The Reading Room

Can we entice you into our Reading Room?

This is the place for lovers of language and literature, those of us who believe that reading is essential, as we seek to rise above the ordinary.

another Solid Gold podcast #BeHeard
Occasionally English South Africa Books
29 Episodes
1 – 20

#029 A Sense of Place | Justin Fox

Literary and Physical Journeys in South Africa. "Before it can ever be a repose for the senses, landscape is the work of the mind. Its scenery is built up as much from strata of memory as from layers of rock." – Simon Schama So starts a journey into the mind,…
10 Nov 2023 29 min

#028 The Giant Has Fallen | Dr Ian Robinson

Has the Mining Industry in South Africa collapsed? In 1994, the South African mining industry was a world leader; in 2010 it had descended into a state of both anarchy and paralysis. This book tells the story of the disintegration of the South African mining industry over a period of…
25 Jul 2023 36 min

#026 Sex, Drums and Rock 'n' Roll.... In Africa | Danny de Wet

A guide to the best decade evah - The 80s! The 80s were a time of hope and frustration for teens and 20-somethings in South Africa, but there was a whole lot of boogying going on. Drummer (and wannabe frontman!) of such iconic SA bands, such as eVoid, Petit Cheval…
21 Oct 2022 47 min

#025 Listening out for the Birdies | Adam Riley

“Sometimes I think that the point of birdwatching is not the actual seeing of the birds, but the cultivation of patience. Of course, each time we set out, there's a certain amount of expectation we'll see something, maybe even a species we've never seen before, and that it will fill…
17 Sep 2022 31 min

#024 Kim Nicola Stephens | Time to Let Go! (But Hold The Line...)

Social Media Musings and Going Viral. While people all over South Africa were hunkered down in their homes baking banana bread, coming up with ways to find gin, bemoaning the fact that they couldn't go for a walk, while finding new ways to navigate this strange new walk of Life,…
16 Aug 2022 31 min

#023 Mike Nicol | Finding your (and your character's) Voice

Our Guest: Mike Nicol (Author: Poet: Writing Instructor) Getting the tips of the trade from the Crime Meister in half an hour is fairly speedy, but you won't want to miss the workings of the inner mind of one of South Africa's top authors. Whether it be his way of…
26 May 2022 38 min

#022 Deon Meyer | The Crime-writing Kingpin of SA

Making SA as Sexy as the Scandies! Deon Meyer (Storyteller / Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres) "It’s never good when your phone rings in a meeting you were never invited to." Happily we called, and Deon Meyer answered. The King of SA Crime-writing chats about his process, his ties…
18 May 2022 36 min

#021 Just Hack It! | Rinus le Roux

Let’s Unpack It. The time to be adaptable has come. Are you scared of moving forward? Are you having problems changing your mindset? “Amateurs hack systems, professionals hack people.” And professionals when it comes to asking the right questions, Hack It authors, Rinus Le Roux and Rikus Viljoen have put…
6 May 2022 36 min

#020 Getting Dangerous | Erik Kruger

Step out of Survival Mode with Erik Kruger Erik Kruger (Author / Founder - Modern Breed) It’s time to get out of your comfort zone - especially if it isn’t the most comfortable place to be. Being Dangerous doesn’t mean being reckless - it’s about posing a danger to those…
5 May 2022 30 min

#019 Flat/White - Not Just Coffee Culture | Ted Botha

...and other stories Ted Botha grew up between Washington D.C. and Pretoria, and his writings are as diverse as his living circumstances over the years. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, and was an editor for Reuters in Manhattan. His…
27 Jan 2022 29 min

#018 Lyrics and Songs | Gus SIlber

The Beatles got the Beat. The Beatles have been a worldwide phenomenon for decades - and show no sign of slowing down. Although they were only a band for less than a decade, their imprint on the music industry will last many lifetimes. The TV documentary series, Get Back, and…
16 Dec 2021 31 min

#017 Use your Mind - Make it Matter | Robby Kojetin

it's all about getting your Mind over Mountain.... Guest: Robby Kojetin (Author and Extreme Sports Motivator) From not landing on his feet, to landing up motivating others to get up on theirs, Robby Kotejin has gone from climbing the roof of the world, to wallowing in the depths of despair…
11 Nov 2021 33 min

#016 Wonder Woman! | Rosie Fiore

Actress, teacher, author - No longer an author in Waiting! Meet Rosie Fiore (Author and most fabulous Gurlfrend) Born in good old Joburg, Rosie Fiore left our sunny shores to follow a literary life in London some 21 years ago. Having studied drama and working as a writer in TV,…
4 Aug 2021 36 min

#015 Memento Mori | Michael Stanley

The Anatomy of a Southern African 'Death' series Meet Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip (authors - co-writers under the pseudonym Michael Stanley) Critically acclaimed across the world for their series of original crime/mystery books, Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip are the writing duo, Michael Stanley. Featuring their African "Columbo", Detective…
27 Jul 2021 41 min

#014 Moving the Veils of Smoke | Sarah Key

Female Thriller Writers Taking over the Murder/Mystery World Long kept in the shadows, female mystery and thriller writers are coming to the fore, not only worldwide, but here in South Africa. Sarah Key, author of 5 books in the genre, chats to Melanie about being a female in what many…
17 Jun 2021 39 min

#013 Woman On Wheels | Jo Rust

Adventurer and Mental coach Jo Rust circumnavigates Africa - SOLO Meet Jo Rust - World Record Holder. Author. Mental Health Activist. Jo Rust is the embodiment of the word 'gumption'! Which is what you'd need to ride around the whole African continent on 2 wheels - a woman alone with…
22 May 2021 37 min

#012 The Good Book Appreciation Society | Paige Nick

Join Paige Nick (novelist, columnist and advertising copywriter) as we discuss what's worth reading and appreciating On South African authors, the art of short story writing, who's really who in the literary world, and what's worth listening to! Paige Nick has her finger on the pulse of words, how they're…
1 May 2021 33 min

#011 Johannesburg Then and Now | Marc Latilla

How Heritage and the Past inform our Future In less than a century, the jumble of shabby tents and lean-tos that constituted Johannesburg's first settlement grew into a modern metropolis of towering office buildings and sprawling suburbs. This is the history of Johannesburg's rise compiled in one glorious picture book…
22 Apr 2021 35 min

#010 Pulp Non Fiction in Person | Bronwyn Williams

Highly effective reading habits of a Successful Reader Bronwyn Williams (Economist / Trend Analyst / Futurist) What insights can this voracious reader impart? Well - Listen Here! If you are at a loss as to what to read that can make your mind take a quantum leap into the future,…
22 Jan 2021 41 min
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