On Books, On Law, Other Stuff

on racism in SA schools and the ethics of the media.

Tread gently in the world. This is really what I want this blog to be titled. But because it’s probably not going to get the attention I would like on social media, I needed to think about how to phrase it. So I changed the title to suit my purpose. I think that’s what media people… Continue reading on racism in SA schools and the ethics of the media.

On Books, On Family, Other Stuff

you know what the world needs? HEALERS. Not leaders.

  One of the other things that has affected me recently is a book by Johannesburg author/speaker Kathy Mann entitled Avoiding Burnout, Seven Principles of Self –Preservation. I discovered Kathy Mann online on a book site for authors and she happened to be coming to Cape Town in the next few days so we arranged… Continue reading you know what the world needs? HEALERS. Not leaders.

On Books, Other Stuff

how to (or not) launch your new book!

You know the feeling when you have prepared an exciting, celebratory event and when the event arrives and it’s time to shine, you want to crawl under the covers and not answer the doorbell? Yip, that was me on Tuesday past at about 5:45pm. The rain had just started bucketing down, I stank of smoke… Continue reading how to (or not) launch your new book!

On Books, Other Stuff

a week to new book launch

Here‘s a teeny peek of what to expect: some of the books that inspired the thoughts I had to write and the some of the thoughts I wrote. On mothers: … It was the image of a woman that she represented to me: a woman so passionate about her task; a woman so energised and… Continue reading a week to new book launch

On Books, Other Stuff

Book Review: Brutal Legacy by Tracy Going – the illumination of truths

‘I have a confession’ I said when I met Tracy Going properly this week after a brief, fortuitous meeting at the Franschhoek Literary Festival recently. ‘I haven’t read your book. I opened it at Exclusives and couldn’t get past the Prologue.’ ‘Oh no! Why? That’s not a good sign. Was it that bad?’ she said,… Continue reading Book Review: Brutal Legacy by Tracy Going – the illumination of truths

On Books, Other Stuff

Highlights of the Franschhoek Literary Festival

With less than twenty four hours at my disposal this time at my annual literary feast –  the 2018 Franschhoek Literary Festival - I hung around briefly in the EB pop up book section in the Town Hall, to scan the new lists of books. One day, when I own my book shop (in my dreams) I won’t… Continue reading Highlights of the Franschhoek Literary Festival

On Books, On writing

BOOK REVIEW: THE FIFTH MRS BRINK

Finding this so hard, to précis my thoughts on this book. Should have done it the minute I put it down two days ago. That’s when the real, connected emotion was fresh. Having a go now…   So there’s this beautiful Polish born woman who has fallen in love with South African literature and South Africa… Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: THE FIFTH MRS BRINK

On Books, On Law, On women, On writing, Other Stuff

your one wild and precious life

BEAR WITH ME ON THIS ONE. IT'S LONGER than usual but IMPORTANT but as usual, UNEDITED. We are living in strange and uncertain times. Isn’t it always so? We make history in some way or another every single day in relative terms which will impact someone, somewhere in a future which, today, cannot be known,… Continue reading your one wild and precious life

On Books, On Children and Parenting, On Family, On women, Other Stuff

EIGHT OCTOBER OBSERVATIONS

A long, slightly rambling blog. Like the tentacles of an octopus. My October. Children are easily embarrassed by their parents when they get to a particular age. They are from a different generation dealing with different parts of their growing selves in ways they cannot yet fully understand, and we have long forgotten. Truthfully, I… Continue reading EIGHT OCTOBER OBSERVATIONS

On Books, On writing, Other Stuff

Can we say Virginia Woolf was vain?

I’ve just come out of a steaming hot shower. The glass doors in my bedroom are still steaming and misted over, so you know how keen I was to get to my laptop to get this one out. As I’m soaping and re- soaping, having gone down my right shin at least three times (do… Continue reading Can we say Virginia Woolf was vain?