When he died in 2014, author Chris van Wyk left behind an impressive literary legacy. The scope of his work was broad – poetry, children’s books, short stories and biographies. But perhaps he is best remembered for his memoir Shirley, Goodness & Mercy, which chronicles his growing up in Riverlea and introduces us to the colourful characters who helped to shape his life and inform the stories he wrote.

The public persona of this witty and wise raconteur was well known, but behind it was a family man, who liked nothing better than to spend time with his two sons Kevin and Karl, his wife and childhood sweetheart Kathy, and the friends and family who were his primary sources of inspiration.

Using the unique vantage point of oldest son, Kevin van Wyk’s astute observations of his father and the strong bond they enjoyed throughout Chris’s life have resulted in a memoir that is as affectionate as it is entertaining. In taking us behind the scenes into the Van Wyk household, we witness the inner workings of the mind of a storyteller, from the flowering of his father’s activism, wit and wisdom to the sources of his occasional quirky outbursts. If storytelling runs in the genes, Kevin may just be proof that his father’s spirit lives on.

After forty years of entertaining and mesmerizing audiences with his effervescent dancing and bubbly stage personality, veteran performer and producer Alistair Izobell was the consummate professional and showman. A household name from his performances as a nine-year-old boy in District Six the musical, to his cover version hit in 1993 - Venus. With theatre performances in Kat and the Kings, The Buddy Holly Story, The Doo Wha Boys, co-writing Remembering the Lux and more, life was amazing for this creative. Producing show after show, leaving audiences with lifelong memories. Introducing new talent to the industry, nurturing existing talent, writing theme songs for soap operas and a song for an international Grammy award winning group. The sky was the limit. But it was all smoke and mirrors. There was darkness behind the spotlight.

Alistair never knew he was suffering from depression and the walls were closing in. The patriarchal system that we as a society have become accustomed to had come to bear with a bit of karma, after a massive betrayal in his life, and the cards came crashing down.

On the 13th September 2023 Alistair Izobell tried to take his life. It was all too much for him to carry on. Having survived suicide, he now had to face every good, bad and ugly reality, every decision, the trauma, and results of a life handed over to show business at a young age. The road to recovery and healing has and will be a long one. But when you want to heal and find your smile and freedom, nothing can stop you.

Broken to Heal is born from the sessions of therapy and wanting to be better. A book of anecdotes inviting the reader into the life and world of this performer we forgot was a normal child, husband, father, and friend. This book is aimed to let those who enjoy the work of performers think a little deeper about the enormous naked emotional journey creatives go through for them to enjoy the beauty of their art. But to remember that there is a real human being behind the curtains with the same life challenges we all carry. It is also a hand of hope to someone out there suffering from depression, to remind them that all is not lost, and there is help and kindness that you have access to.

There is medical help that you have at your disposal and that you are never alone in your darkness. Someone is waiting for you to say I need help. And more than anything, YOU BELONG HERE!

‘I share to normalise talking about those shameful, hurtful things we keep hidden. I share because shame loses its power when we find safe spaces to share our truth … and when women heal, generations heal.’

To her thousands of fans, Wisdom & Wellness founder, speaker and influencer Mpoomy Ledwaba is a symbol of strength and women empowerment. But going from university dropout to Forbes magazine’s list of 30 Under 30 wasn’t always easy – it took a lot of courage and a commitment to personal growth.

How Did We Get Here? is her coming-of-age story. Looking back on her upbringing, major milestones and the challenges she’s faced, Mpoomy takes us on her journey of self-discovery. Behind the Instagram likes and thousands of YouTube subscribers is a bright girl who sometimes bit off more than she could chew. This mother of two, who is married to an award-winning musician, didn’t always have a plan and rarely fitted the mould of ‘the good wife’.

In this frank account, Mpoomy writes openly about the hurt she’s experienced, the mistakes she’s made and some of the hard truths she’s had to learn about life, but also about how her faith has been a guiding light. As a firm believer in the power of stories, she uses her personal history to show how to live a purposeful life on all levels.

