Reading Matters 11 February 2025

I went to the launch of ‘The Gambling Animal’ (Profile Books/ Jonathan Ball) by Don Ross and Glenn Harrison at that glorious bookshop Love Books in Melville, Jhb. Don was in the hot seat, explaining how humans dominate ecologically even though elephants have brains, relative to their size, as big as we humans do.

The topic was so riveting that long after the official interview ended, the chat went on. Enlightening, fascinating, sometimes frightening.

Brilliant British author, David Nicholls, has written a gentle bestseller, ‘You Are Here’ (Sceptre/Jonathan Ball) about a middle aged couple falling in love on a hike across England, from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.

Of course it’s not plain walking, there are stumbles and setbacks, but lots of laughs and the occasional tear. Gorgeous!

If you’re into sea history, grab ‘Wood, Iron and Steel’ ( Quickfox and Blue Weaver) by Bruce Henderson and Kelly Graham. It’s about 60 shipwrecks that reflect the diverse maritime history of the Western Cape.

It’s glossy, full colour and tells the stories of the final moments of each vessel.

‘Trauma Proof’ (Ithaka/ Pan Macmillan) by international childhood trauma expert, Dr Benjamin Perks, whose own broken childhood was spent in 20 different English homes, is an amazingly easy read about making the world a safer, better place for children.

We need to get over childhood trauma or we could end up with a lifetime of pain, poverty and ill health. And Dr Perks writes that we CAN overcome. For me this book calls to mind the maxim: ‘it’s never too late to have a happy childhood.’ A really important and life-changing read.

Reading Matters with Sue Grant-Marshall