A LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS

John Hargreaves

With the Anglo-Boer War as background A Light in the Shadows deals with the conflicting loyalties of a young Boer boy, searching for his place in the world. Growing up on a Free State farm, passionately loving the veldt, Jannie always knew he was different from other boys. His gentle nature also makes him the butt of his brutal elder brother’s viciousness. During a visit to Bloemfontein, he is introduced to the English culture, and experiences an immediate affinity. 

Jannie’s safe world falls apart when the Boer War breaks out and at 17, he joins his father and brother to do their duty to their volk, despite his conflicting feelings. The hardships of commando life and a Ceylon prison camp, push him prematurely into adulthood; he comes to abhor the greedy British armies descending like locusts on his beloved country, leaving devasted earth behind and he questions the existence of a loving God. 

But more darkness looms: his mother and beloved sussie fall victim to the enemy’s cowardly scorched-earth policy; their farm razed to the ground. 

Into this gloom steps Douglas Russell, 2nd lieutenant, British Army; it’s love at first sight for both. But in the face of so much separating them, could their love triumph? 

Jannie is later to remember the age-old adage: the darkest hour is always before dawn.

 KALAHARI GOLD

Richard Pierce 

In southern Africa in the late 1800’s two rival colonial superpowers, Britain and Germany, vied for supremacy.  A covert operation mounted by the German government went terribly wrong, and this resulted in violent deaths in the Kalahari when competing interests clashed.

Over one hundred years later the dreadful secret that had lain buried for decades resurfaced, and once again the Kalahari witnessed a deadly struggle in which there could only be one winner.

Richard Peirce is a prolific author, and award-winning filmmaker, broadcaster, freelance journalist and wildlife campaigner. Richard and his wife ­Jacqui split their time between Africa and Europe, their love of wildlife, adventure and wild places takes them to the bush at every opportunity.

 FATE'S JOURNEY

Khareece Maree

Fate’s Journey

Sink or swim? When twelve-year-old Hilo’s father dies and leaves him to inherit his duties as chief of the Paranite tribe, this is all Hilo can ask himself. All he can do is sink or swim. 

A perilous journey to find his tribe a new home leaves Hilo plagued with self-doubt and insecurities. 

For Hilo, this is no mere journey. It becomes a battle against the elements, dangerous wild creatures, and hostile tribes but more than that, it is a personal journey of growth, of becoming stronger with each challenge and testing the limits of his abilities. It was his chance to make his father proud.

Fate’s Journey is the story of a boy, faced with insurmountable problems, on a journey into manhood.

 THE LÜCKHOFF LEGACY

Janette Engelbrecht

The Lückhoff Legacy is a collection of family trees, memories, biographies and photos condensed into one family book.

Many members of the Lückhoff family were enthralled to hear that there would be a collection for the whole family as far back in generation as time and document would allow, and that their typed, handwritten and at times undecipherable trees would be used and researched for corresponding sources.

During the research original letters dating 1950 and earlier were presented, and the irony of the South African descendants can only be described by the last paragraph of one of the letters, “Had the two brothers not emigrated to South Africa, where would we have been? Two war slaughters had been let loose in Europe … DESTINY!!” The arrival of our ancestors and travels of our forefathers scattered all Lückhoffs throughout South Africa and the world. It is with pride that this book honours them.

 DEWETSBAAI

Willem Malherbe

De Wetsbaai is ’n klein strandjie naby Kleinmond in die Wes-Kaap. In 1925 het vier neefs – twee Albertyn-broers en twee Lückhoff-broers – vier morg grond om die strandjie van John Walsh gekoop. Dit was die begin van ’n familie-vakansieplek wat nou al byna honderd jaar as ’n kleinood bewaar word. Hier­die boek vertel die verhaal van die familie en hoe De Wetsbaai behoue gebly het terwyl Bettysbaai daar rond­om ontwikkel en gegroei het. 

Die boonste foto wys die uitsig oor De Wetsbaai van een van die huise se stoep af met Hawston in die verte. Die rooidisa groei in die klowe van die Kogelberg.

 LEGKAARTE

Werner Klopper

Woordterapie vir verligte dinkers met ’n swaar gemoed. Met elke herlees verander die invalshoek. Dit is asof die sinnne deur ’n prisma skyn en ’n volkleurstorie ontbloot.

