Kingsmead Book Fair
Come along for the 14th annual Book Fair, hosted by Kingsmead College, on 23 May 2026!
The theme for this year’s fair is ‘One Small Chapter, One Giant Leap for Imagination’ – inviting readers of all ages to enter the unknown through reading. Be it a new idea, new world or new feeling, explore the world in new ways through the authors, books and stories that invite you to do so! This year’s programme hopes to create a platform for imagination and curiosity, with discussions, panels and conversations from local and international authors sure to start your journey of discovery. Click here to get your tickets for Kingsmead Book Fair!
Browse the full programme here and take a look at the books that are featured on the 2026 programme below.
Adult Programme

Damn Good Food
Ready to become a kitchen hero? Social media sensation Fehmz explodes onto the cookbook scene with recipes as bold and unapologetic as she is. Whether you’re a kitchen newbie or a seasoned home chef, her flop-proof instructions guarantee results. Her infectious energy jumps off every page, turning everyday cooking into an adventure. Her debut cookbook Damn Good Food brings the playful, flavour-packed meals she is famous for from screen to page in a collection of over 80 recipes. Bring Fehmz’s magic - loved by hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook - to your kitchen. Damn Good Food offers not only her family’s tried-and-tested classics - think mutton akhni, mince curry and coconut pudding – but also fun twists such as chilli bite waffles, karak ice cream, kataifi millefeuille, and even gloriously quick meals like sticky jam chops, lemon chicken and peri-peri prawns. In this cookbook, you’ll find enticing recipes that draw you into the kitchen, easy swaps, a great conversion guide, and a whole chapter dedicated to flavour-boosting essentials like her universal magic masala, red dynamite sauce, and an easy (and addictive!) fruit sprinkle. This is more than a collection of recipes - it’s an invitation to have fun in the kitchen and fall in love with cooking. Inside these colourful pages you’ll find: • FLAVOUR BOMBS that transform ordinary meals into extraordinary ones • FAMILY TREASURES Authentic heritage recipes celebrating Fehmz’s rich cultural roots • EASY PEASY Quick weeknight wins that taste like you slaved for hours • FAKEAWAYS Restaurant-style dishes that’ll have you deleting your delivery apps! • JUST BLEND IT Effortless recipes where your blender does all the work • RAMADAN SPECIALTIES Nourishing dishes perfect for breaking fast and feeding loved ones • SWEET CRAVINGS Show-stopping desserts that’ll have them begging for seconds • CRUNCHY SURPRISES Innovative recipes that add excitement to every bite. No fuss. No pretence. Just DAMN GOOD FOOD.
R 435.00

The Shadow State
Morning CFO, I am just worried that the guys in Tembisa are going to realise we are onto something. Our lives could be in danger On 23 August 2021, Babita Deokaran – a hardworking single mother and chief accountant at the Gauteng Department of Health – was shot down in a hail of bullets outside her home in Mondeor, Johannesburg. She had just dropped off her daughter at school. The izinkabi paid to kill her were caught, but the question remained: Who ordered her murder, and why? Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks set out to find the answer. This quest would profoundly change – even endanger – his life, as he bravely followed the leads Babita had left behind. Leads that the Hawks, who were officially investigating her assassination, had failed to act on. In The Shadow State Wicks uncovers an audacious web of crooked officials, criminal syndicates and ANC politicians, siphoning away billions meant for patients in Gauteng’s public hospitals. An explosive, fast-paced investigation into greed and state capture, this book is also a moving tribute to the courage of one woman who, when confronted by powerful wrongdoers, refused to keep quiet.
R 370.00

Falling Forward
Falling Forward is a story of reclaiming identity, voice and power. In this deeply personal memoir, released alongside her documentary, Rachel Kolisi takes readers behind the public image and into the private moments that shaped her. With courage and clarity, she traces her journey through childhood, motherhood, love, marriage, her faith in God tested and rebuilt, loss and reinvention, and the complex reality of living a life under constant scrutiny. This is not a story of perfection or arrival, but of becoming. Of breaking, rebuilding and choosing to rise anyway. Through hard-learned lessons and unflinching honesty, Rachel reflects on what it means to let go of who you were expected to be and step fully into who you are. Together with Rachel’s personal journey, she shares how purpose and service became anchors in her healing process. Her commitment to uplifting others is not separate from her story, but a natural continuation of it. Raw yet hopeful, grounded yet powerful, Falling Forward is for any woman whohas had her world turned upside down and found the strength to begin again.
R 360.00

Mafia Land
Behind the façade of South Africa lies a brutal shadow-world ruled by mafias, cartels, and crime syndicates locked in a ruthless war over South Africa’s riches. There’s the tobacco mafia. The water tanker mafia. The taxi mafia. The hospital mafia. The construction mafia. The kidnapping mafia. Each one feeds off a vast web of patronage and extraction that stretches from street level to the highest echelons of government. Their bloodsucking tentacles reach deep into municipalities, stateowned enterprises, political parties, the police, and even the National Prosecuting Authority. Those who resist them are silenced in cold blood. This is not a criminal underworld lurking in the shadows. It is part of the system itself. Where does organised crime end and the state begin? Are the two so intertwined that it has become near impossible to distinguish the one from the other? Has South Africa become a mafia state? Multi-award-winning investigative journalist Kyle Cowan sets out to answer these and other questions, revealing the dark underbelly of a country where the thin blue line has all but disappeared. Mafia Land is the hair-raising tale of twelve of South Africa’s most dangerous cartels, and how they will stop at nothing in their deadly, devastating plunder of our country.
R 360.00

