Reading Matters (week 022) 27 May 2025

Tony Leon’s brand new book: Being There: Backstories from the Political Front (Jonathan Ball) is sweeping SA. I caught up with him at Franschhoek Literary Festival where he was interviewed by Judge Dennis Davis in one of the most amusing and pertinent book chats I’ve ever witnessed. Yes! I was there, loving meeting author friends, enjoying book panel discussions, and in between enjoying the mountains, food and wine.

Tony Park’s latest excellent thriller The Protector (Pan Macmillan) is about pangolin poaching and he spoke about these highly endangered prehistoric creatures both at FLF and at Kingsmead Book Fair.  Simultaneously a glorious children’s book reached me: Pangolin Prophecy (Chalk Creation Publishers) distributed by Jacana Media, is by Janet Barry and illustrated by Caroline Janse van Rensburg. It appeals to both adults and kids – trust me!

Reading Matters with Sue Grant-Marshall