Reading
Books on air.
Every book South African radio talked about this month: the authors interviewed, the titles recommended, and what was said about each, with the audio.
127 titles · 250 airings · 5 stations · last 30 days
76 books
Newest airing first. Clear the chips above for the whole month.
Book · memoir · South African
Love and Lobola
Neewa Nons Omabena
A cookbook-style memoir in which the author tells her love story through food, presented as a great coffee table book that is also worth reading even for people who do not cook. The host plans to discuss the book and her story with her on air.
Book · memoir · South African
Long Walk to Freedom
Nelson Mandela
Named as a companion text to read alongside other books by people involved in South Africa's transition, described as documenting that period. The speaker calls it an important book that must be read alongside those works.
Book · non-fiction · South African
From One Mother to Another
Nandanda Rambani
A new book by Tando Rambani about motherhood, launched on the show with the author as a guest. The host congratulates her on writing it.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Checkmate: How Shoprite Checkers Rewrote the Rules and Won
Stephen Bookey Siddeley
A book on Shoprite Checkers' rise as an iconic success story, covering its data-driven strategy, market power, labour and privacy criticisms. The author says the company's executives were pleased with the account despite some criticisms left unaddressed.
21 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · historical · South African
The Ghost of Sam Webster
Craig Higginson
A novel about a British-South African historical setting and a character who changes over the story, exploring why people return to national touchstones. The host strongly recommends it as spectacular writing with interesting history.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
The After 40 Dilemma
Dr. Babalwa Maholwana
The author discusses her book The After 40 Dilemma, focusing on blended families and why people in their forties can find it hard to open their minds and hearts to new partners. She says openness also means being willing to unlearn old habits.
3 airings · SAfm
Book · memoir · South African
The Smallest Ones
Popina Kumanda
A memoir by Popina Kumanda about her harrowing but inspiring survival story, recently published by Penguin Random House. The host urges listeners to get a copy.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland
Ashley Khan
An author interview about a book on the making of Paul Simon's Graceland album, marking its 40th anniversary. The host urges listeners to get the book, which is out now in bookstores.
4 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
The Four Principles
Adrian Gore
A business and leadership book by Discovery founder Adrian Gore, presenting research on what brings out people's full potential and how to give readers hope. Richard Sutton, who read it before publication, calls it a masterclass.
Book · memoir · South African
Held
Lulama Marley
A slim memoir subtitled Portrait of the Black Family, following three generations of a family in Guguletu's Native Yards. It describes township life unblinkingly, with music as a recurring theme, and its lyrical prose is praised as readable and beautiful.
5 airings · Cape Talk
Book · memoir · South African
Under a Blood Red Sky
Anna Marie van Neckerk
The author discusses her book, first published in Dutch, then translated into Afrikaans and English, which grew from trips to South Africa and a friend's funeral. She describes how writing from the Netherlands gave her the distance to see the bigger picture. The book is published by Tafelberg.
4 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Sexponential
Nikki Brive
A book by Nikki Brive on desire and the factors driving it in couples, including medical and trauma-related causes of sexual difficulties and the role of talking openly. The host urges listeners to find it in bookstores.
2 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
The Life and Death of a Rock and Roll Sailor
Diane Kutzer
A former music journalist, Diane Kutzer, writes about her brother-in-law Anthony Murray, who was lost at sea with two other crew 11 years ago. Anthony wanted a book written, and the title came from his own recordings. The book blends music, adventure, memory and loss.
8 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
What Now: The Work of Celebrated Poet, Public Speaker, and Podcaster Zama Mkize
Zama Mkize
Zama Mkize discusses her debut book, which grew out of grief after her mother died and a plan that fell apart. It explores how to recover when life's plans fail and how patience helps in building a plan B.