DERRICH GARDNER

Radio-omroeper RSG

’n Bundel waarmee algar kan vereenselwig. Waar uiteenlopende verse wat die soet en suur van emosie saamvat, wéér gelees wil word om die fyn oplettendheid van poëtiese kundigheid te absorbeer.

ANLIE JANSE VAN RENSBURG

Redakteur rooi rose

Uit Legkaarte straal ’n teer, digterlike stem wat die liefde, aarde, kosmos en selfs Ingrid Jonker onthou én besing. Dit is ’n bundel met dartelende verse wat sy leser in ’n warm gloed bly koester.

KOBUS BURGER

Senior regisseur RSG Drama

Bestellings:

0714419750

werner@aboutwerner.co.za

 MOOI

Mariana de Bruin

GOD skep skoonheid 

en oorrompel ons daarmee.

Mariana de Bruin is getroud met ’n besigheidsman en hulle is geseën met 4 seuns, 4 besondere skoondogters en 6 uitnemende kleinkinders. Haar 

uitgangspunt in alles wat sy doen, of dit skilder, skryf, lering of aanmoediging gee, is in 2 Kor 4:7: “… En wat besit jy wat jy nie ontvang het nie?”

Sy geniet stap en fietstoere, vriendskappe, honde, nimmereindigende nuanses in die natuur, vernaamlik die see, goeie kos en veral haar kinders en kleinkinders.

Sy skilder onder haar nooiensvan en haar kuns kan gesien word by:

mariana.zwaan.fineartamerica.com

ARTmarianazwaan op Facebook

mzwaan7 op Instagram

Bestellings: Mariana de Bruin

mz324@outlook.com

 A GENERATION APART

Dave Baker

Whereas most people barely bat an eyelid when a middle-aged man becomes romantically involved with a girl more than thirty years his junior, a middle-aged woman who takes on a youth that much younger than her is accused of having a ‘toy boy’.

Wendy Forsyth finds herself in that exact predicament when she finds herself seriously attracted to a neighbour’s son while giving him extra maths lessons. 

The story describes her fears, worries and emotions in detail as she battles with her unusual conundrum.

You’ll likely experience a mixture of reactions as you follow what transpires – at times sympathy with her plight but, at others, criticism of her actions. But, whatever your response, you’ll find it a fascinating read.

Dave Baker has to date published three novels in English – If I Retreat, Shoot Me, The Tame Khaki and The Khaki Boer. The first two have been translated into Afrikaans and can be viewed on his website at www.davebakerbooks.co.za.

 VAN TOEKA TOT NOU

Rita Viljoen

Rita, die oudste van vyf kinders, is op 19 Augustus 1929 by haar oumagrootjie op die plaas, Manana, naby Lichtenburg gebore. Ou­magrootjie was ’n vroedvrou en het self die bevalling waargeneem.

Ná skool gaan studeer sy onderwys aan die destydse Normaal Kollege in Pretoria. Terwyl sy gedurende die Desembervakansie by haar ouers in Nylstroom kuier, ontmoet sy vir Alfonso Viljoen, ’n landmeter wat daar met opmetingswerk besig was. 

Hulle is later getroud en vir die grootste deel van haar volwasse lewe het hulle in Tsumeb, Namibië gewoon, waar hulle vier seuns grootgeword en skoolgegaan het. 

Ná Alfonso se aftrede kom hulle terug na die Republiek en koop ’n huis in Moorreesburg, waar hy ná etlike jare oorlede is. Sy bly ’n hele paar jaar lank alleen in die groot huis daar, tot sy eindelik weer teruggaan na Namibië om by haar jongste seun, Philip, in Swakopmund te gaan woon. 

“Ek het hierdie brokkies uit my lewensreis neergepen ten einde dit aan my kinders, kleinkinders en agterkleinkinders na te laat. Miskien vind hulle dit interessant hoe ons toeka se dae gelewe het, en dalk is daar iets te leer uit my ondervindings,” sê Rita.

 WANNEER TYD VLIEG

Nic Botha

Hierdie boek is tydens die eerste Covid 19-inperking in 2020 geskryf. Die verwerking en redigering daarvan het tot Julie 2021 geduur. 

Ná Nic se afsterwe op 25 April 2021 het die boek dadelik meer betekenis vir my gekry en was ek meer geïnspireerd as ooit om die publikasie daarvan te verwesenlik.

Ek sien Nicci in my geestesoog op sy geliefde stoel in ons sonnige stoepkamer, omring deur al sy skryfbehoef­tes en woordeboeke. Hy het ʼn nuwe doel gehad, en hy was só geïnspireer om alles op skrif te kry.

