Page 37 - Blue Valley Issue 5 2021

BOOK REVIEWS

Scatterling of Africa: My Early Years
By Johnny Clegg

‘There are moments in life that are pure, and which seem to hang in the air, unhitched from
the everyday world as we know it. Suspended for a few seconds, they float in their own space
and time with their own hidden prospects. For want of a better term, we call these moments
“magical” and when we remember them, they are cloaked in a halo of special meaning.’

For 14-year-old Johnny Clegg, hearing Zulu street music as plucked on the strings of a guitar
by Charlie Mzila one evening outside a corner café in Bellevue, Johannesburg, was one
such ‘magical’ moment. The success story of Juluka and later Savuka, and the cross-cultural
celebration of music, language, story, dance and song that stirred the hearts of millions
across the world, is well documented. Their music was the soundtrack to many South Africans’
lives during the turbulent 70s and 80s as the country moved from legislated oppression to
democratic freedom. It crossed borders, boundaries and generations, resonating around the
world and back again. Less known is the story of how it all began and developed.
Scatterling of Africa is that origin story, as Johnny Clegg wrote it and wanted it told. It is the
story of how the son of an unconventional mother, grandson of Jewish immigrants, came to
realise that identity can be a choice, and home is a place you leave and return to as surely as
the seasons change.
Price: R368.00

Rise
By Siya Kolisi

His truth. His story. In his words. Siya Kolisi, captain of the Springboks, and the first black man to
lead his country in over 128 years of South African rugby shares his story in Rise.

In an extraordinarily intimate memoir, Kolisi charts his story from being born into the
impoverished Zwide township, to leading his proud nation to an astonishing victory at the
Rugby World Cup in 2019. However, Rise is not simply a chronology of matches played and
games won; it is an exploration of a man’s race and his faith, a masterclass in attaining a positive
mindset, and an inspirational reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how they
are stacked against you.
The title, Rise, is inspired by Siya’s mother – Phakama – which translates to the book’s name, as
well as a celebration of his Xhosa heritage.
Price: R328.00

Shudu Finds Her Magic
By Shudufhadzo Musida, Chantelle Thorne, Burgen Thorne

In this courageous and beautiful book, Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida, tells the story
of her upbringing; of a delightful and outgoing girl in Ha-Vhangani, a small Venda village. She
is surrounded by a loving extended family. However, things for Shudu take a turn for the worst
when she moves to Mpumalanga to live with her mom. At her new school, Shudu is bullied by
her classmates.
Read how Shudu overcomes her sadness and her challenges, and grows into a girl, and then an
adult, who has learned to love herself! The book is aimed at children aged between four and
12 years of age and deals with bullying and the power of friendship.
Price: R88.00

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