Book · memoir · South African
Qualified Disappointment
Prev Reddy
An actor known as Auntie Shamilla on TikTok shares a personal story of growing up queer, brown and ambitious in a conservative South African Indian household and building a comedy career. The title comes from a phrase the author used in a show before the book.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · memoir · South African
Swift: a memoir
Melinda Ferguson
A memoir by Melinda Ferguson about her grief after her husband Matt died, centred on a moment of release involving a baby bird. Guests describe it as moving and hopeful, though hard to read, and advise listeners to have tissues ready.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
CEO Nights
Nyimbini Mabunda
A leadership book built on conversations with 15 senior CEOs, organised around 15 themes such as authenticity, purpose and courage. The author says it is written in his own voice and offers a way to think through current leadership problems, including for people who are not CEOs.
3 airings · SAfm
Book · non-fiction · South African
Mayors, 140 years of making and breaking the city
Philip Harrison and Christopher McMichael
A history of Johannesburg told through the stories of more than 100 mayors, from the city's mining-town beginnings through colonial, apartheid and democratic eras. Presented as well researched yet accessible, and timely ahead of local government elections.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Dr. Abdullah Abdurahman
Martin Plaut · 2020
An author discusses his biography of Dr. Abdullah Abdurahman, a South African politician and community leader, drawing on archive research. He argues the book's subject deserves rediscovery and offers copies as giveaway prizes.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Cry the Beloved Country
Alan Paton
A speaker recalls that a teacher gave them a copy of Cry the Beloved Country. Reading it was life-changing and was their first real engagement with politics.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Out of This World and Into the Next
Adriana Marias
A book on the history of human exploration, from the origins of life to the space age, described as a South African take on Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. The guest presents it as a book that links exploration to making money.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland
Ashley Kahn
Author Ashley Kahn discusses his book about Paul Simon's album Graceland and its making, based on about 80 interviews. He describes the research process, the album's studio story, and his time touring South Africa with Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Paul Simon: The Trials and Triumphs of Graceland
Ashley Kahn
Music historian Ashley Kahn discusses his new book on the making of Paul Simon's Graceland album, published in South Africa by Jonathan Ball and now in store. Host Martin Myers interviews him about why the book matters and its personal connections.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Making Rugby an African Game
Pilani Nongogo
A 376-page academic non-fiction work examining the history of rugby in South Africa, centring the experiences and contributions of Black rugby players and communities often overlooked in mainstream sporting accounts. The author discusses its four parts, 20 chapters, and its exploration of rugby, colonialism, racial exclusion and heritage.
Book · memoir · South African
The Rock and Roll Years: Cricket in an Umpire's Orbit
Maria Erasmus
Former international cricket umpire Maria Erasmus discusses her book, which includes her picks for best Test, ODI and South African XIs drawn from players she stood in matches for.
4 airings · Cape Talk
Book · thriller · South African
The Death of Us
Abigail Dean
A novel in which a woman, Isabel, is asked to prepare a victim impact statement after the man who assaulted her is caught. The novel gives her a chance to reclaim control over a situation in which she was powerless.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · cookbook · South African
Bella's Kitchen: a South African Food Odyssey
Isabella Niehaus
The author discusses her cookbook of food stories and recipes, from a savoury smoked snoek cheesecake to a pork and pistachio terrine, and a final chapter of recipes sent in by friends. The host calls it an extraordinary book for its stories as well as its recipes and urges listeners to look for it in bookstores.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · memoir · South African
Tracks in the Dust
Mario Cesare
A nature book about the bush and its unique creatures, published by Jonathan Ball. Listeners are urged to look for it in bookstores.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · memoir · South African
My Father Died for This
Abigail Palata and Lukhanyo Calata
A book written by Abigail Palata and Lukhanyo Calata. The speaker recommends it and describes a vivid, emotional scene from it about a three-year-old boy watching people gather at his father's funeral.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Keto Lifestyle Simple
Hendrik More
A keto cookbook and lifestyle guide offering recipes and advice on adapting to a ketogenic diet, including substitutes for sugar and suggested serving sizes. The guest explains which artificial sweeteners suit keto eaters.
