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VOLUME 41 THE MAGAZINE ABOUT BOOKS FOR BOOK LOVERS THE NATURAL LIBRARY Our pick of the top 10 must-have wildlife reads about Southern Africa HUG IN A BOWL Zola Nene is back with her fourth cookbook – and we’ve got recipes! ENCHANTED SHELF The cat, the dungeon, and the rise of Matt Dinniman’s LitRPG sensation ON MY MIND PJ Claasen on how the Springboks became more than a rugby team YOUR FREE COPY! WIN R1 500 in books! KAGISO LESEGO MOLOPE Tender. Fierce. Unforgettable.Books to help you negotiate like a proDear reader There are stories that entertain, and then there are stories that refuse silence. We begin with We Inherit the Fire by Kagiso Lesego Molope, a novel that reminds us how the domestic and the political are never separate. History sits at the kitchen table with us; it shapes our families, our futures, our resilience. The book is tender, powerful, and, in my view, essential reading. That sense of responsibility to story runs throughout this edition. We catch up with Elizabeth Wasserman on her latest Mevrou Smit mystery, and join Penny Haw to explore what drives her creativity. Three striking debut voices speak candidly about obsession, humour and rage, proving that fresh perspectives keep fiction alive. Even the wildly inventive world of Dungeon Crawler Carl shows how imagination can collide chaos with comedy. We also reflect on memory and meaning: grief with Dominique Olivier, survival with John Goetzsche, and unity through the enduring spirit of the Springboks. And because stories are told at tables, too, we celebrate flavour with Zola Nene and Tony Jackman through recipes that offer comfort, heritage and the tastes that bring us together. As you page through, may you find connection, courage, comfort and a story that stays with you long after you turn the last page. Happy reading! contents 02 BOOKSCAPE New from Steven Bartlett, Richard Osman’s bestseller, en vyf minute met Elizabeth Wasserman 06 COVER Kagiso Lesego Molope explores family, history and resilience in South Africa 10 FICTION Penny Haw shares what drives her creativity, three debut authors on the obsessions behind their stories and top fiction 17 ENCHANTED SHELF Step inside the wildly inventive world of Dungeon Crawler Carl 18 AFRIKAANS Beleef ander tye, plekke en perspektiewe met die beste Afrikaanse fiksie 20 NATURE Our pick of the top 10 must-have wildlife reads from Southern Africa 24 WELLBEING How Lessons from Loss author Dominique Olivier reframes grief 25 INSIDER John Goetzsche drops us into the heat of Ovamboland, where routine training fractures into chaos 26 FOOD The Ketovore diet, recreating the taste of the Karoo, and Zola Nene’s return 32 ON MY MIND PJ Claasen reflects on how the Springboks became more than a rugby team Johannesburg | Growthpoint Business Park, Unit 12A, 162 Tonetti Street, Halfway House Ext 7, Midrand, 1685 | 011 327 3550 Cape Town | Estuaries No 4, Oxbow Crescent, Century Avenue, Century City, 7441 | 021 460 5400 © Copyright Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd. The Penguin Post is published by Penguin Random House South Africa. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the editor is strictly forbidden. Editor Lauren Mc Diarmid Designer Sean Robertson Sub Editor Frieda Le Roux Contributors Elizabeth Wasserman, Kagiso Lesego Motsepe, Penny Haw, PJ Claasen Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Lauren Mc Diarmid ThePost@penguinrandomhouse.co.za 17VOLUME 41 2 bookscape news | snippets | what’s new Steven Bartlett, the creator of The Diary of a CEO, returns with his most direct, uncompromising book yet; one that asks a deceptively simple question: how do you do the thing when you don’t know how to do the thing? After nearly a decade of conversations with scientists and spies, monks and misfits, billionaires, athletes, founders and failures, Bartlett has come to a stark conclusion. The greatest obstacle to change isn’t lack of talent, resources, luck or readiness. It’s the invisible barrier we build around ourselves, made not of concrete, but of paper. Fragile. Self-imposed. And entirely removable. This book is written for people who are done talking about change and ready to act. Blending powerful stories from some of the world’s most driven individuals with practical insights drawn from behavioural science, it offers tools to overcome fear, comfort, inertia, embarrassment and self-deception. The focus isn’t on motivation tomorrow, or preparation next week; it’s about action now, before the moment passes. More than advice, this is a wake-up call. A challenge to stop waiting for permission, clarity or confidence, and to move anyway. Bartlett is an entrepreneur, investor and one of the most influential voices in modern business and media. As the youngest-ever Dragon on Dragons’ Den and the creator of one of the world’s most-listened-to podcasts, reaching over a billion streams, he has redefined leadership for a digital generation. This book distils everything he’s learned into one urgent message: start before you’re ready. Everyone’s talking about … Steven Bartlett’s Call to Action IT’S FREE! Visit www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/ penguin-post and sign up to receive each new edition directly to your inbox. Just F*cking Do It hits shelves in June. DOMINATING THE BESTSELLER LISTS “It is perhaps the most insightful yet, as well as an enormous amount of fun. The fabulous four from Cooper’s Chase – ex-MI6 spy Elizabeth, trade unionist Ron, psychotherapist Ibrahim and former nurse Joyce – are drawn into a tangle of carnage and cryptocurrency seemingly impossible to unravel.” – Sue de Groot, Sunday Times Books PHOTOGRAPHS: Will PérezVOLUME 41 3 UPFRONT Book-lover Kayleigh Masters has a soft spot for stories