The Deal
The results of the 29 May 2024 elections caused a seismic shift in South Africa’s political landscape. For the first time in three decades of democracy, the ruling ANC did not emerge with a majority. With a constitutional deadline of just fourteen days to elect a president, the nation held its breath. Would the ANC forge a so-called doomsday coalition with the EFF and Patriotic Alliance, or a centrist partnership with its nemesis, the DA? What role would smaller parties play, and how would Jacob Zuma’s disruptive MK party impact on the negotiations? The Deal takes you behind the scenes of the negotiations that redefined a nation, providing exclusive interviews with party leaders, unique insights and stories, thoughtful analysis and vital context. From the exclusive Inanda Club to clandestine hotel basements and affluent private houses on Johannesburg’s Westcliff Ridge, negotiating teams met under immense pressure. Amidst volatile markets, a skittish currency and intense social media scrutiny, every decision was critical. Witness the nail-biting moments as talks through bilaterals and back channels teetered on the brink of collapse, and discover the personality clashes, factionalism and deft political manoeuvring that ultimately led to the establishment of the Government of National Unity. The Deal is a compelling record of history.
R 370.00

The Hitchhiker's Guide to AI - The African Edge
Did you know that AI helped to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup for South Africa? That Africa led the way in small language models? That AI has been supporting farmers in Kenya for the last decade? After reading, you will understand the present and future of AI, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI: The African Edge particularly the distinct advantages presented by and for AI on the African continent. The book draws on the author’s many years of direct access to global and regional leaders in using AI, from Africa to the Middle East to North America to Europe and Asia, and it provides unique perspectives on generative AI, as well as practical advice for using it. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI is useful for consumers, academics, professionals and anyone in business who wants to get up to speed quickly and practically. It also entertains and inspires anyone who is curious about AI or already engaged in its possibilities. What can business learn from the use of AI in sports? How can educators embrace AI as a tool rather than a threat? When will AI truly transform health, travel, agriculture, entertainment, shopping and personal services? This book has the answers.
R 340.00

Fabrics Of Love
This family saga is told through the lens of the third generation of women who surround Lemohang Ntoi, the head of the family, as he struggles to hold onto life as he knew it. It is the Ntoi women’s assertiveness and drive that threaten Lemohang’s position and ideals for this family. We see their attempts at healing past trauma while they pursue their dreams. Fabrics of Love navigates issues around culture, legacy, love and marriage.
R 330.00

It's About Tyme
Imagine starting with a bold mission in 2012: to achieve financial inclusion through a multi-country bank. Within a decade, this vision becomes one of the fastest-growing fintechs in the world. Now, picture starting this business in South Africa, a country the IMF ranked as the hardest place to do business out of 49 countries surveyed. Imagine having the foresight to partner with a family-owned food retailer to establish a low-cost, physical banking footprint. Such success didn’t go unnoticed and one of the world’s largest banks acquired the company. A clash of cultures followed and, just four years later, the divestment. Despite the risks, one of South Africa’s wealthiest entrepreneurs stepped in to take control. Then came Covid-19. The business nearly hit the wall and shareholders demanded a successor of their choosing be trained. A frantic 217 pitches for fresh capital yielded no success. And then, at the eleventh hour, there was a reprieve as one investor and then another stepped up. Now, imagine launching in the Philippines, replicating and improving what works while designing an entirely new cloud-based banking stack with over 500 Vietnamese developers. Imagine assembling a team from Italy, the US, the UK, South Africa, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, India and Zimbabwe. Picture shaping a culture where failure is part of growth, and audacity is the norm, not the exception. Imagine becoming the global poster child for AI in banking and receiving an email in June 2025, informing you that your company is one of Time magazine’s Top 100 most influential companies in the world. This incredible story unfolds within the pages of It’s About Tyme. As Roger Grobler, a long-standing investor in Tyme puts it, ‘Courage and audacity are not just bold strategies – they’re the safest. Because playing it safe is, ironically, the riskiest thing you can do.’
R 370.00

KasiNomics Unleashed
Meet the inspiring kasipreneurs of the informal economy, from bakers to backroom rental barons, coffee innovators to goat breeders, kasi delivery people to spaza innovators, mattress makers, backroom builders, vetkoek fryers and chicken dust queens, kota franchises and backyard auto mechanics. These kasipreneurs not only sustain their communities but also drive considerable economic growth and social improvement. Each one has a unique story, yet they share a common thread of perseverance, innovative spirit, resilience and ingenuity. While formal statisticspaint a bleak picture of widespread unemployment, this book tells a different story – one of ingenuity, resilience and drive. These are the men and women who are creating their own opportunities, building livelihoods, and contributing to the economy in ways that often gounrecognised. Their stories challenge the narrative and shine a light on a vibrant, entrepreneurial spirit thriving in the heart of the informal economy. KasiNomics Unleashed is also the story of the corporate pioneers; the executives who thrive doing business in these informal spaces – the listed property companies, township butchery chains, grocery delivery founders, furniture suppliers, financial services entrepreneurs and township property developers. As you delve into the tales of theseenterprising executives, you will discover insights and lessons that transcend the boundaries of conventional business wisdom. This is, on one hand, a book from GG Alcock about the business opportunities, pitfalls and key success factors for business in these rural and township spaces. But mostly it’s a deeply human story of the inspiring, tenacious entrepreneurs of our informal economy who are otherwise invisible – they are the future … a KasiNomic power unleashed.
R 360.00

Bare Bones
Each one of these boxes contains a human being . . . We ran out of drawers,” the professor explains, “so we started using these boxes. Nicole Engelbrecht is back with a new book that delves into the cold cases of her phenomenally popular True Crime SA podcast. In Bare Bones, she re-examines missing-person and murder cases she has covered in her podcast series and revisits the leads she tracked and the interviews she conducted. Much of the information has never been made public before. From the bones of a Jane Doe discovered under a swimming pool to a troubled young man who seemed to vanish in the prison system, from a business trip turned deadly to a child snatched from outside her home, Engelbrecht sifts the evidence anew and shines a light on old and new unsolved cases in the hope of bringing closure to the victims’ families and friends. Join her in the search for the truth behind the scenes of the podcast desk.
R 320.00