Soos vinkel en koljander, dís Najma Abrahams (Tietie) en Azba Fanie (Nanna). Dié twee TikTok-tuiskokke se hande staan vir niks verkeerd óf stil nie, veral nie vir die kospotte nie. Hul resepte is hartskos – niks fensie bestanddele nie, net geurige regte, egte huiskos met ’n Kaaps-Maleise twist.

Groenboontjiebredie, tamatiekos, split pea-sop en selfs die vergete sagobredie, blomkoolbredie, panfrikkadel, Nando’s-hoender, broodpoeding en dhaltjies eerlik gemaak, sonder fieterjasies – dit is mos die onopgesmukte huiskos waarna elkeen verlang. Die kerries is natuurlik ook daar – suikerboon-, hoender-, dhal- en mincekerrie, breyani, noem maar op. Snoek-in-die-oond, kerrievis en seekos-paella (times are tough, ’n mens moet maar ’n paar maande of so spaar daarvoor, sê die twee siezas) bring die see in jou kospotte. Vir “broke week” is daar sakpas-randrekkers soos dhanya-soesys, eierkerrie en spaghetti-en-sardyne. Tietie se peperminttert en lemon meringue is uit ’n ander wêreld en Nanna se braised skaapnek sal enige onthaaltafel laat kreun van smaakgenot. Mavrou, Tietie se lamsvleis-weergawe van dié tradisionele gereg wat in die Kaaps-Maleise kultuur by troues voorgesit word, is ’n tydlose treffer.

En moenie van die happies en lekkernye vergeet nie – dis nou die “soet en sout” waarmee Mzansi se mense grootgeword en die lewe om elke hoek en draai gevier het. Watertand-verleidings soos bollas, flapjacks, skons, snowballs, patatkoekies, sweetcorn fritters en vele meer. Samoesas en roti’s kry variasies in geure en kleure om van te droom. (Só sê Tietie: Roti is baie versatile – eet dit met kerrie, masala steak of selfs as ’n poeding. Dis tog te lekker met strawberries, strawberry jam en cream.)

Nou ja, as jy nie so ’n tuiskombuis geken het nie, is jy waarskynlik reeds daaraan voorgestel op Tietie en Nanna se kookprogram, Tietie en Nanna kook op VIA, kanaal 147 op DStv, of in hul stories en kwinkslae op Instagram en TikTok.

Met Tietie en Nanna se onfeilbare resepte, perfek beproef, kan elkeen weer huiskos, soos ons ma’s, oumas en tantes dit gemaak het, in hul eie kombuise opdis.

This book is an all-encompassing guide to everything Jan Braai currently knows about braaing. It is a celebration of this wonderful South African tradition, in which 15–20 million South Africans participate each year on 24 September on National Braai Day. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this cultural event, Jan Braai has put together more than 200 recipes that can be cooked over and enjoyed alongside a wood fire.

Divided into 20 chapters, the book includes recipes for traditional favourites such as classic potjies, steaks, burgers and ribs, to less conventional dishes prepared on the braai, including pasta, pizza, salads and desserts. Every dish is delectable and the accompanying photography will have your mouth watering, and your family and friends clamouring for a get-together around the braai fire while you put your braai skills to the test. Jan Braai’s clear instructions and no-nonsense attitude to the art of braai will ensure that even newbie braaiers will easily pull off these recipes.

There is something for everyone in this book. Readily available ingredients mean it’s a breeze to put the meals together, as most items are probably on hand already, or can be sourced with minimal effort or a quick trip to the supermarket.

Also available in Afrikaans, as 'Atmosvuur'.

A story of Mandela’s top cop, steeped in apartheid-era sabotage across local and global criminal investigations spanning decades. Add in nefarious individuals, from an informant once close to Colombia’s Pablo Escobar, to several suspected Cape Town crime kingpins, the stakes only get higher.