Book · non-fiction · South African
101 Remarkable South African Women
Lizette Rabe
A non-fiction collection of stories about remarkable South African women, including an enslaved woman who became an entrepreneur and owned farms. Published by Tafelberg, it is praised as an inspiring collection and is recommended for the weekend, available in good bookstores.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
101 Remarkable South African Women from Prehistory to the Present
Lizette Rabe
A compilation of short biographies of South African women, from prehistory to the present, covering figures in politics, the arts, media and sport. The author urges men as well as women to read it to understand the struggle women have faced, and it is presented as a book to read a story from each night.
Book · non-fiction · South African
So What's In a Name?
Malcolm Fenter
A new book by Dr Malcolm Fenter that looks behind South African place names, organised by province, towns, rivers and mountains. The host describes it as quirky, reader-friendly and great fun to explore.
5 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
AI: Humanity's Greatest Frenemy
Nikki Verd
The author discusses how AI-generated evidence and voices make it hard to trust what we see and hear. She argues AI is here to stay, is neither good nor bad, and offers ways to navigate it, such as skepticism, safe words and pausing before authorizing transactions.
7 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
Ascari
Jacob Dlamini
A caller refers the host to Ascari by Jacob Dlamini, which he says outlines that many current ANC leaders were apartheid spies, making apartheid crimes hard to prosecute.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Things I Wish I Knew: What No One Teaches You About Starting and Growing a Business
A business book written as a letter to the author's younger self, sharing lessons on entrepreneurship such as accepting failure and the importance of selling. The author discusses its key chapters and says entrepreneurs facing growing pains will find it reassuring.
2 airings · SAfm, 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
DF Malan and the Rise of Afrikaner Nationalism
Lindy Quartz
A historian's book on DF Malan, the former Dutch Reformed minister who led the National Party to power in 1948. The author is interviewed about whether Malan's commitment to segregation was consistent or hardened over time.
Book · children's · South African
Playgrounds
Naliedi Masobam Sibi
A children's book about bullying, with lessons from each character at the end. The author describes a companion online platform that also speaks to adults about bullying in workplaces.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Behind Prison Walls: Unlocking a Safer South Africa
Rebecca Gore, Edwin Cameron, Suhana Surajpal
A co-authored book on prisons and crime in South Africa, introduced when the co-author Rebecca Gaul joins the programme. It addresses how incarceration and minimum sentencing affect the prison population.
3 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
AI, Humanity's Greatest Frenemy
Nikki Verd
A local non-fiction book argues that artificial intelligence is neither simply good nor bad, but can empower and harm people at the same time. The author explains why she calls AI a frenemy and rejects both the hate and the uncritical hype.
Book · memoir · South African
185
Fredoz Munda
A sports memoir of South African footballer Janine van Wyk, the most capped African footballer, male or female, with 185 international appearances. It was told to sports journalist Fredoz Munda, who discusses her childhood in Johannesburg and her career playing in African townships and abroad.
Book · fiction · South African
The Village Call: Stories from Back Home
Sam Shakong
A collection of 15 short stories by Sam Shakong about his village, Pogwane, his years in exile and his return to see the changes there. The author discusses how the stories are arranged in three perspectives.
Book · short stories · South African
The Village Calls: Stories from Back Home
Sam Shakong
A collection of short stories by sociologist, art collector and writer Sam Shakong, set back home in the village. The host previews that the author will join the show to talk about the latest anthology in the literature corner.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Inkonjane
Umbali Mapoli
A South African registered dietitian discusses her book Inkonjane, a nutrition guide to heart health. It argues that South Africans can eat well cheaply using foods they already have, and covers salt reduction, sugary drinks, alcohol and cooking methods.
Book · children's · South African
It's Just Nuts
Christina Castle
A children's book that teaches young readers about investing through an ant and acorn story. It is the third in a series, each book covering a different investing concept, such as speculating versus investing.
Book · biography · South African
Walter Sisulu: A Sense of Outrage
Tom Lodge
An academic interview about a new biography of Walter Sisulu, begun by the late Tom Lodge and completed by the guest. The guest explains the title, the cover photo choice, and the aim of reaching ordinary South Africans, arguing Sisulu has been underrated.