After the Fires - Unlocking the Power of Letting Go
‘Nozipho’s story shows how all our experiences are rehearsals getting us ready for the big stages of life. It’s a wonderful piece of work!’ – Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South AfricaWhen the flames of life’s challenges have swept through you, who do you become from the ashes?Nozipho Tshabalala is a high-performing, excellence-driven, successful black woman. Being in control of everything in her life was crucial to her survival and success. For the most part, it had always served her well – until it didn’t.In this captivating and deeply personal memoir, conversation strategist Nozipho invites you into her world – one shaped by political violence, professional triumphs on global stages and the intimate battles with loss that would test her most fundamental beliefs. Now in her 40s, she has realised that what she needed most to survive may not be what she needs to thrive.After the Fires is a call to reclaim the narrative amid life’s unexpected turns. It honours the complexity of womanhood while celebrating the possibility of becoming exactly who you were meant to be, even when that person looks nothing like what you imagined.With vulnerability and wisdom, Nozipho demonstrates how surrender becomes not an act of defeat but a pathway to freedom. Her story reminds us that sometimes our greatest strength lies not in holding tighter but in opening our hands to release what no longer serves us.
R 310.00

Not Another Samoosa Run!
In Tasneem’s close-knit Muslim Indian community the stigma of divorce is a heavy burden to carry, and her mother insists on finding her a new husband – even if it means orchestrating a traditional ‘samoosa run’. When she meets Aadil an unexpected connection sparks and they strike a deal: a pretend engagement to keep their families off their backs. But a simple ruse soon grows complicated because one of them is hiding a life-changing secret . . .
R 330.00

Wild Things Never Die
Praise for the Tannie Maria series: ‘Vivid, amusing and immensely enjoyable’ – Alexander McCall Smith ‘Utterly delicious’ – Deon Meyer ‘Irresistible … a work of enormous charm’ – Wall Street Journal ‘Tender and funny’ – Kirkus reviews Tannie Maria is wrestling with a fear of the dark and Henrietta has PTSD. But this doesn’t stop the intrepid agony aunt – and her hen – from going undercover with Maria’s fiancé, Detective Henk Kannemeyer, to the Karoo Wilderness Reserve. Their mission: save the vetplantjies! At the luxury game lodge, they spy on guests and support the Anti-Poaching Unit in a battle against dangerous gangsters. Jessie attends the Succulent Symposium, which is tackling the poaching problem internationally. Then, there is a murder ... Our favourite Ladismith sleuths engage with some colourful suspects, including a barefoot artist, a botanist cowboy, a singing gardener, and a sangoma. Between solving murders, writing agony-aunt letters, eating spectacular food, and having spiritual epiphanies, Maria and Henk get fashion tips from a couturier and his Baroness. But fashion is forgotten when their own lives are at stake.
R 340.00

The Invisible People
In the next twenty-five years, Africa’s population is predicted to double in size to 2.5 billion, so that by 2050 one in four people on earth will be African. How can Africa accommodate and benefit from this huge demographic shift? In The Invisible People, former MTN CEO Phuthuma Nhleko calls for a new African renaissance based on three pillars. The first involves building a confident common identity, rooted in Africa’s long and rich history, and celebrating its fundamental contributions to modern civilisation, religion and culture. The second is unleashing the kind of economic development that has so far eluded Africa, by leveraging its significant assets and resources, abandoning outdated and inadequate economic models, and carving a new path grounded in a Pan-African vision and based on technological and economic leapfrogging. The third pillar involves bolstering Africa’s geopolitical influence, by redefining its relationship with the US and China, and embracing a strategic path in its own interests, to take its rightful place in world affairs as home to a quarter of humanity. An insightful and inspiring journey through history, economics and geopolitics, The Invisible People will change the way that people view the future of Africa and the world.
R 370.00

Die by the Sword
A heart-stopping chase across South Africa to find Napoleon’s priceless lost sword, by the master of adventure, Tony Park. Three bodies are found scattered across South Africa. One on the shores of the Indian Ocean, one in a farm invasion in modern KwaZulu-Natal, and one in 1880, in the aftermath of the Anglo-Zulu War. Detective Sannie van Rensburg and marine biologist and former soldier Adam Kruger are each on the trail of a mystery, while more than a century ago colonial police officer Peter Gregory has a secret mission: to find the lost sword of the great Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. But he’s not the only one who wants it. From the blood-soaked battlefields of colonial-era Zululand to the modern-day political struggles over land and poaching in South Africa and war in the Middle East, these investigations are on a dangerous collision course. Because people will kill for a symbol of power.
R 370.00

Unleashed
‘Unleashed is filled with empathy, depth and a charming touch of humour at the perfect moments.’ – SYLVESTER CHAUKE ‘An effortlessly comedic and deeply moving tale of a vet finding her feet and purpose. Venniker is that rare guide who’s honest, witty and relatable.’ – ALASTAIR MCALPINE ‘Fascinating, funny and poetically heartbreaking. Who knew the secret life of a vet would be a page-turner?’ – DION CHANG ‘Unleashed is a book that celebrates life.’ – MIKE NICOL** Unleashed is the hilarious, intensely honest memoir of Caitlin Venniker’s journey from Onderstepoort, the only veterinary training institution in South Africa, into the heart of private practice, with a few stops in the United Kingdom and Middle East along the way. It’s a story of growing up, juggling owners with high expectations and animals with big opinions, bluffing confidence, quirky colleagues, cows with anger issues and midnight emergencies. It’s about navigating the challenges of dating, using coffee as a crutch, finding humour in dark moments, and the immense joy and grief that come with loving animals.
R 370.00