This is the scandal that has lacerated the South African Police Service, and implicated some of the country’s top cops and politicians. Bestselling author Caryn Dolley provides unprecedented insight into how apartheid-era policing structures lay the foundations for cop-gangster collusion and how these have endured into democracy.

With exclusive access to retired policeman André Lincoln’s life, Dolley exposes the dirty ploys that have swung South Africa’s trajectory; how street-level killings could be flashpoints of deep state proxy wars; and raises suspicions about who in Nelson Mandela’s realm backstabbed whom.

Francois van Coke span met die skryf van hierdie biografie saam met Annie Klopper om in sy eie stem die gebeure te vertel wat hom as mens en musikant gevorm het. Sy perspektief word gebied op als van Fokofpolisiekar tot Van Coke Kartel, die sukses van “Toe vind ek jou” en sy rol as afrigter op The Voice. Minder bekende en onbekende verhale word ook vertel oor wilde partytjies, vuisgevegte, dwelms, nagte in tronkselle, liefde, soberheid en pa-wees. Dít is sy stories, hoe hý dit onthou.

4 World Champions. 3 Priceless Points. 2 Cups Back-To-Back. 1 Phenomenal Journey

In this timely follow-up to The Fireside Springbok, Bok to Bok details the electrifying Springbok campaign at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Featuring Mike Greenaway's analysis as well as the words from various Springbok Team Players and Coaches, perfectly complemented by the images of Steve Haag and other photographers. Discover the story behind the Springboks' rugby success in this riveting account showcasing their unwavering dedication to uplifting South Africans through the sport they love. Dive into the heart of a team that plays not just to win, but to unite and inspire a nation.

The legendary All-Black captain Richie McCaw once said that an advantage the Springboks enjoyed was the responsibility they felt to play for the greater good of their  country. McCaw came to that conclusion after sharing a room with Bok captain John  Smit for a week before a game for the Barbarians. McCaw was spot on. The deep urge  the Boks feel to help South Africans endure hardships by winning rugby games is at the  heart of how in 2023 they defended the World Cup title they had won in 2019.

That 2019 win for Siya Kolisi's team was unexpected and the players were thrilled to see  what the win meant for a country that suffers more than most. Kolisi's men have said  they went to France with greater pressure on them compared to Japan four years before. This time they knew millions of their countrymen were counting on them to bring home  the Webb Ellis Cup. There was expectation of happy times and that gave the players a  strong responsibility to deliver. That sense of duty explains why the Boks, on three  weekends in a row, finished on the right side of one-point victories over the best teams  in the world.

To win one game by one point could be luck, but to do it three times in a row is not.  France coach Fabian Galthié said after his team had lost to South Africa in the quarter- finals: "One point can be nothing but also everything.* Never were truer words said  because when it truly mattered, the Boks dug deep and found a way to get over the line  with their noses in front. Again and again and again. When the final whistle sounded to  spark mass celebrations in South Africa, SuperSport commentator Matthew Pearce  encapsulated the moment perfectly.

He roared:

IT'S OVER!
THE SPRINGBOKS GO BACK-TO-BACK, THEY GO BOK TO BOK!
THEY ARE THE FIRST TO FOUR!

This book tells you how the Springboks did it, with Mike Greenaway's analysis and the words of the players and coaches perfectly complemented by the images of Steve Haag and other photographers.

Food and memory are inextricably linked; flavours and dishes evoke emotion, rooted in nostalgia or specific experiences. The Hungry Table embodies this idea. For Fatima Saib, food exists as a backdrop to her childhood memories, intertwined with her precious relationship with her late father. Derived from this culinary inspiration, the book expertly weaves story and memory through a journey of over 90 contemporary recipes, most with a nod to the author’s South African-Indian heritage.

