Book Reviews

A new scholarly volume, Reappraising the Life and Legacy of Jan C Smuts, offers a fresh and wide-ranging examination of one of South Africa’s most influential and controversial historical figures, Jan C. Smuts. Moreover, the book positions Smuts within both national and global historical debates.

Bloke of All Ages offers refreshing new insights into the works of one of South Africa’s most important literary, intellectual and artistic figures, William Bloke Modisane. Moreover, it highlights the resilience of his work. The book situates his intellectual and cultural contribution within the historical context of South African creative arts.

A study of anti-Blackness and white supremacy across four continents demonstrates a critical argument. Colorblindness is neither new nor a subtype of racist ideology. Instead, it operates as a constitutive technology of racism. In this context, Colorblind Tools: Global Technologies of Racial Power frames colorblindness as central to the reproduction of racial domination.

Southern Imagining questions and reshapes influential northern imaginative norms. The book examines how tales of mythical southern lands shaped global perceptions of these worlds. It also explores the environmental consequences of these imaginings. In doing so, Southern Imagining invites readers to inhabit the globe differently.

Land remains one of the most emotive and symbolically powerful issues in Africa. ‘New’ Settler or ‘Old’ Tenant? confronts this reality directly. In rural contexts, the collision of history, class, race, gender, time and space complicates efforts to overcome economic inequality. As a result, structural tensions continue to shape rural economies and social relations.

In an era defined by rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and institutional pressure, the need for grounded, values-driven leadership has never been more urgent. Purpose, Passion, Progress frames this urgency as a leadership imperative. In Purpose, Passion, Progress, Andrew Maringa challenges the assumption that leadership depends on titles, authority or visibility.

Nicol returns with a fast-paced thriller that introduces Captain Zara Dewane. With Falls the Shadow, he presents a character set to become a standout in local crime fiction. Known among her colleagues as “The Jackal”, Dewane heads the Western Cape’s Internal Crime Unit. Her mandate is both dangerous and simple: she polices the police.

After fifteen years working with South African leadership teams, business coach and founder of Grow, Graham Mitchell, has observed a consistent truth. Companies that achieve sustained growth are not necessarily the most innovative. Instead, they are the most disciplined. His new book, Compounding Advantage, captures these insights in a practical guide for leaders who focus on long-term performance.

In Father of Man: The 5 Ideals to Build Better Men, the author delivers a compelling and deeply reflective exploration of what it truly means to be a man in today’s world. Drawing on faith, lived experience, and moral leadership, the book offers a blueprint for shaping men who lead with integrity, compassion and accountability. Father of Man positions itself as a framework for men who want to live with purpose and responsibility.

McCarthy is South Africa’s most successful footballer. He is the all-time top scorer for Bafana Bafana. He is the country’s only UEFA Champions League winner, and he is now forging a successful career as a coach. Benni has gone from growing up in the ganglands of the Cape Flats to playing at some of the biggest arenas in sport. He moved from South Africa as a teenager and became a much-prized player at clubs in the Netherlands, Spain and England.