Book · biography · South African
Walter Sisulu, A Sense of Outrage
Tom Lodge
A new biography of ANC leader Walter Sisulu, begun by Tom Lodge and completed by Professor Roger Southall after Lodge's death. The guest argues it reveals Sisulu's organising skill and steely character, and that he has been overshadowed by Mandela.
Book · non-fiction · South African
How the International Monetary Fund Strangles Africa
Greeve Chila
A co-written book examining the International Monetary Fund's role in Africa, arguing from the historical record since the 1960s about debt servicing, structural adjustment and austerity policies.
2 airings · 702, Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
The Life and the Death of a Rock and Roll Sailor
Diane Kutzer
A true story about Anthony Murray and two crew members, Reg Robertson and Jared Payne, who vanished at sea in January 2015 while sailing a catamaran from Cape Town to Thailand. The author discusses the search and the events surrounding the loss.
Book · non-fiction · South African
South Africa's Easy Elections Guide
Nicolaus Bauer
A free guide to South Africa's local government system, aimed at helping voters make an informed choice before the elections. It covers the metros, the municipal structure and the coalition landscape in simple terms.
2 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · children's · South African
Butterfly Heart
Lalo Mogoko
An author discusses her children's book Butterfly Heart and its translation into nine South African languages, including the choice of words for grief and the deep connection to the heart. Listeners are told it is sold in good bookstores and online, and that readings will be announced later.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Evolving Voices
Numpumle Mkize
Author Dr Numpumle Mkize discusses her book Evolving Voices, which examines leadership, family relationships and cultural values. It covers generational experiences, social transformation, and women's leadership and empowerment, stressing equal opportunities and shared responsibility for gender equality.
2 airings · SAfm
Book · non-fiction · South African
Boxers Die Alone
Njabulo Ndebele
A sports book by Professor Njabulo Ndebele that applies philosophical thinking to boxing. It traces the lives of South African boxers from Mdantsane, following their poverty, training, and their relationships with trainers and managers.
Book · non-fiction · South African
The Zuma Effect
A political study by two political scientists that recounts former President Zuma's rise and presidency, examining his personality, ethnic background, populism and ability to mobilise. It draws on more than 50 interviews with insiders and runs to about 500 pages.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Where To From Here: Populism and Coalition Politics in South Africa
Tara Russ
The author discusses coalition politics in South Africa and how parties will negotiate power nationally and locally. She urges young South Africans to research parties and vote responsibly. The host calls it a recommended read.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · children's · South African
Masana the Brave
Buno Seleisho
A children's book about a girl's first period, following her journey from surprise to confidence while staying bubbly and brave. The author discusses how it challenges stigma and helps children, boys included, talk openly about puberty. It was developed through a collaboration with a feminine hygiene brand.
4 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · travel · South African
Guide to the Cederberg
David Bristow
A new travel guide to the Cederberg region, published as it has just hit the shelves. The author joins the show to share advice on how best to navigate this part of the world.
Book · non-fiction · South African
The Employed Entrepreneur
Tembi Boutelle
A practical business book for professionals who want to build businesses while still employed. The author explains how to test a business idea with customers and reduce upfront costs using deposits and outsourced delivery.
2 airings · Power FM
Book · memoir · South African
How I Lost My Sight and Gained My Vision
Aubrey Paul Pedi
The author, who is blind, talks about his book on his experiences and the challenges persons with disabilities face. He says it shows what people with disabilities can achieve. An e-book version is said to be coming to an online bookstore.
2 airings · Kaya 959
Book · science fiction · South African
Toward Eternity
Anton Hur
A debut novel starting in Cape Town about nanotherapy that remakes patients' bodies and raises questions of self, memory and identity. The reviewer finds the ideas dense and fast-moving but the short book richly packed.
Book · non-fiction · South African
The End of Normal: Witness to the Unraveling of White Power in South Africa
Max du Preez
A new book by Max du Preez reflects on growing up in a conservative Afrikaner household and on the unravelling of white power in South Africa. The interview covers white and Afrikaner nationalism, investigative journalism, and mental health among journalists. The host says it is well worth reading.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
How the IMF Strangles Africa
Greeve Chelwa and Vijay Prasad
A business book review on The Money Show examines this book, which argues that the International Monetary Fund has harmed Africa. The co-author Greeve Chelwa joins the show to explain that the argument rests on the historical record rather than assumptions.