The Smallest Ones
In the heart of a village untouched by the world’s chaos, five-year-old Popina took solace in the simple joys of childhood – climbing mango trees, chasing baby baboons, and exploring the fields. But her innocence was shattered in an instant when a group of strangers invaded the village, bringing with them a terror that a young girl could never have imagined. The Smallest Ones is a harrowing and powerful account of survival and resilience in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in the early 2000s. Popina, her family and friends were captured by rebel soldiers and were subjected to torture and rape. After several years of captivity, Popina and her older sister managed to escape, and began an epic journey all the way to South Africa. But even there, their nightmare was not over. Written with raw emotion and unflinching honesty, The Smallest Ones takes readers on a journey through the darkest corners of human experience, yet it is also a testament to the enduring power of hope and the will to survive. This is not just a story of tragedy, but a poignant exploration of the human spirit’s capacity to endure and overcome. After eventually finding refuge in a children’s home in Despatch in the Eastern Cape, Popina started building the life she dreamt of as a child. Having had no schooling, she now found herself in a classroom and held a pen for the first time. And so began her journey to education and freedom.
R 310.00

Children of Sugarcane
Vividly set against the backdrop of 19th century India and the British-owned sugarcane plantations of Natal, written with great tenderness and lyricism, Children of Sugarcane paints an intimate and wrenching picture of indenture told from a woman's perspective. Shanti, a bright teenager stifled by life in rural India and facing an arranged marriage, dreams that South Africa is an opportunity to start afresh. The Colony of Natal is where Shanti believes she can escape the poverty, caste, and troubling fate of young girls in her village. Months later, after a harrowing sea voyage, she arrives in Natal only to discover the profound hardship and slave labour that await her. Spanning four decades and two continents, Children of Sugarcane demonstrates the lifegiving power of love, heartache, and the indestructible bonds between family and friends. These bonds prompt heroism and sacrifice, the final act of which leads to Shanti's redemption.
R 330.00

Pillow Talk
Shona Shah’s life is chaotic. She is shackled to a family obligation, has a casual relationship with a childhood friend, Senthil Aiyer, unfulfilled dreams and a heap of clothing at the bottom of her cupboard that she doesn’t have time to hang up. In a bold move, Shona walks out of her family’s tailor business to forge her own path. But the beautiful, twenty-something bridal designer soon realises that to move forward, she has to look at her family’s past. Shona’s journey of self-discovery is a whirlwind of humour and heartache as she learns to accept that her ‘no pillow talk’ rule with Senthil can be broken. Sen discovers that sometimes the greatest love stories can unfold right in the middle of the ‘chaos’ that he has always tried to avoid. This is a modern story about love and friendship, following your passion and embracing the unpredictable journey of life. Pillow Talk is the first of a series set in the fictional town of Rally in KwaZulu-Natal from the new queen of South African romance.
R 260.00

Walking Wild
Walking Wild is not your typical safari -- no game drives, no cool sundowners and definitely no fences. Instead, it’s 605 km of dust, sweat and unforgettable moments as an unlikely group of strangers sets out to walk the entire length of Kruger National Park.Over six stages and three years, they walked from Crooks’ Corner in the far north to Malelane in the south, averaging 20 km a day with heavy backpacks and only the wild for company. Led by two armed guides, they braved blistering heat and violent storms. At night, as hyenas nosed their tents and lionesses strolled right through camp, some slept soundly -- others lay wide-eyed, waiting for dawn. They drank from murky trickles in dry riverbeds, navigated thick riverine bush teeming with hippo, buffalo and crocodiles, and slowly learned to read the bush -- from the smallest antlion to the distant roar of a lion.But Kruger’s wilderness is not without its challenges. Poachers -- both criminal syndicates and those in search of bushmeat -- move in the shadows, rivers bring pollution from beyond its borders, and conservation battles rage on.Walking Wild captures the magic and the madness of life on foot in one of the world’s most iconic national parks. It’s a story of adventure, camaraderie and deep immersion in the wild -- a journey that leaves no one unchanged. Walking Wild is a testament to resilience, discovery and the deep connection between people and nature. If you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing Kruger beyond the safari vehicle, this book is your ticket to the trail.
R 405.00

How Not to Mess Up Online
Selfies, Sexts, and Smartphones is the book every teenager (and their parents) should read. At least, that was true seven years ago. The digital world moves at breakneck speed. Today’s teens have to navigate AI, deep fakes, misinformation, and so much more. Meanwhile, the law struggles to keep up, leaving plenty of hidden legal pitfalls. If fully developed adult brains struggle with it, what hope does a teenager’s freshly baked prefrontal cortex have? Enter Rorke and Emma. Emma is a continental digital-law specialist, and Rorke, an elder Gen Z, has the lived experience teens can relate to. Together, they break down the digital world’s biggest challenges and help teens to exist consciously – and, hopefully, safely – online. This book covers every topic: new laws, cyberbullying, sexting, sextortion, addiction, online safety, deep fakes, mental health, privacy, reputation, misinformation, scams, AI, ChatGPT, plagiarism, and much more – all in a South African context. With real-life case studies from Emma’s work and unfortunate anecdotes from Rorke’s life in the digital trenches, we help today’s youth reap the benefits of the internet without ever needing to call the Digital Law Company.
R 290.00

