PAGECAST

Welcome to Pagecast, the podcast by Jonathan Ball Publishers that brings books to life! This festive season, we’re stepping into the world of booksellers to uncover the stories behind the stories. Join us as we explore Johannesburg’s literary scene, hearing directly from the experts – the booksellers themselves – about their top recommendations for the holidays. Whether you're searching for the perfect gift or your next great read, we've got you covered. Let’s dive into the world of words and wonders!

The definitive account of Commando: A Boer Journal of the Anglo-Boer War, published word-for-word as Reitz first wrote it; edited and annotated by historian and Anglo-Boer War expert, Professor Fransjohan Pretorius. In 1899, Deneys Reitz, then aged seventeen, enlisted in the Boer army to fight the British. He had learnt to ride, shoot and swim almost as soon as he could walk. He made full use of these skills and the endurance he had acquired in the next three years of the war, during which he fought with the Boer commandos. He was involved in major actions, like the battle of Spioen Kop, and he interacted with prolific political and military figures of the time, such as President Paul Kruger, Boer generals Piet Joubert, Louis Botha, Koos de la Rey, Christiaan Beyers, Jan Smuts and British commander Lord Kitchener. He even met the young Winston Churchill as a prisoner-of-war in Pretoria. Reitz forged a strong personal and political friendship with General Jan Smuts after the war, built on reciprocal respect. Commando is more than a historical document; it is a literary masterpiece that transcends time. With prose that captures both the brutality and the beauty of war, Reitz weaves a narrative that resonates with authenticity and passion. As relevant today as when it was first penned, Commando has become a South African classic and stands as a testament to the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity. In this episode of Pagecast, Professor Fransjohan Pretorius. is interviewed by CapeTalk Afternoon Drive Presenter, John Maytham. Enjoy

What happens when we die? How are some people able to see or communicate with spiritual worlds beyond our own? Can they offer answers to some of our most burning questions about life and death? Sarah Bullen, who has had a life-altering near-death experience herself, explores these mysteries as she gathers riveting stories of people from South Africa and beyond – people who have crossed to the ‘other side’ or those who can contact it. This book offers original interviews with a fascinating collection of teachers with special abilities, individuals who have gone through near-death experiences and those who can communicate across worlds using mediumship, gifts, trance and plants. Meet and learn from a man who woke up on a stretcher on the way to the morgue, a spiritual teacher who survived two near-death experiences on an operating table, a psychic rabbi, an influencer who communicates with the departed, a former corporate executive-turned-sangoma who runs a traditional clinic, and shamans and neo-shamans from across the continent. With her keen observation skills and insights gleaned from her own experience, Bullen offers a fresh way of looking at the world.

‘You only need to win a game by one point.’ – Jacques Nienaber after South Africa’s tournament opener against Scotland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Little did the coach know that it would take three one-point games to propel the Springboks into the history books as four-time winners of the Webb Ellis Cup. In 2017 the Boks looked punch-drunk as Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus watched them being overpowered by Ireland. The following year, the coaching duo took up the reins little more than 18 months before the 2019 RWC in Japan. And so began a journey that was to end in victory in the Stade de France six years later. Twice the Glory goes deep inside the Bok story of that historic era. Filled with drama, cheers and tears, it will have you on the edge of your seat as you relive each nail-biting moment. It’s all here: the Covid disruption, Siya Kolisi’s rise to the captaincy, Rassie in hot water over that video, injury blows and the emergence of new talent as they head off to France. The book also includes penetrating analysis and insights from the self-effacing Nienaber into how this team became the finest the world has seen. A recurring theme is the friendship between Jacques and Rassie that goes all the way back to their university days, and why they decided to come home to South Africa to ‘turn things around’. In this episode of pagecast, Sports Broadcaster Cato Louw sits down with authors Lloyd Burnard and Khanyiso Tshwaku.