3 airings · Cape Talk, 702
Book · fiction · South African
The Dogs of Vivo
Sven Axelrod
The host has read this quirky novel and found it absolutely fantastic, while warning that it will not suit everyone. It is one of the two books the host recommends right now.
Book · South African
Mhudi
Sol Plaatje
Discussed as a novel Sol Plaatje finished writing in 1920, examining relationships between Black and white people and between men and women. Some readers call it South Africa's first feminist novel.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Native Life in South Africa
Sol Plaatje
Discussed as the written record of Sol Plaatje's response to segregation and the 1913 Natives Land Act. The speakers argue it preserves his view of events and offers a more optimistic vision of what was happening.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Lillian Ngoyi: A Life
Martha Evans
A new biography of anti-apartheid activist Lillian Ngoyi, written by a professor who examines the rumours about her relationship with Nelson Mandela and her political legacy. The host calls it an important contribution and says it should be added to any collection of struggle icons.
Book · poetry · South African
Inheritance
Atambile Masola
The author discusses Inheritance, a reissue of her poetry collection Ilifa under an international publisher, with the same cover and poem order. She describes launches in Cape Town and Johannesburg and a planned UK release.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · children's · South African
Meet Masana the Brave
Buno Silecho
A children's book written by South African writer Buno Silecho that helps young women navigate the beginning of puberty. The host introduces it ahead of an upcoming literature corner conversation with the author.
Book · memoir · South African
Hot Tea and Apricots: A Memoir of Loss and Hope
Kim Ballantyne
A memoir of loss and hope by Kim Ballantine, published by Nerd and Cross, that the host calls utterly compelling. It is available in print and as an e-book from bookshops and online retailers.
3 airings · Cape Talk
Book · memoir · South African
The House at 6001
Lebo Diseko
Presented as a memoir of uprising and exile, covering the author's parents' lives including their marriage across the Botswana border and joy as resistance during apartheid.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Book · non-fiction · South African
Love and Violence: The Revolt Against Permanent Juniority
Muiseni Lozi
The book is described as an uncompromising account of the author's own story that also shines a light on societal issues. The host calls it a powerful book and a great selection for summer reading.
Book · crime · South African
Scorpio Rising
Deon Meyer
Deon Meyer's latest novel, Scorpio Rising, has just hit the shelves. The host describes his interview about it as fantastic and says the conversation is available as a podcast.
5 airings · Cape Talk
Book · thriller · South African
Blood Safari
Deon Meyer
Deon Meyer discusses his novel Blood Safari, about an expat woman searching for her long-lost brother and the bodyguard protecting her. He explains how the story was updated for a South African setting in its TV adaptation.
Book · crime · South African
13 Hours
Deon Meyer
A listener named Cheryl says 13 Hours was her first Deon Meyer book. She read it in a caravan at a Kalahari campsite and could not put it down, so she went on to buy more of his books.
Book · crime · South African
Touch Wood
Deon Meyer
Deon Meyer discusses his Benny Griessel novel Touch Wood, in which the alcoholic detective is stable and happily married but working to repair his relationship with his son. Meyer describes his research into addiction, including attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Book · crime · South African
Dead Before Dying
Deon Meyer
Meyer explains that the drunken cop Benny Ghissel was created as a minor character to spoil the protagonist's fun. The character grew so much in the writing that he later got his own novel.
How this page is made
locl transcribes six South African radio stations as they air. Every hour a model reads the stretches that name a book, film or series and records each titled work that was discussed, reviewed or recommended, with the verdict and who gave it. Quiz clues, name-drops and the stations’ own programmes are left out. Titles and names are as the transcript heard them, so a spelling can be off. Opinions belong to the speakers. Press play to hear the opening window of the conversation; the transcript link has the rest. Only conversations whose audio is still held are listed, so a title leaves the page with its audio.
Updated Wednesday, 28 October at 12:51 SAST. Showing 30 days.