Page 39 - Silverlakes December 2021

BOOK REVIEWS

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

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

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

In this courageous and beautiful book, Miss South Africa 2020, 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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