With this in mind, the book is divided into five chapters, each one tapping into a feeling. The Basics offers an array of chutneys, sauces, pickles and flavour-enhancers to round off any dish. Togetherness is an ode to food that is best shared among friends and family, like hot honey fried chicken and fragrantly layered biryanis. Comfort covers those recipes that warm the body and soul from the inside out, like dhal and rasmalai. From Fast, expect deliciously quick-and-easy dishes like chilli crunch toasted cheese or yoghurt and cardamom potato curry. And for those slower days, when time is best used to explore and enjoy, look to Relaxed, for dishes like parathas, sticky BBQ lamb ribs or creamy cabbage and corn bake.

The Hungry Table ignites the senses, telling a story of time and place, reminding readers to slow down and enjoy food and the way it makes us feel. It is an invitation into the kitchen, to enjoy the catharsis of cooking and the dishes that result, and, perhaps most importantly, to be nourished by the memories created in the process.

How do you build a new bank from scratch? What does it require to take on the big four – Absa, Standard Bank, FNB and Nedbank – and to win?

In Capitec: Stalking Giants, top-selling business author TJ Strydom tells the gripping tale of a small team of entrepreneurs that in the early 2000’s turned a small microlending network into a challenger bank.

Cape Town's trailblazing sporting sensation, Malikah Hamza, continues to break barriers as she secures a spot on South Africa's National Hockey team for the upcoming World Championships.

At just 20 years old, the Kensington resident has already made history in German hockey and scored nearly 2 000 career goals as she’s ready to represent the country on the global stage. Malikah’s passion for sports started early, driven by a natural enthusiasm for competition and teamwork. She excelled in various sports such as soccer, golf, cricket, swimming, and water polo before falling in love with hockey at the age of 9, fully committing to it after finishing high school. In 2023, she made history as the youngest South African female to compete for the women's first team of Harvestehuder Hockey Club in Germany.

This book is part of a series inspired by true events from her athletic journey. “There are a lot of benefits with this book, being that it is a sports book and very relatable. I think it is quite nice that it is there for the community to inspire the next generation,” Malikah said.

World Champions (2nd edition) continues the story of South African rugby in a new chapter that includes coverage of the momentous 2023 Rugby World Cup win by South Africa’s Springboks.

South Africa won the 2023 Rugby World Cup by defeating New Zealand 12-11 in front of more than 80 000 spectators at the Stade de France. As this 2nd edition shows, in winning the Webb Ellis Cup for the fourth time, the Springboks became the competition’s most successful team. Back-to-back victories in Yokohama in 2019 and Paris in 2023 inspired a renewed appreciation of the skills that have always existed across South Africa’s racial spectrum. In its telling of this story, World Champions 2nd Edition again offers readers insights that go beyond the media-led rendition of South African rugby.

Further additions to this 2nd edition include a revised Introduction, expanded Index, updates to the history of South Africa’s first steps toward playing international rugby in the late nineteenth century, as well as additional content about, inter alia institutions such as the national governing bodies, and the winning teams in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023.

In this way, the 2nd edition continues to provide both the most-relevant and most-current history of South African rugby and the many organisations and individuals that have contributed to its evolution.

Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido are languishing in Stellenbosch. Run-of-the-mill police work in the leafy university town is a far cry from their previous life in the elite HAWKS. But when a student is found dead on a mountain trail, the two detectives find themselves trying to unpick a stubbornly difficult mystery.

In the north of the country, meanwhile, a beautiful wildlife guide is recruited by a group of special forces soldiers to act as a honeytrap, part a dangerous multi-million-dollar heist that goes tragically wrong. Then back in Stellenbosch, a local businessman is found murdered in what looks like a professional hit - suffocated by fast-action filler foam sprayed down his throat. A message to keep silent - but about what?

You need a cool head to unravel it all, because sadly, the thieves and criminals are as likely to be in government - or even the police - as on the streets. You need to stay calm, focused - and sober. Benny may be sober these days, but he's not feeling calm. Solving this puzzle is turning into a deadly race against time and there's another date that's coming towards him like an express train. Alexa has fixed the date for their wedding. Big trouble, on every front.