This Country Hates Our Men Boys
‘I do not hate boys, I hate men.’ This provocative statement sets the stage for a searing exploration of the complex relationship South African society holds with its black andcoloured men and boys. Dr Mzamo Masito’s urgent new book, This Country Hates Our Men Boys, confronts the pervasive ‘cold and hot love’ that often translates into collective male guilt. When a child goes missing, a collective sigh of relief by men is heard when the blame points to maternal filicide, as headlines like ‘South African woman guilty of kidnapping and trafficking daughter aged 6’ (BBC). The widely accepted phrase amadoda zizinja – men are dogs – is more than a colloquialism; it’s a symptom of a society where positive masculine role models are scarce. This linguistic shortcut flattens the nuanced reality of masculinity into a single, simplistic concept of patriarchy, obscuring the complex, chaotic social issues at play. Through the vital work of African Men Care, a non-profit organisation, Dr Masito unpacks the interlocking crises facing black boys and men: educational disparities, mental health struggles, pervasive violence, and fractured relationships. More crucially, the book illuminates a clear path forward. ‘Every man is every boy’ is not merely an observation but a powerful call to action. The struggles of adult men today are often rooted in the unaddressed needs and unrealised potential of the boys they once were. The lament awekho amadoda (there are no men) serves as a stark warning: without decisive intervention, we risk losing entire generations. This book reveals how individual trauma metastasises into a collective crisis. When boys lack robust interior lives and positive identity models, the repercussions echo through families, schools, and communities. Hurt boys mature into hurting men, perpetuating cycles that impact everyone, including the girls and women in their lives. Dr Masito’s comprehensive framework addresses the full spectrum of development: self, home, school, parents, community, and government. True change transcends superficial interventions, demanding profound work on identity, purpose, and emotional development. This deep work is essential for boys to cultivate the rich interior lives necessary for healthy relationships and constructive community engagement. The ultimate goal is revolutionary in its simplicity: to empower both girls and boys, ensuring no child is left behind. This Country Hates Our Men Boys is essential reading for men, educators, policymakers, community leaders, parents, and anyone committed to breaking cycles of hurt and forging futures where all young people can thrive.
R 370.00

Johnny Clegg
This book examines the profound legacy of Johnny Clegg (1953-2019), the South African musician, anthropologist and cultural activist who revolutionised the nation's musical landscape. From his groundbreaking collaboration with Sipho Mchunu in the 1970s through to his success with Juluka and Savuka, and as a solo artist, Clegg navigated apartheid-era censorship while reshaping South African cultural politics.Drawing on unprecedented access to archival materials and band member interviews, this interdisciplinary research analyses Clegg's unique position as both scholar and performer. The study presents three critical interventions: an examination of his synthesis of music, dance and political philosophy as embodied resistance to apartheid; an analysis of his transnational impact and navigation of the global cultural boycott; and an investigation of cultural appropriation and decolonial practice through his engagement with, and reinterpretation of Zulu traditions.Situated at the intersection of ethnomusicology, anthropology and African studies, this volume offers fresh theoretical frameworks for understanding cultural hybridity and postcolonial performance. It positions Clegg's work within broader discussions of race, power and cultural production in the Global South.
R 405.00

Timeless South African
In Timeless South African, renowned cook and food writer Ilse van der Merwe has compiled a list of the top 101 iconic South African dishes – meals not only seen as ‘heritage food’, but dishes that are still relevant, recognisable, loved and prepared in many South African communities today. Well-researched and based on formal and informal discussions with chefs, members of the public and food lovers of different backgrounds, this book celebrates the country’s diverse cultures and culinary traditions, highlighting the history of each recipe as well as the modern ways in which they have been reinvented. The dishes in this book – whether humble or celebratory – are paired with classically styled and vibrant photos. Do you know your vetkoek from your amagwinya? Or your koeksisters from your koesisters? And do you know the interesting histories of bobotie, the gatsby, hertzoggies and Durban naan? The more we share our food and our stories, the more we’ll be able to celebrate what unites us: being South African.
R 495.00

52 Big Questions for Business Leaders
Unlock a new dimension in leadership by asking better questions. Answers are overrated. In an unpredictable world, asking the right questions is significantly more powerful than clinging to stale, dated answers. What you knew yesterday won’t always take you where you need to go. Great leaders stand apart because they know how to ask themselves and their teams questions that spark insight, challenge assumptions, and drive action. 52 Big Questions for Business Leaders isn’t just a collection of prompts and provocations – it’s a guide to sharper, more intentional thinking. Whether you’re leading a start-up or aglobal enterprise, the questions in these pages will help you pause, reflect, and lead with clarity. Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Mike Stopforth infuses wisdom, wit, and practical insight into the art of inquiry – because crafting big, beautiful questions is a skill worth mastering. This isn’t a book to read once and shelve; it’s a tool to return to whenever you need fresh perspective, focus, or inspiration. In the end, great leaders aren’t defined by the answers they give – but by the questions they dare to ask.
R 280.00

Swift
She somehow keeps the half-dead Swift alive through the blur of grief, but she has no real clue what she’s doing. Mat was the one who knew all about birds. He was the man with the heart of feathers who identified the rescue bird as a Little Swift when she brought it home. Mat told her many things about the bird: that it never touches the ground, that it eats, sleeps, drinks, and mates on the wing, and that it is a bird that can fly for up to two years without landing. In the aftermath of his shocking departure, and all its absurd bureaucratic requirements, an unlikely long-distance Swift guide appears in Ferguson’s DMs on old Twitter. Her name is Hannah, a Swift activist from the UK. Ferguson is mesmerized by the Swift Queen’s ethereal beauty and the tattoos of Swifts across her back.
R 330.00

The Chaos Precinct
The Chaos Precinct presents a compelling, brave – at times, lyrical – narrative of how migrant Ethiopians have shaped a trading post in Johannesburg’s inner city. On maps it is defined as the eastern edge of the original administrative area of Johannesburg. Those of us who have encountered the area of the city centre roughly bounded by Plein, Troye, Pritchard and von Brandis Streets have coined various names for it. The Ethiopian Quarter, Little Ethiopia and Little Addis are phrases we exchange in animated conversations about this unique entrepreneurial explosion. This exoticises a booming makeshift shopping hub that emerged without any formal planning intention or support. Municipal officials speak informally of the area as the ‘Chaos Precinct’. But the traders in the area call it by the hallmark road – Jeppe. For them it is a place of opportunity and fevered trade – in which the annual revenue generated is twice that of Africa’s wealthiest shopping mall. Jeppe is a dynamic, exuberant nerve centre that fosters entrepreneurship. Fortunes are made, loved ones back home are supported and commodities flow across Southern Africa – particularly fast fashion. Local and cross border traders arrive on buses and taxis to buy shoes, t-shirts, dresses, underwear, jeans, suits, wallets, belts, nail clippers and cosmetics. Though situated on the dry Highveld, Jeppe is an entrepôt which bears a close resemblance to major port cities.
R 435.00

