Reading Matters October 31 2024

Zelda la Grange’s ‘ What Mandela Taught Me’ (Tafelberg) is a brave, honest account of her furious Twitter (now X) comments about then president Jacob Zuma’s SA.

And many SA’s reacted furiously to her. They asked her, ‘ have you learnt nothing from Mr Mandela?’  She had, and she continues to do so, following what she calls his, ‘ timeless lessons on leadership and life.’

She also tells fascinating, insightful stories about their 19 years together. A must-read.

Do you listen, really listen, when people talk? Or is what they say lost in our noisy, data-overloaded world ? In ‘ Tune In, Hear What Others Don’t’ ( Harriman House/ Pan Macmillan) by Nuala Walsh, an internationally famous financial consultant, we understand how our hasty misjudgements can wreck our lives. Incredibly powerful.

‘James’ (Mantle/ Penguin Random House) by Percival Everett was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It inspires us to see Mark Twain’s ‘Huckleberry Finn’ in a different light, focusing on runaway slave James. Intriguing.

Book ReviewsReading Matters with Sue Grant-Marshall