Hiking the Fish is the ultimate planner for anyone wanting to embark on the Fish River Canyon Trail. Written by expert adventure guides, it combines practical advice, handy tips and full-colour photographs to bring this exhilarating five-day hike to life.

A detailed introduction to the canyon and its surrounds is followed by chapters that cover planning and preparation; bookings and accommodation; hiking, cooking and sleeping gear; nutrition and meal planning; and first aid.

A comprehensive day-by-day route description forms the core of the book.

Wanneer spraakstramme skaapboer Jada Olivier op sy Karooplaas Erfdeel met die bewustelose, gebroke liggaam van ’n vreemdeling aankom, sluit hy die ketting van die plaashek en raak ’n gevangene van sy besluit.

“Die Onsigbare is ’n rare spin van die tradisionele plaasroman . . . bevestigend, andersmakend en uiteindelik vierend.” – Frederik de Jager

“’n Mens moet dit verwelkom as ’n profetiese roman van ons tyd.” – Kerneels Breytenbach

Owami has been happily married for years, until she gets blindsided by her husband’s infidelity. She is pressured into staying in the marriage even though their relationship never fully recovers.

On the other side of Johannesburg, Akani is experiencing marital problems of his own. Having left his job to start his own company, his usually supportive wife becomes less so the moment she becomes the breadwinner.

And then, fortuitously, Owami and Akani’s paths cross. They begin a passionate relationship, one that their respective marriages can’t put asunder. Meanwhile, in a restaurant, a man and woman are flipping a coin to determine who should be killed first by the hitman they’ve hired . . .

All relationships are complicated. But if you had to make a choice, what would you decide: love, marry or kill?

A brand new edition of Martinique Stilwell’s beloved memoir, Thinking Up a Hurricane.

In the spring of 1977, Frank Stilwell launched Vingila, 17 tons of welded together 11-millimeter steel plates. Never one to be daunted by a challenge or resisted in any way, he took his nine-year-old twins Robert and Martinique out of school, persuaded his wife Maureen that they would all learn to sail and cope with life on the open seas as they went, and prepared to follow his dream of circumnavigating the world.

In this unique coming-of-age memoir, Martinique Stilwell’s recounting of her true-life gypsy childhood is poignant, funny and heartbreaking. With the wisdom and innocence of a child’s point of view, it is a powerful and tender story of physical and emotional adversity, of family dysfunction and the ties that bind, and of the shackles and exhilarating freedom of growing up different.

Quick and easy one-pot meals

Award -winning author Louisa Holst is back with another brilliant concept: A collection of simple and delicious dishes that are cooked on the stovetop using only one pot or pan.

In ONE POT, Louisa serves up nutritious weeknight winners that are big on flavour and on your table in under an hour. You save time, effort and money, with the added bonus of less washing up.

ONE POT is for anyone looking for quick-and-easy family supper solutions using economical, local ingredients.

The book is ideal for busy people, families and young adults, as well as for weeknight meals and camping trips and has everything from cooking tips, soups, stir-fries, pasta and rice dishes, to batch cooking and sweet treats.

By the author of the super selling series: The South African Air Fryer Cookbook.

'What will we find in the uncut grass?'
'It depends on what we’re looking for.'

From Trevor Noah, the author of the #1 bestselling memoir Born a Crime, comes a gorgeously illustrated fable in the tradition of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse about a young child’s journey into the world beyond the shadow of home, a magical landscape where he discovers the secrets of solidarity, connection, and finding peace with the people we love.

Infused with Trevor’s signature wit and imagination, in collaboration with visionary artist Sabina Hahn, it's a tale for readers of all ages – to be read aloud or read alone.

On 10 June 1980, during a seemingly endless day of bloody fighting, 13 men of the South African Defence Force died and several more were wounded after 61 Mechanised Infantry Battalion Group attacked a vast complex of Swapo military bases in Angola.