The Weight of Shade
The Weight of Shade is a haunting, gothic tale that explores the bearing of the past on our lives and whether we can ever escape the circumstances thrust upon us. In the rural Marico district of the Northwest Province, an orphaned boy, Agni, arrives at a lonely farmhouse in a valley. There he meets Esmeralda, the old woman who never leaves the shadows of her room, and the mysterious Kagiso, who has always lived on the property. He does not know why he was brought to this place, but as he spends his days in lessons with Esmeralda and discovers the secrets of the land from Kagiso, he begins to experience occurrences, which haunt his waking hours and dreams. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, Nikus has just finished high school. He longs to leave the Marico for the distant city and saves money by working as a handyman at the eerie old farmhouse. His only friends are the local drunk and the owner of The Outpost Deli, but Nikus also begins to spend time with the girlfriend of his best friend, who had already left for the big world. She gives Nikus hope in a different future, and together they plan to escape.
R 320.00

The Wildest Beauty
Danny Marais is the twin brother of the beautiful, talented Charlie. The Wildest Beauty is a remarkable novel, Danny’s account of their childhood . . . up to their eventual enlistment in the First World War. From their placidly peaceful Stellenbosch schooldays to, ultimately, the Battle of Delville Wood, Danny keeps a loving but half-resentful eye on his brother.The novel is also an intimate account of a small group of friends and family, inter alia the loving parents left behind in Stellenbosch during wartime. And then there is Danny’s life-changing encounter, in the darkened streets of wartime London, with a wryly cynical, battle-scarred officer.In the midst of the greatest conflict in history, facing the wild beauty of ‘the abyss of unmeaning’, Danny discovers the power of love, between friends, family – and even foes.
R 390.00

It's Complicated
Nivashni Nair Sukdhev is back with another enchanting story set in the little town of Rally in KwaZulu-Natal. After walking away from the big city and an international modelling career, Kaavi Archary is beginning to find an inner peace. She is making friends, volunteering in a programme for troubled teenage girls and relishing a fresh start in life. But she has a secret: her estranged husband, Neel. So, when Neel shows up in Rally with divorce papers, Kaavi’s life is thrown into chaos. He says he’s here to end things — but what he really wants is to win her back. Beneath the heartbreak lies a chemistry that neither of them can resist. As Kaavi faces the truth about her past and her family, she and Neel must decide if they can trust each other again.
R 260.00

Loony Birds, Lion Men and the Snake That Was a Gerbil 20 of the Best Bush Tales from Southern Africa
For more than 50 years David Bristow has been jaunting around southern Africa collecting curious wilderness anecdotes and historical nuggets from chats around the fireside as well as the rare books sections of the region’s foremost libraries. His singular obsession with the region’s remarkable people, creatures and places has culminated in a treasure trove of travel writing that plucks a motley crew of fascinating individuals from relative obscurity, connects the dots between past and present, and renews our appreciation for our natural heritage. Loony Birds, Lion Men and the Snake That Was a Gerbil draws from Bristow’s Stories from the Veld collection to bring readers the ultimate compilation of fascinating characters, extraordinary insights and action-packed bush tales of derring-do. Meet a 5-foot-tall gender-bending doctor prone to gun duels and a Khoi chief who escaped Robben Island multiple times. Venture to Mapungubwe, South Africa’s very own El Dorado, learn how the Sabi Reserve’s first game ranger fought off two lions with the help of his trusty hound and get ready to pick your jaw up off the floor.
R 305.00

A Pawfect Life
Your pet runs your life. You just haven’t admitted it yet. From booking a seat on Bark Air to planning a pet-friendly holiday, A Pawfect Life is packed with practical advice for modern pet parents – along with a hilarious deep dive into just how far we’ve gone to pamper our furry overlords. Dion Chang unpacks the latest trends, from CBD treats for anxious dachshunds to birthday pawties as well as pawternity leave for new pet owners, while also tackling the trickier side of pet parenting. Speaking to animal behaviour expert Leigh Shenker, Chang explores why we spend small fortunes on our pets – and whether treating them like tiny humans is actually a good idea. As a trained pet doula, he also delves into the complexities of pet loss, grief and saying goodbye. Equal parts insightful and absurd, this book will make you laugh, rethink your pet’s power over you, and finally figure out how to navigate an airport pet relief zone like a pro.
R 360.00

Lessons From My Father
From Springbok legends and a Protea captain to Olympic gold medalists, celebrated chefs, selfless activists, fearless journalists, acclaimed authors, a presidential secretary, and soulful musicians and poets – Lessons from My Father showcases some of our country’s most compelling figures as they recall and honour the men who helped shape them. These are not just hymns to perfect dads, but stories of real fathers – flawed, tender, fallible, and brave – who left indelible marks on their children.
R 350.00

The Advocate
How far can you distance yourself from your enemy without losing sight of the threat they pose – or without becoming an enemy yourself? In the shadow of a flawless facade, the Coal family’s dynasty teeters on the brink of collapse. Luna Parks’ marriage balances on a powder keg of secrets and lies, and results in the presence of an unwelcome guest on the Coal farm, which is the spark that sets it ablaze. With the Fletchers’ sinister grip tightening on the town of Clanwilliam, the advocate emerges as the last line of defence against the forces of destruction, and Cameron Coal is forced to confront an impossible choice: will love be the salvation or the downfall of the rooibos farm, a legacy forged in blood and sweat? And will Luna’s devotion be enough to bring the family together? With every twist and turn, the stakes get higher, and the truth threatens to rip everyone apart. Against the backdrop of South Africa’s tumultuous rural landscape, this gripping tale exposes the intricate dance between power, corruption and the human condition. Can the advocate untangle the web of deceit, or will the pursuit of justice and truth be sacrificed at the altar of money and influence?
R 330.00