and sports. She adds books to her TBR faster than she can read them, and always enjoys sharing what she loves. “After the quiet magic of Charlie Mackesy’s debut, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, his new one, Always Remember, feels like a gentle continuation of the same comforting conversation, one that meets you exactly where you are. What a soothing and heartfelt book. This story feels like a warm reminder to slow down, breathe, and be kinder to yourself. Through simple, carefully chosen words and soft, expressive illustrations, Mackesy explores themes of resilience, friendship, love, and hope, especially during life’s more overwhelming moments. It’s the kind of book you can open at any page and find something that speaks directly to how you’re feeling. There’s real power in its simplicity, showing how a few honest words can often say more than pages of explanation. This isn’t a book you rush through; it’s one you return to when you need comfort, reassurance, or a quiet moment of reflection. A beautiful companion for difficult days.” Always Remember is out now. MUST of the MONTH A hamper of books from this issue valued at R1 500 is up for grabs to one lucky reader. To enter, scan the code using your phone camera, or visit www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/ competitions. Ts & Cs apply. Entries close 30 April 2026. WIN! WIN! WIN! OUT IN PAPERBACK THE GIRL WITH THE SUITCASE by Lesley Pearse After an air raid, Mary is mistaken for a glamorous stranger and handed her suitcase, money, and tickets to Ireland – an irresistible chance to begin again. DON’T LET HIM IN by Lisa Jewell He says he loves you, feels made for you, and soon lives in your home and your heart. Then he disappears for days, and you realise too late the warning you ignored: don’t let him in. 3.9k followers @masters.library #bookstagram THE DEVIL’S STAR by Jo Nesbo Now a Netflix series. Detective Harry Hole hunts a serial killer after a woman is murdered and marked with a red star, forcing him from despair into a deadly game only he can end. “Working on this book transformed me in profound ways. Many of my previous ways of thinking, and even my emotions, have evolved or fundamentally changed. I hope What to Make of a Life has a similar effect on those who read it, and that it sparks glowing conversations about the big questions of life with the people they love.” – Jim Collins, author of What to Make of a LifeVOLUME 41 4 UPFRONT 4 en stories gestuur oor die ystervarke in hulle kontrei, en ek het allerhande akademiese artikels gelees wat handel oor alles van die gediertes se spysvertering tot gestasie. Nogtans weet Mevrou Smit baie meer van ystervarke af as ek. Sy leef immers saam met een. Wat Mevrou Smit betref, is dit die spreekwoordelike laaste sien van die blikkantien? Aan die einde van hierdie boek, die vierde in die reeks, voel dit sekerlik of ’n sekere deel van Mevrou Smit se verhaal volbring is. Sy het nou ’n nuwe stel genote, maar ook nuwe vyande. Wie weet? Met ’n karakter soos Mevrou Smit is daar nooit ’n gebrek aan stories nie. Mevrou Smit en Tomas is getroud! Kan dit waar wees? Wel, daardie verhouding moes seker een of ander tyd tot ’n punt kom. Maar as jy verder lees, sal jy sien dat selfs die huweliksdokumente nie sonder kinkels is nie. Daardie bootjie loop dan bykans onmiddellik op die rotse, maar liefde is veronderstel om te oorwin en Mevrou Smit werp alles in die stryd om ’n toekoms saam met Tomas moontlik te maak. ’n Reddingsboei word uitgegooi om die huwelik kop bo water te hou, en Mevrou Smit moet teen die stroom swem om te veg vir meer as net haar eie lewe. Daar is ook ernstige temas in die boek, maar wat jy met ’n ligte hand hanteer, soos die bendebedrywighede. Moes jy hieroor oplees? Ek wil liewer nie al my bronne verklap nie. Mens hou jou oë oop, praat met die regte mense en die res kan jy uitdink. Lees maar tussen die reëls. Wat het jy alles oor ystervarke geleer in die tyd wat jy vriende is met Mevrou Smit? Hester het haar eie klub van bewonderaars, en sonder twyfel is sy die gepaste troeteldier vir ’n stekelrige karakter soos Mevrou Smit. Vriende het vir my beeldmateriaal Het oom Apie nou tot rus gekom? Daar word gesê dat geeste rondloop indien daar vuil spel by hulle dood betrokke was. Mevrou Smit het uitgevind dat dit inderdaad so was in oom Apie se geval, en daardie misterie is in Mevrou Smit se reëls vir goeie gedrag (die vorige boek in die reeks) opgeklaar. Ek verstaan dus dat jy wonder of oom Apie nou uit die storie verdwyn, maar nee! In hierdie episode van haar verhaal raak Mevrou Smit so diep in die moeilikheid dat sy haar ou kameraad se bystand drasties benodig. Hy stel nie teleur nie en maak sy opwagting in haar donkerste uur. Wie is Elrien du Toit? Is sy kompetisie vir Mevrou Smit? Dis ’n goeie vraag. Mevrou Smit sal ook graag wil weet, want Elrien is verseker nie wie sy voorgee om te wees nie. Sy is klaarblyklik gestuur om Mevrou Smit op te pas terwyl daar ’n ooreenkoms getref word tussen haar en plaaslike en internasionale polisie. Sy moet inligting verskaf oor die Kaapse onderwêreld in ruil vir haar veiligheid. Maar in wie se diens is Elrien werklik? Mevrou Smit kom so byna-byna haar moses teë, want daardie vrou se kloue is skerp. Lesers het behoorlik vriende gemaak met die stekelrige Mevrou Smit van Aronspoort. Elizabeth Wasserman vertel oor die vierde boek in die reeks, Doodgewoon Mevrou Smit. Doodgewoon Mevrou Smit is nou beskikbaar. Vyf minute met … ELIZABETH WASSERMAN Gaan na bladsy 18 vir nog ’n paar treffer- titels in 2026Kagiso Lesego Molope’s We Inherit the Fire explores family, history, and resilience, weaving intimate domestic life with South Africa’s turbulent past in a novel that is tender, powerful, and unforgettable. STORIES THAT REFUSE SILENCECOVERNext >