During Operation Sceptic second lieutenant Paul Louw led his platoon in four Ratel infantry fighting vehicles to a battleground called Smokeshell. In the ensuing chaos of that day 12 national servicemen of his platoon of 44 were killed and he himself was wounded. In a separate incident during the fighting his company second-in-command was also slain. One of his troops, 18-year-old HP Ferreira, was shot through the pelvis by a 14,5 mm anti-aircraft round and also hit by AK-47 bullets.

Louw spent the night drenched in the blood and guts of his men, hunkered down with a handful of other survivors in a Ratel destroyed by an RPG 7 rocket, isolated from the rest of the South African attack force.

Blood Brothers records the dramatic events that took place in Angola that day, in the words of the survivors of the battle. It investigates the human cost of war after the last shots have been fired and follows the veterans as they return to the battleground four decades later in search of peace.

‘You only need to win a game by one point.’ – Jacques Nienaber after South Africa’s tournament opener against Scotland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Little did the coach know that it would take three one-point games to propel the Springboks into the history books as four-time winners of the Webb Ellis Cup.

In 2017 the Boks looked punch-drunk as Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus watched them being overpowered by Ireland. The following year, the coaching duo took up the reins little more than 18 months before the 2019 RWC in Japan. And so began a journey that was to end in victory in the Stade de France six years later.

Twice the Glory goes deep inside the Bok story of that historic era.

Filled with drama, cheers and tears, it will have you on the edge of your seat as you relive each nail-biting moment. It’s all here: the Covid disruption, Siya Kolisi’s rise to the captaincy, Rassie in hot water over that video, injury blows and the emergence of new talent as they head off to France. The book also includes penetrating analysis and insights from the self-effacing Nienaber into how this team became the finest the world has seen.

A recurring theme is the friendship between Jacques and Rassie that goes all the way back to their university days, and why they decided to come home to South Africa to ‘turn things around’.

Dive into the world of air frying with celebrity chef Herman Lensing and discover why this versatile gadget is your new best friend in the kitchen!

For his latest cookbook, Herman has selected his top 100 air fryer recipes that will take your taste buds on an unforgettable adventure. From mouthwatering breakfasts, sultry side dishes, succulent mains, boujee baking and delectable desserts, his creative flair and culinary genius shine through in every dish.

Starving for meals that are quick and easy to prepare? Look no further. Whether you're a novice cook or a seasoned pro, this book is packed with fun, flavour, and fabulousness.

In The Truth About Cape Slavery, Patric Tariq Mellet argues that modern South Africa – its economy and politics – is shaped and established on the foundation of chattel slavery just like the United States of America.

Cape slavery, rather than minor, was a crucial feature of maritime capitalism. This then moved to become the cornerstone of the Cape’s agricultural economy.

The South African Keto and Intermittent Fasting Cookbook gives you all the tools you need to make the positive switch to a healthier you.

In this book, Rita and Natalie guide you through every step of your ketogenic journey, explaining the reasoning behind the keto diet and intermittent fasting, and how easy and accessible a ketogenic lifestyle is.

Complete with:

• A 12-step programme
• A list of carb levels per foodstuff
• Shopping lists and delicious recipes
• 7-day meal plans including dairy-free, budget, carnivore, camping, and intermittent fasting
• Nutritional information, testimonials and tips
• Keto Q & A

Say hello to low-carb, high-fat eating and goodbye to carbo-loaded bread, pasta, grains and starchy veggies!

Excellentia is g’n gewone skool nie. Die plek is vol geheime en tradisies wat Quinn se hare laat rys. Maar sy is nie daar om te integreer nie – sy is daar om te leer. Ongelukkig is die lewe nie so voorspelbaar soos ’n chemie-eksperiment nie. En soms maak dit nie saak wat jy doen nie, die moeilikheid kom soek jou.