Ons het met geesdrif saam besluit oor watter stories die boek sou haal.

Nic het dit ongelooflik geniet om sy jonger dae, asook die goeie tye in die Lugmag en Lugdiens te herleef. Hy het soggens vroeg opgestaan en ek kon sien hy kon letterlik nie wag om aan die gang te kom nie. Dit het hom soveel vreugde verskaf om sy lewe soos ʼn rolprent voor hom te sien afspeel en dit op papier vas te lê.

Sy geheue het my verstom, gegewe dat soveel van die gebeure in sy twintiger- en dertigerjare afgespeel het. Hy het almal se name, die plekke en die gebeure tot in die fynste besonderheid onthou asof dit gister gebeur het.

Ek is so trots op hom, dat hy die laaste taak van sy lewe so deeglik en met soveel toewyding voltooi het, net soos alles wat hy aangepak het. Hy het alles met die hand geskryf omdat hy nie meer so lank voor die rekenaar kon sit nie. 

Hierdie boek gaan verseker dat al sy stories behoue bly vir ons kinders en verdere nageslagte, sodat hulle kan onthou hoe passievol en lewenslustig hul voorva­der oor die lewe was.

Nicci, jy sal hiermee vir altyd in ons almal se gedagtes voortlewe. Ons salueer jou, Kaptein … Jy het inderdaad die seile van ons almal se boot gespan.

‒ Tish Botha

Hermanus, Augustus 2021

Selnommer: 0828615427

e-pos: tishbotha@icloud.com

 Lord Jesus, help me to worship You

Joline Neethling

This book is a testimony but at the same time also a teaching about how we can live a life of victory, through praise and worship dances, that brings us into that intimate relationship with the Lord.

Joline (Neethling) Swanepoel has been an educator in and around Stanford for the last 25 years, mainly to share with the children the fact that Jesus is alive.

Email: jolineswanepoel@gmail.com 

Cell: +27-72 117 6427

 IF YOU CAN'T PLAY IT . . .

John Hargreaves

‘I’m the best drummer in the country’ John Hargreaves would jokingly say. Then add, self-deprecatingly, ‘Pretty average in the city, but in the country I’m tops’. This is public persona John, cocky and cheerful. His memoir shows  another more complex, more interesting John, who, although born into the hey day of white privilege, found himself, at fifteen, out of school, homeless and obliged to support himself. Undaunted, optimistic, gay, recklessly promiscuous, doggedly self-sufficient, he drummed his way from job to job, from gig to gig, from lover to lover, from Johannesburg to New York, from pop to classics, from dance band to orchestra. And then from contentment to despair …

 DORINGDRAADSTORIES

François Jordaan

Doringdraadstories vertel van sorgelose plaaskinders wat wild grootgeword het met koel Vaalriviersand tussen die tone, die roep van visarende en familiekuiers om eetkamertafels. 

Die skrywer onthou lekkerkuierstories uit sy jongdae: stories met stertjies, want sonder ʼn tit­seltjie verbuiging is sulke stories soos kos sonder speserye. Dit was tye toe die lewe ongekompliseerd, misdaadvry en min­der gejaagd was; toe daar altyd tyd vir gesels en onverwagte gaste was. 

Geniet sy verhale oor paraffienyskaste, diamantsmokkelary en 1950’s-inryteaters waar Wilde Weste-helde twaalf skote uit six-shooters kon kry, sonder herlaai. Dit was tye toe lekkie pêkets se pienk diakenpille en jêp skrêp-speelgoed ‘n kind se grootste drome bewaarheid het.  

Daar is stories oor swaarkry: van voorgeslagte se geswoeg ná Kitchener se verskroeideaardebeleid; versengende droogtes; uitmergelende vee­voerskuld. 

Doringdraadstories nooi lesers om ‘n paar oomblikke tot rus te kom en ‘n bietjie suiwer nostalgie te geniet.

 DIE EILAND / THE ISLAND

History and Stories / Geskiedenis en Stories

Aan die oewer van die Groot-Brakrivier lê die gelyknamige dorp en Die Eiland knus langs mekaar. Die Eiland huisves ’n gemeenskap met unieke tradiesies wat oor vele geslagte strek.

Halcyon days spent on The Island at Great Brak River are reflected upon in this book of personal reminiscenses of Island residents, past and present.