John van de Ruit's Spud books are a publishing phenomenon in South Africa. My theory is that a large part of their appeal is the fact that Van de Ruit has managed to make the reader feel that they are part of the story. We've followed John “Spud” Milton through his last three years of boarding school – cheered at his successes, cringed at his family's madcap antics and followed his less-than-simple love life.
This is lovely. The spicy heat of the ginger biscuits works really well with
the sharp tang of the lime. And the texture is different to that of baked
cheesecake – this is very light and creamy. Because there’s no actual
baking involved, this cheesecake is ready a lot quicker than the previous
cheesecake recipes I’ve given. All the same, it’s not what you might call
speedy. There’s still a lot of sitting around in fridges being done.
Penguin Books and Love Books take pleasure in inviting you to the launch of Hamilton Wende‘s Only the Dead. Wende willl be in conversation with Robyn Curnow.
Date: Thursday, 11 October 2012
Time: 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Venue: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
Deep in the Ugandan jungle, a mysterious new presence has infiltrated the Claws of God - a cult army of child soldiers led by the depraved General Faustin. The children are now being controlled by the sinister Papa Mephisto, and believe he is possessed by the magic and power of the lion.
High-growth, high-return Africa, with much improved trading conditions, is the most sought after frontier destination for global investment today. However, there are 54 countries on the continent and even rigorous business plans can run aground on the unique and complex set of circumstances found in each of them. Business in Africa: Corporate Insights takes the reader to the coal face of doing business on the continent.
Penguin Books takes pleasure in inviting you to the launch of Conversations with My Sons and Daughters by Mamphela Ramphele.
Date: Thursday, 4 October 2012
Time: 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Venue: Gordon Institute of Business Science, 26 Melville Road, Illovo, Johannesburg
Escaping an England crippled by the Great War, twin brothers Edward and Derek Hughes head to South Africa where, soon after their arrival, they discover a rare Desert Elephant – an animal believed by many to be a myth. Following an ancient ghost trail to Bechuanaland they find that the enormous matriarch is not alone. She is being pursued by relentless shadows, a black light that will stop at nothing to bring her down.
In these conversations with people of a younger generation Mamphela Ramphele responds to the growing despair among young South Africans about the cracks that are appearing in our system of governance and threatening the idealism of the country that reinvented itself with the dawn of democracy in 1994.
Graham, you first met these leopard cubs back in the early 1990s. Why did you decide to tell this story now?
G: For years, various people nagged me, urging me to get the story out. It took me a long time to do because this is an extremely emotional subject for me to talk about.
How did the two of you meet and why did you decide to work together?
Penguin Books and Kalk Bay Books take pleasure in inviting you to the launch of The Land Within.
Date: Thursday, 4 October 2012
Time: 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Venue: Kalk Bay Books, 124 Main Road, Kalk Bay
RSVP: books@kalkbaybooks.co.za or 0217882266