Books for the Beach 2024

South African books

• I Will Not Be Silenced

  By Karyn Maughan

  This political writer tells the story of her almost two decades-long coverage of former President Jacob Zuma’s legal battles, starting with the 2006 rape trial. In particular, it covers the way she was targeted by powerful individuals using ‘lawfare’ to undermine her.

  Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5

• The One Thing – Small Ideas, Big Outcomes, a Brighter Future for South Africa

  By Bruce Whitfield

  What’s one thing you would do if you were made president for half an hour? That’s exactly what author and radio personality Bruce Whitfield asked a group of business, political and society leaders to do in this entertaining book that should also inspire us to do ‘one thing’ meaningful with our time.

  No rating

• The Super Cadres: ANC Misrule in the Age of Deployment

  By Pieter du Toit

  “Cadre deployment” has become a well-used term over the years to describe how the ANC has attempted to control the different levers of power through the appointment of party loyalists across a range of positions and functions. Du Toit looks at the history of cadre deployment from the time of Mandela and Mbeki, and what its role will be now that the ANC has to rule as part of a coalition.

  Goodreads rating: 4.3 out of 5

• Capitec: Stalking Giants

  By TJ Strydom

  Capitec’s story is a remarkable one. From a specialist microlender, it is now South Africa’s biggest bank by number of customers, having seen off the challenges of a difficult economy and the troubles at its leading direct competitor, African Bank. This is an interesting read for anyone wanting to know how Capitec has reached the heights it has, despite its doubters.

  Amazon rating: 4.1 out of 5

• Election 2024, South Africa: Countdown to Coalition

  By Collette Schulz-Herzenberg and Roger Southall

  The ANC’s loss of its majority in Parliament in May’s general election and the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has kicked off a new chapter in South Africa’s democratic life. This book provides an analysis of the conditions that led to the election result, the state of the alignments at a national and regional level, and the prospects of the GNU’s success and the long-term consequences.

  No rating

• Smuts and Mandela – The Men Who Made South Africa

  By Roger Southall

  Nelson Mandela and Jan Smuts are perhaps South Africa’s most admired leaders around the world (not universally, it should be noted). Both lived in changing and challenging times and contributed in no small way to changing the worlds they lived in. Arguably both died without seeing their legacies and dreams for South Africa fulfilled. Seldom have they been directly compared, with their strengths and weaknesses held to the light, as Prof Southall has done here.

  No rating

Business and finance

• Money – A Story of Humanity

  By David McWilliams

  Irishman McWilliams is a former central bank economist, but also a well-known speaker and host of an entertaining eponymous podcast, in which he explains the big economic themes of the day. In this vein, this book attempts to explain the history of money through interesting and fun stories about events of the past, from the South Sea Bubble to the modern cryptocurrency craze.

  Goodreads rating: 4.2 out of 5

• The Corporation in the 21st Century

  By John Kay

  Kay looks to advance our thinking of the corporation and the economy from that which was shaped by the likes of Adam Smith and Karl Marx, to one in which the product has often dematerialised and the concept of the means of production has become fuzzier. This in turn requires us to think differently about how we think about everything, from management to capital.

  Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5

• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI

  By Ethan Mollick

  The novelty of artificial intelligence, especially since the advent of ChatGPT, requires us to all learn quickly about how to use it, but also to think about how we are going to interact with it in the future. Mollick encourages a sort of co-existential approach; one that sees artificial intelligence as a partner in work and life, while seeing it as a way to help us be more human.

  Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5

• The Quantity Theory of Money – A New Restatement

  By Tim Congdon

  For years after the 2008 Financial Crisis, traditional thinking about money growth and inflation went out of the window. However, the inflationary spike that followed the Covid-19 pandemic reminded us of the very real consequences of an expansionary monetary policy. This book is both a restatement and a reaffirmation of the importance of heeding the principles of monetary policy.

  Amazon rating: 5 out of 5

• Growth – A Reckoning

  By Daniel Susskind

  In recent decades we have become obsessed with the idea of economic growth as a measure and a goal of policy makers and leaders. But this obsession has brought a plethora of problems, from rising inequalities to climate change. Susskind advises a different way of thinking about growth to deal with the challenges of our times.

  Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5

• The war below: Lithium, Copper and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives

  By Ernest Scheyder

  As we make the transition to renewable energy, we will need more lithium, copper, cobalt, rare earths, and nickel, among other key minerals. These will all need to be mined, however, often in war-torn areas and environmentally fragile locations. Scheyder looks at some of the challenges and dilemmas faced in extracting and delivering these minerals.

  Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5

• The Soul of Wealth: 50 Reflections on Money and Meaning

  By Daniel Crosby

  Crosby is a well-known speaker and writer on behavioural finance and in this collection of 50 essays, he explores what wealth is, beyond the mere accumulation of money and assets, to something that includes the other aspects we hold dear, such as family, health, friendships and meaning.

  Goodreads rating: 4.3 out of 5

Current affairs, science, philosophy and psychology

• Revenge of the Tipping Point – Overstories, Superspreaders and the Rise of Social Engineering

  By Malcolm Gladwell

  A quarter of a century (yes, it’s been that long) since he published his most famous book, The Tipping Point, Gladwell returns to the topic of epidemics – whether of the microbial or ideas kind – and looks at the circumstances that make them spread.

  Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5

• The Four-Way Path: The Indian Secret to a Life of Happiness and Purpose

  By Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

  The authors are best known for their work in popularising the Japanese concept of Ikigai – a way of living a life with purpose. In this work, they turn their attention to Hindu philosophy and the four goals that human beings strive for: virtue, prosperity, love and freedom. They explain how finding the balance between them – the four-way path – can lead to lasting fulfillment.

  Amazon rating: 4.3 out of 5

• The Dictators – Warnings from History

  By Iain Dale

  As we move into a more fragmented, multipolar world, we are seeing that many of the emerging powers do not value democracy to the extent that many in the West might have hoped for after the collapse of the Soviet bloc three decades ago. As such, this discussion of dictators through history is a useful guide for understanding how the next few years may play out globally. Dale has enlisted leading thinkers on the subject to write 64 essays about dictators that distill their key characteristics.

  Amazon rating: 4.6 out of 5

• The Art of War and Peace – Understanding our Choices in a World at War

  By David Kilcullen and Greg Mills

  We live in a world where conflict appears to be on the rise. While the focus is on the Middle East and Ukraine, there are many other bloody theatres of conflict, such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo and Somalia. How did these conflicts come about? Why have peace efforts routinely failed? And how can nations cope in a world where peace now seems so fragile? The authors consider these and other important questions.

  Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5

• Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

  By Yuval Noah Harari

  As we stand at the start of the artificial intelligence era, prolific historian Harari looks at our past through the lens of information. The content and flow of information have shaped human development throughout our existence, particularly through its often shaky ties to the truth. Harari examines both the good spread of information and its opposite, from witch-hunts to populism, and looks for ways to ensure the spreading of information is beneficial to all.

  Goodreads rating: 4.2 out of 5

• Not the end of the world – How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet

  By Hannah Ritchie

  It’s easy to get despondent about our planet’s future in the face of gloomy headlines about climate change and extreme weather disasters. Ritchie, a data scientist, takes a different view, highlighting how, through practical interventions that are already being adopted by many, we can turn the gloomy situation around and achieve the goal of a sustainable planet.

  Goodreads rating: 4.3 out of 5

Sport and health

• Twice the Glory: The Making of the Greatest Bok Team in History

  by Lloyd Burnard and Khanyiso Tshwaku

  South Africa’s recent success on the rugby field – retaining the World Cup this year, followed by winning this year’s Rugby Championship and ending the year as the world’s number 1 team – continues to be a source of books, documentaries and media articles. We feature here two of the latest. In this book, Burnard and Tshwaku discuss the events and remarkable individuals behind the team, notably the coaching duo of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber and their inspirational captain, Siya Kolisi.

  No ratings

• World Champions: The Story of South African Rugby (second edition)

  By Jonty Winch

  In this book, Winch updates his comprehensive history of South African rugby, with all its complexities, to include the success in last year’s World Cup in France.

  No ratings

• Searching for Novak: The Man Behind the Enigma

  By Matt Hodgkinson

  With 24 majors to his name, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He is also one of the sport’s most fascinating characters, as much for his achievements – and the path he has taken to greatness – as for his unconventional views on diet and vaccines. Drawing on the inputs of people close to Djokovic, the author has compiled a compelling read for lovers of sports biographies.

  Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5

• How to Win the Premier League – The Inside Story of Football’s Data Revolution

  By Ian Graham

  The world’s richest football league is, in many ways, built on a mountain of data and painstaking analysis. From the signing of playing to the choice of manager, to tactical choices and training methods, few decisions are made without referring to data. In such a world, finding an edge over your competitors is incredibly difficult. Graham, a former head of research at Liverpool Football Club, gives some insights into how to get ahead in the data game.

  Goodreads rating: 4.3 out of 5

• Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

  By James Nestor

  There are many books on different techniques to improve our health, but perhaps one of the most important ones has been hiding in plain sight – the way we breathe. The author looks at some of the best breathing techniques and their benefits, from rejuvenating organs to battling autoimmune diseases. 

  Goodreads rating: 4.2 out of 5