Book Choice - August 2016

"Thank you for joining us, it’s good to be with you. This joyful hour: Andrew Marjoribanks, Wordsworth Books, gives us a grand bag of good books, Peter Soal declares his support for the DA and Mmusi Maimane as he reviews 'Mmusi Maimane – Prophet or Puppet by S’Thembiso Msomi', and Beverley Roos Muller was riveted by Raoul Wallenberg’s incredible rescue expedition which saved the lives of tens of thousands of Jews in Hungary during the last months of World War Two in 'Raoul Wallenberg: The Biography by Ingrid Carlberg'. Shangai Darangwa, Lifestyle Feature Writer for The Sunday Independent, takes an up close and critical look at Bongani Madondo’s 'Sigh the Beloved Country', Cindy Moritz found 'The Girls' by Emma Cline just fabulous. Philip Todres reviews two books which deal with Jewish immigrants to South Africa - 'The Reb and the Rebel' edited by Carmel Schrire and Gqynne Schrire, and 'Married to Medicine – Doctor Mary Gordon, Pioneer Woman Physician and Humanist' by Jack Metz and Gordon Metz. In December it will 20 years since Alison Botha was raped, disembowelled and left for dead. In twelve days the movie “I Have Life” will be premiered around the country. Vanessa Levenstein reviews Alison’s story as told to Marianne Thamm: "I Have Life", then Vanessa reviews two novels, one by well-known, well-loved author, Maggie O’Farrell, 'This Must Be the Place', the other by debut writer Kit de Wall: 'My Name is Leon'. Cape Town cookbook writer Phillippa Cheifitz munches her way through 'Eat Ting' by Mpho Tshukudu & Anna Trapido, a good book that looks at diet, weight and health for modern black South Africans. Mike Fitzjames, as always, scares us out of our wits with three chilling thrillers, and, if we have time, leading conservationist and author, John Hanks walks us through elephants’ 'Giant Steps' by Richard Peirce."