Reading
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
Newest airing first. Clear the chips above for the whole month.
Book · memoir · South African
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
Richard Rothstein
A guest is reading this history of US housing and law, covering redlining and Jim Crow laws. The guest calls it a fascinating read that shows how bias in law also appears in South Africa.
Book · non-fiction
Samin Nosrat
A cookbook by its author that teaches the reasons behind cooking rather than just following a recipe. The host presents it as a guide to understanding why each ingredient is used.
Book · non-fiction
Tracy Follows
A trend analyst discusses Tracy Follows's book on keeping personal agency and degrees of freedom in a world increasingly ceded to machines. He argues that people should identify and preserve the small choices they still control, and that offline community experiences are growing as a response to dependence on systems.
Book · non-fiction · South African
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 · non-fiction
Robert Kiyosaki
A guest says the book resonated with them because it challenged family sayings about being rich versus poor. They describe it as teaching hustle, work and a richer perspective, in contrast to the saying that one must learn to be poor.
Book · non-fiction · South African
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
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.
2 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
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 · non-fiction · South African
Stephen Boakye-Sidley
A visiting professor at Rhodes University discusses this business history of Shoprite Checkers, covering its 60-60 delivery system, its data-driven loyalty card and the lesser-known South African origins of its logistics software. The host calls it a really interesting history that also shows how life in South Africa has changed.
10 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction
Richard Rothstein
The guest, an author, is reading The Color of Law while on tour in the US and calls it a fascinating read. It examines redlining and Jim Crow laws, and how bias in law shapes lives, drawing parallels with South Africa.
Book · non-fiction · South African
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 · fiction
Tsitsi Dangarembga · 1988
A guest describes Nervous Conditions, a novel by Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga, as the book that first captured his experience as a student at a model school and as a first-generation university entrant. He says it spoke to psychological struggles better than any other book he knows.
Book · non-fiction
Eckhart Tolle
The host recalls reading a philosopher's book about the pain body, an inherited and collective pain passed between generations until it is resolved. The host plans to revisit it and describes its ideas as deep and beautiful.
Book · non-fiction
Bronnie Ware
The show returns to the fifth regret in Bronnie Ware's book, about wishing one had allowed oneself more happiness. The segment explores what holds people back from enjoying life and how to stop postponing joy.
2 airings · 702
Book · memoir
Elizabeth Gilbert · 2024
A guest describes this book about love, loss and liberation as a deeply personal read after losing a partner. It spoke to their grief, and they call it a highlight of their reading this year.
2 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction · South African
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
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 · non-fiction · South African
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
Malcolm Fento
A book exploring the interesting and quirky origin stories behind South African place names, organised into categories such as rivers, mountains, towns and provinces. The author describes it as a fun book that could also serve as a companion on road trips.
Book · fiction · South African
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
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
Greve Chil
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.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Nicolaus Bauer
A local government edition of an election guide written by investigative journalist Nicolaus Bauer, aimed at helping South Africans make an informed choice before the local government elections. It explains how ballot papers and municipal structures work in simple terms.
Book · non-fiction · South African
Nikki Verd
The author discusses her book on artificial intelligence, arguing that AI is here to stay and offering ways to navigate deepfakes and AI-generated scams, such as skepticism, family safe words and pausing before authorising payments.
2 airings · 702
Book · non-fiction
Stormy Omartian
A guest describes The Power of the Praying Woman as a book she keeps returning to. She picks a chapter when confused and finds the forgiveness chapter helpful for her life and spiritual handling of things as a mother.
Book · non-fiction
Vijay Prasad
A book review segment on How the IMF Strangled Africa, which argues that the International Monetary Fund has harmed African countries. The co-author, an academic, explains that the case rests on historical evidence from the 1960s onward.
Book · non-fiction · South African
The author discusses writing a business guidebook for young entrepreneurs, drawing on personal experience. It is framed as a letter to their younger self, with practical advice on problems that come up when starting a business.
Book · children's · South African
Buno Seleisho
An author discusses her children's book Masana the Brave, a collaboration with a feminine hygiene brand that carries educational information about puberty and conversations with parents and teachers. The book is being considered for translation and braille editions.
2 airings · 702
Book · children's · South African
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 · non-fiction
Dr. Grieve Chelwa
Presented in the business book review slot as a book by Dr. Grieve Chelwa that examines debt servicing, structural adjustment programs and austerity in Africa.
Book · non-fiction
Stormy Omartian
A guest says this is the book she returns to whenever she is confused. She finds its chapter on forgiveness helpful, along with its guidance on prayer and handling life as a mother. The book is aimed mainly at women.
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.