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Open Book Festival 2025: Cape Town’s Most Beloved Literary Gathering Returns

From 5-7 September 2025, Cape Town’s vibrant literary scene comes alive
once more as the Open Book Festival returns to the city’s heart. A celebration
of books, ideas, conversation and community, this much-loved event invites
readers, writers and thinkers to come together in a shared love of storytelling.
First launched in 2011, Open Book has grown from a 60-event, five-day festival
into a major fixture on South Africa’s cultural calendar. With over 100 events

INK & APRONS | Cookbooks with Clout: PRHSA Wins Big with Seven Global Awards

In June 2025, Penguin Random House South Africa (PRHSA) proudly took
home an impressive seven accolades at the prestigious 30th Gourmand World
Cookbook Awards, held during the Cascais Food Summit in Portugal at the
Estoril Congress Centre. The event, hosted by Gourmand Awards founder
and president Edouard Cointreau, brought together culinary visionaries and

Extract: A First Time for Everything by K.L. Walther

From the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules comes a
charming coming-of-age romance about family, firsts, and finding love.
When Madeline’s brother gets engaged without telling anyone, she

Chow Down: Bunny Chow Four Ways

Messy, comforting, spicy and bold – there’s nothing quite like a bunny
chow. Born on the streets of 1940s Durban, this iconic South African
dish has become a national treasure, beloved for its no-frills brilliance
and big, unapologetic flavour. Whether it’s filled with fiery mutton,
classic beans, rich chicken curry or even a modern kota twist with
mince and mash, one thing’s certain: it’s best eaten with your hands

Extract: Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

A chilling new thriller from the author of Then She Was Gone about a
seemingly perfect man who slowly takes over your life – until he starts
disappearing without explanation. As suspicion and dread creep in, you
begin to question everything: his love, his past, and your own judgment.
A masterclass in psychological suspense, this novel explores manipulation,

Extract: The Eights by Joanna Miller

Oxford, 1920: For the first time, women are admitted to the university.
Four young women from different backgrounds move into rooms on
Corridor Eight, each carrying dreams – and secrets. As they pursue
education and freedom in a world still shaped by war, grief, and deep-
rooted sexism, their unexpected friendship becomes a powerful force.
Dora, Beatrice, Otto, and Marianne must navigate loss, ambition, and
identity in a society hesitant to change. Set against the backdrop of

Extract: In the Late of Night by Ntombi Nkabinde

Nomzamo wants a baby, but her husband keeps stalling. Kioni thinks
Michael’s ready to commit – until doubts creep in. Jazmine, a single
mom, has sworn off love, but a handsome new doctor tests her resolve.
And Asanda, driven and successful, is hunting for a man to match her
high standards. As their lives intertwine in surprising ways, these four
women learn that love is rarely simple – but always worth it. Warm,

Extract: Baddest Man by Mark Kriegel

On a legendary 1980s night, 21-year-old Mike Tyson knocked out Michael
Spinks in 91 seconds, earning more than the Lakers and Celtics’ annual
payrolls combined. Just eight years earlier, Tyson was a troubled kid taken
in by boxing legend Cus D’Amato. Their bond became the stuff of movies,
turning Tyson into HBO’s first star. But his story is darker than his victories.

Books to Carry You Through Hard Times

When life breaks us open – through grief, loss, illness, or change – it can
be hard to know where to turn. These seven deeply affecting books don’t
offer easy answers, but they do offer companionship, clarity, and courage.
From the wisdom of Holocaust survivors to the raw honesty of modern voices
like Glennon Doyle and Brené Brown, each one offers a unique path through
the pain and back to yourself. Whether you're facing heartbreak, burnout,

IN THEIR OWN WORDS | Ocean Vuong, Claire Robertson & Karin Mitchell

What does it mean to belong — to a place, a people, a history? Three powerful new books explore this question from strikingly different angles. Claire Robertson’s The Immortalites is a lyrical frontier epic set in 19th-century South Africa. Karin Mitchell’s The High Treason Club unpacks the chilling true story of the Boeremag bombings and trial.

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