It is almost time for most of us to clock out from work for a while, forget about the pressures of everyday life and retreat to an idyllic holiday spot (or even just the comfort of your own home) with a good book. If this sounds like your idea of ultimate bliss, try our suggestions for the top summer holiday reading list. Of course, we think these fabulous new reads are best-enjoyed seaside, with your feet up and a glass of beachhouse wine in hand.
Mile 8 by David Higgs (Publisher: Marble Group)
Celebrity chef and My Kitchen Rules co-presenter write about growing up along the coast of Namibia and shares stories about his childhood and rise in the food industry. This beautifully illustrated book has over 90 dishes and 150 recipes influenced by the journey of Higgs’ career, uniquely Southern African flavours like Impala Tartare, Amadumbe & Chakalaka, and his version of the classic Malva Pudding.
Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks (Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group)
What is a summer vacation without an epic romance? And the king of the romantic tear-jerker has to be Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook. Every Breath is a story about two strangers crossing paths by the beach, forming an electric connection…but in the immersive days that follow, their feelings for each other will give way to choices that pit family duty and personal happiness against each other in devastating ways.
Let her fly by Ziauddin Yousafzai (Publisher: Ebury Publishing)
In this moving memoir, the father of child activist Malala who gained international fame when the Taliban shotted her in 2012, Ziauddin Yousafzai, tells about his own fight for equality in a very patriarchal society, teaching his daughter to stand up for female education, and also being the father of the youngest Nobel prize laureate.
Black Twitter, Blitz and a Boerie as long as your leg by Hagen Engler (Publisher: Jacana Media)
The title is a mouthful, but this light-hearted look at our ‘national treasures’ is a laugh-a-minute read perfect for some comic summer diversion. Not too politically edgy or offensive – it draws on the many things that South Africans have in common. Engler looks at icons of our shared South Africanness but drills a little deeper to make them more specific, a bit more ridiculous, a bit funnier. Even if the entry subject is negative, the author finds a poignant aspect of it that is lovable and helps us laugh at ourselves.