Love, Zola
Love, Zola is the captivating continuation of Zola’s vibrant, heart-stirring story. From career pressures to unexpected confessions, Zola and Mbali’s journey tests their understanding of commitment and what a happy ending truly looks like. Okuhle’s return to Joburg brings unfinished business — not just with her relationship but also with Zola, whose successes only serve as painful reminders of what she’s lost. Meanwhile, Zozo’s happily-ever-after in Durban is shaken as old feelings resurface. Filled with tension, passion, and poignant revelations, Love, Zola is a story of self-discovery, second chances, and the challenges of modern relationships. Can love survive when the past refuses to let go?
R 330.00

Behind Prison Walls
Since the Zuma presidency weakened crime intelligence, violent crime surged, with murder rates rising over 75%. South Africa faces severe femicide, and most murderers evade justice. Prisons fail by perpetuating crime; harsher sentences do not help. Edwin Cameron, after visiting prisons, advocates for reform. Along with colleagues, he suggests abolishing minimum sentences, cash bail, and decriminalizing drug use to improve safety and justice.
R 360.00

Unsolicited
So, this was a hot flush. The utterly pointless flag-bearer of menopause. That explained a lot. She held her body as upright as possible on the cramped seat, like one of those hot-stepping lizards in the Namib desert and tried to look like she was having a detecting epiphany. ‘Shame, you’re really sweating, hey,’ said Gladys. ‘Don’t worry. It’s coming for you, too.’ Normally quick witted and sharp eyed, Detective Fatima Matthews is being sucker punched by menopause, and that’s not even the half of it. Someone is playing deadly games with a local publisher, there’s a reader found dead with melted eyes and just when she could really use the career boost, her internal polygraph has decided to flatline. As the threats escalate and one crisis triggers another, Fatima must come to terms with what it means to face your frailties, and whether a second chance is really possible when your greatest adversary is time. With plagiarism scandals, buried secrets and red herrings aplenty, Andrea Shaw’s thrilling debut gives the local publishing industry its moment in the sun.
R 310.00

Sex, lies & Stellenbosch
'Poker night had started off as a legitimate monthly card game; it was Frans who'd turned it into "poke-her" night. He'd been going to a gentleman's club in the city for quite some time. It was he who had suggested that they spice up their regular boys' night, assuring everyone that it was discreet and upmarket; at a price, of course. They were wealthy enough to buy discretion and they were all keen to bring some excitement into their lives. Being in a group somehow made it more acceptable, should their wives ever find out. So, poke-her night it became. It was, as most of these clubs were, at an undisclosed address in Cape Town.' Sex, Lies & Stellenbosch uncovers what really goes on behind closed doors in the seemingly upstanding community of Stellenbosch, one of South Africa's wealthiest small towns, home to 3 400 dollar millionaires (before they invested in Steinhoff shares). Written as fiction to protect the innocent, the book exposes the explosive dark truths of the Winelands' elite. All is revealed through Jen, wife of John Pearce, a renowned wine farmer and businessman. Jen stumbles upon her playboy husband in a compromising position with his sexy wine rep, Patty. Jen is forced to choose between leaving her marriage, jeopardising her standing and stability in the community or turning a blind eye to his infidelity. On the day of the discovery, Jen books herself into a luxurious spa, using her cheating husband's credit card, and serendipitously meets Claudia, a psychologist. This chance meeting helps Jen make sense of her crumbling world. She is betrayed by friends and bolstered by unlikely allies.
R 330.00

Haram
As a young man in a close-knit Muslim community in Woodstock, Muhammad used to feel trapped between who he was and who he was expected to be. But then he met Riyaaz, and his world shifted in unexpected ways. Many years later, on the day of his wedding, Muhammad is pulled into memories of his adolescence – a time when faith and forbidden desires collided. Haram is an unflinching tale alive with hidden and unspoken desires.
R 360.00

Retro Karoo Food
In every part of every old Karoo house are the memories of things that happened there. Their front doors are portals to the mysteries that lie within, the lives that have been lived there and the stories that have happened in their wide rooms with their wooden floors. Retro Karoo Food brings together 80 recipes from author, food writerand playwright Tony Jackman’s Karoo kitchen, made with love in the spirit of the old Garob. Some are traditional, others adapted, and yet others his own invention: from skilpadjies, boontjiesop and tomato bredie to ginger chicken roasted in a potjie and parmesan gem squash; there is Japie segunsteling, Karoo ice creams and prickly pear syrup… Jackman also revisits cookery classics by C Louis Leipoldt, S.J.A. de Villiers and others, tracking down the histories and variations of dishes such aswaterblommetjiebredie, hoenderpastei and tipsy tart. There are no trends in this book – no spheres, blobs, smears or passing fads. This is a throwback, a cookbook that distils those genuine, old South African recipes all in one place. If you’re a South African at home or abroad, a tourist wanting a taste of local cuisine or simply looking for classics for a midweek supper, braai or dinner party, this is for you.
R 435.00

An Enemy of the People
Mac Mackenjee is a tax collector in a country that refuses to pay taxes on principle and in an age when populism is on the rise. Mac is an expert at uncovering hidden ‘black money’ and soon finds himself unravelling a high-level conspiracy to loot public company revenues. Meanwhile, his wife Tejal, a lawyer, defends a young revolutionary accused of destroying statues and burning buses. As these two strands intersect, Mac and Tejal are entangled in a web of tax cheats, forensic investigators, activists, politicians, billionaires, and even a baker. Amidst rising threats, the couple grapples with their minority status and the universal middle-class challenge of finding the right school for their sons.
R 360.00

