When Amin Cajee left South Africa to join the liberation struggle he believed he had volunteered to serve a democratic movement dedicated to bringing down an oppressive and racist regime. Instead, he writes, in this powerful and courageous memoir, "I found myself serving a movement that was relentless in exercising power and riddled with corruption".

Fordsburg Fighter traces an extraordinary physical journey – from home in South Africa, to training in Czechoslovakia and the ANC’s Kongwa camp in Tanzania to England. The book is both a significant contribution to opening up the hidden history of exile, and a documentation of Cajee’s emotional odyssey from idealism to disillusionment.

In his introduction to the book, Paul Joseph, ex-treason trialist, South African Communist Party member and MK recruiter, writes: ”What happened to them and to the others in that chaotic and confused time is both sad and tragic. But his honestly told story is essential for us to have a fuller picture of our history, if only to ensure, perhaps, that future generations will learn from our mistakes.’

In December 1965, in a smoke-filled hotel room in Morocco, South African journalist Terry Bell accepted a challenge: to paddle a kayak from London to Tangier.

At the time, Terry and his wife Barbara were living as political exiles in London. By August 1967, they agreed it was time to get back to Africa. But they decided to up the ante. Their plan: paddle 11 000 kilometres from England to Dar es Salaam in a 5-metre glass fibre kayak.

The book includes a section on culinary kayaking – the recipes that Barbara cooked along the way.

After dating several good-looking men with serious deficiencies, Sherry Johnson, the Executive Director of a transitional housing program, vows to leave the pretty-boys alone. That is until she encounters generous, kind hearted Keith Blair, whose family owns a chain of sporting goods stores. Keith admittedly has no interest in serious, long-term relationships and only wants a long-term fling with Sherry who rejects his advances. However, after several futile attempts to resist each other, the couple marries. Initially, they seem blissfully in love with a fairytale life until Keith's deficiencies are revealed and they separate, leaving stubborn and proud Sherry almost as helpless as the people she serves.

Upon discovering Sherry's pregnancy, Keith threatens to fight her for custody unless she moves back in with him until she gives birth; all the while insisting that it was for the sake of his child. Can this pretty-boy overcome his issues in time to salvage his family? Or should Sherry opt for the ordinary fellows?