in 1961 and its departure from the Commonwealth.
The book superbly captures a moment in the life of a fractious, recently formed “nation”, and gives us an intimate and revealing portrait of the royal family – King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret – hard at work in support of the national interest.
BLOWING THE BLOODY DOORS OFF
Michael Caine | Hodder & Stoughton | 9781473689312 | R352
With over 100 movies to his credit over six decades, Hollywood legend and British national treasure Michael Caine shares the wisdom, stories, insight and skills that life has taught him in his remarkable career.
Now in his 85th year he wants to share everything he’s learned. With brilliant new insight into his life and work and with his wonderful gift for story, this is Caine at his wisest and most entertaining.
WOMEN
Chloe Caldwell | Fourth Estate | 9780008254919 | R233
A young woman moves from the countryside to the city. Inexplicably, inexorably and immediately, she falls in love with another woman for the first time in her life. Finn is nineteen years older than her, wears men’s clothes, has a cocky smirk of a smile – and a long-term girlfriend. With precision, wit and tenderness, Women charts the frenzy and the fall out of love.
TOMORROW
Damian Dibben | Michael Joseph | 9780718183899 | R310
Venice, 1815. A 200-year-old dog is searching for his lost master. Tomorrow is a story of love that spans the centuries and of hope as the world collapses into war. Tomorrow is a dog who must travel through the courts and battlefields of Europe in search of the man who granted him immortality. His is a journey of loyalty and determination, as he befriends both animals and humans, falls in love – only once – marvels at the human ability to make music and despairs at their capacity for war. Spellbinding!
LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH OVER DINNER
Michael Hebb | Orion Spring | 9781841882994 | R327
There’s no one right way to talk about death, but Hebb shares time and dinner-tested prompts to use as conversation starters, ranging from the spiritual to the practical, from analytical to downright funny and surprising. By transforming the most difficult conversations into an opportunity, they become celebratory and meaningful – ways that not only can change the way we die, but the way we live.
OTTOMAN ODYSSEY – Travels through a Lost Empire
Alev Scott | Riverrun | 9781784293697 | R378
Alev Scott’s odyssey began when she looked beyond Turkey’s borders for contemporary traces of the Ottoman Empire. Their 800-year rule ended a century ago – and yet, travelling through twelve countries from Kosovo to Greece to Palestine, she uncovers a legacy that’s vital and relevant; where medieval ethnic diversity meets 21st century nationalism, and displaced people seek new identities. In every community, history is present as a dynamic force. Diversity is the enduring, endangered heart of this fascinating region.
THE CREATIVE CURVE – How to Develop the Right Idea, at the Right Time
Allen Gannett | W.H. Allen | 9780753548738 | R378
We’re told stories about creative geniuses – the young Mozart who effortlessly overshadows the hardworking Salieri; Paul McCartney coming up with the tune for Yesterday in a dream one morning; JK Rowling finding inspiration for Harry Potter while sitting on a train to London. What we aren’t told is the actual story behind such hits. In fact, there is a science and method for mainstream success, whether writing a popular novel, starting a company or creating an effective marketing campaign, and in this book Allen Gannett – data wizard and successful entrepreneur – reveals the four laws of creativity that are proven to work.
ART MATTERS (Hardcover, Illustrated edition)
Neil Gaiman; Illustrated by Chris Riddell | Headline | 9781472260086 | R230
Neil Gaiman once said that “the world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before”. This little book is the embodiment of that vision. Drawn together from speeches, poems and creative manifestos, Art Matters explores how reading, imagining and creating can change the world, and will be inspirational to young and old.
LANDS OF THE CURRY LEAF – A Vegetarian Food Journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal
Peter Kuruvita | Murdoch Books | 9781743365120 | R626
“A culture of food and friendship flows through my veins. This is the culture of the subcontinent, where a curry leaf tree grows in the garden of just about every home.” Acclaimed chef, author and TV presenter Peter Kuruvita shares over 100 vegetarian and vegan recipes that take us on a culinary journey of discovery through the subcontinent – from Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and his home country of Sri Lanka. Peter explores a goldmine of plant-based flavours in recipes for street foods, pulses and legumes, salads, dairy-based dishes, curries, stir-fries and stews, rice, soups, chutneys, and sauces.
ROSA’S THAI CAFÉ – The Vegetarian Cookbook
Saiphin Moore | Quadrille | 9781784724238 | R373
Finding strictly vegetarian food in Thailand can be tricky, where fish sauce is the king of the kitchen. In the follow-up to her debut, Rosa’s Thai Café – The Cookbook, Saiphin Moore embraces this challenge, creating over 100 delicious and simple recipes for Thai food-loving vegans and vegetarians. Featuring authentic dishes such as tom yum noodle soup, congee with shiitake mushrooms, stir-fried aubergine with roasted chilli paste and butternut red curry, this brilliant sequel is a must for any cook.
FOODIES OF SOUTH AFRICA – The Most Viral Recipes Ever!
Chantal Botha, Hayley Murison, Julie Brown | Jonathan Ball | 9781868429103 | R340
With over 730 000 followers on Facebook, Foodies of South Africa’s videos have gone viral. Local is extra lekker in this cookbook that brings you mouth-watering recipes like Pap in a Pumpkin, Cheesy Braai Bombs, A-maize-ing Chakalaka Dippers, Croque Meneer and Steri Stumpie Hot Chocolate.