Confessor Cop
Captain Jonathan Morris, the Confessor Cop, used empathy to extract confessions from even the toughest criminals. With a 99% success rate, his cases, from catching serial killer Jimmy Maketta to investigating the Sizzler’s Massacre, earned him the respect of prosecutors and profilers. In this memoir, Michael Behr explores Morris’s high-profile investigations and personal struggles, revealing the man behind the badge in a gripping blend of true crime and personal story.
R 360.00

Survive the AI Apocalypse
Look around you – is anything real or normal anymore? News, images and videos created by AI are everywhere. The world we live in is changing daily, and it’s no exaggeration to say that everything you thought you knew is undergoing apocalyptic levels of change. Our new normal includes AI CEOs, AI partners, AI versions of our dead relatives to keep us company, and customers deploying their own adversarial agent ‘armies’ to hostile-negotiate on their behalf. Meanwhile, the expensive skills you have accumulated, the jobs you’ve fought for, the relationships you’ve invested in, the organisations you’ve worked for and the economies we depend on for survival are shrinking even as our choices expand. Discernment and understanding of context are now critical to your survival. So, let’s stare the future down and, instead of fearing AI, become solutionists. In order to survive in this hyper-competitive, globalised and automated world, where the strongest and smartest winners are set to take all, we need to change our mindsets and our skill sets to become fit for the ‘post-AI, apocalyptic’ world that is here to stay. This means embracing progress and turning AI and technology into an asset with which we can co-exist, while continuing to create new possibilities far into the future. This book is a call to action to live on the flipside of fear.
R 350.00

Deep Blue
‘. . . there is a quiet here that doesn’t exist on land, a fluid suspension that reminds me that humans were never meant to be so rigid, so fixed in place. In the sea, we are both vulnerable and free . . .’ Deep Blue is a love letter to the sea, exploring humans’ deep connection with it and the bliss of swimming, diving, dipping and simply being in salt water. Join Veruska De Vita, a learner free diver and open-water swimmer, as she delves into why the ocean calls to us. Along the way she talks to those who find healing and wellness in swimming groups and cold-water immersion, scientists who study complex marine environments, elite athletes who swim super-human distances along our coasts and free divers who plumb the depths with one breath. Water is primordial. It gives life. It represents hope and renewal. This book is not only for sea worshippers. It promises to inspire everyone to jump with joy into the waves – and offers reflections on our intimate relationship with the sea, which supports life on earth and requests that we respect it.
R 340.00

The Ghost of Sam Webster
Writer Daniel Hawthorne is packing up his mother’s house in Johannesburg when he hears about the disappearance of Sam Webster, the beautiful daughter of his friend, the famous historian Bruce Webster. When the body of Sam appears briefly on the banks of the flooded Buffalo River, Daniel decides to visit the Websters’ luxury lodge in the heart of Zululand. Under the guise of researching a new novel about his disgraced ancestor, the lepidopterist Lieutenant Charles Hawthorne, who fought in the Battle of iSandlwana, Daniel starts to investigate the reasons for Sam’s disappearance. The lines between loyalty and betrayal, love and hate, cowardice and courage, redemption and shame, soon become blurred as Daniel gets closer to the truth. Written in Craig Higginson’s masterful prose, The Ghost of Sam Webster is at once a war novel, a murder mystery, a multi-layered love story and a robust reassertion of what it is to remain human during the most challenging times.
R 360.00

Family Affair: A Novel
Meet the Mafus, a close-knit, traditional family with three daughters. As leaders of their church, The Kingdom of God, Pastor Abraham and his wife Phumla are guiding the community of Bulawayo in faith, while trying to keep the different branches of their family intact. Independent and feisty Xoliswa returns home, after a hiatus abroad, hoping for a fresh start and a chance to steer the family business; rebellious Yandisa has met the love of her life and is finally getting her act together; while dutiful newlywed Zandile is slowly becoming disillusioned with her happily ever after. The Mafus always present a united front, but as their personal lives unravel, devastating secrets are revealed that threaten to tear the family apart. For how long will they be able to hide behind the façade of a picture-perfect family?
R 290.00

House at 6001
On 16 June 1976, thousands of Black South African school children took to the streets of Soweto in protest against the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction under apartheid education. Met with brutal police force, many never returned home. This pivotal day, now remembered as the start of the Soweto Uprising, also reverberated through the walls of 6001, Lebo Diseko’s family home in Orlando East.In The House at 6001, Diseko traces the intertwined lives of her parents and her aunts and uncles who gathered, organised and resisted within their four-room Soweto house. From banning orders and exile to late-night parties filled with music and defiance, their story captures both the intimacy and the enormity of South Africa’s struggle.Drawing on unsealed government documents, interviews and her own personal journey to revisit her family history and home, Diseko offers a moving memoir of resistance, secrets and the lasting cost of freedom.
R 370.00

Because I Love You
I was here. This happened. It mattered. And now, I am ready to carry on. This is not a book about breakups. It’s about erasure. About the quiet harm that can live inside love, the kind that doesn’t leave bruises on the skin but rewrites the architecture of your mind. It's for anyone who's wondered whether they were overreacting, too sensitive, too much, too little. Anyone who has asked, ‘Am I the problem?’ Joy Watson’s exquisite excavation of the female psyche traces the inner lives of three women: Zara, Mira and Thuli. Their stories unfold in fragments, with beginnings, middles and endings that are not always clean, and are interwoven with reflections from the author’s own experience. These are real stories, lightly fictionalised to protect those who lived them. If you have ever felt lonelier in a relationship than you were on your own, this book is for you. And as you begin again, you are not alone.
R 330.00


































































