The Reading Room with Melanie Walker

So - you thought books were harmless?

South African columnist/advertising copywriter/online book club convenor - and most importantly, author - Paige Nick’s tenth and latest novel, Book People, delves into a world of book clubs, both in-life and online, social media backlash, cancel culture, and Author’s Behaving Badly.

Joining (not just ‘In Conversation With') Melanie Walker to chat about how characters and books come to life, about how world views on books change yet stay the same, and what it means to be a reader or a writer, Paige’s Capetonian view on the world takes a…

Just what is Uncultivated Food in the bigger scheme of things?

Author Nikki Brighton takes the reader on a journey about this growing way of viewing those plants that are growing in the 'wrong' place (ie. weeds) and shows us how to forage, and what you can garner from not just your garden, but from wild spaces in your area, to add to your pantry.

Wild About Weeds is an easy guide to the most common edible weeds and uncultivated foods to be found all over South Africa, and will surely stimulate your curiosity by giving you ideas on how to make the most of the delicious abundance on your…

Getting a Grip on Cancer and Positivity.

“This book is an honest recollection of my childhood - the good and not so good. Some of the stories I share, not even my husband or my children knew about, and they struggled to read past it. I have hidden it for so long, as I was scared and ashamed. Alcoholism, poverty, hardships, violence, unforgiveness, but now that I have dealt with it, forgiven them, and forgiven myself for not feeling good enough, I am set free. It further focuses on my cancer journey. My life is now literally an open book.”

Since 2019, age 48, diagnosed with Breast Cancer,…

Literary and Physical Journeys in South Africa.

"Before it can ever be a repose for the senses, landscape is the work of the mind. Its scenery is built up as much from strata of memory as from layers of rock." – Simon Schama

So starts a journey into the mind, not just yours or the author’s but into 9 South African writers and their characters and creations.

Justin Fox, author of 24 books in varying genres takes a trip down many people’s memory lanes, as well as his own, in a book that visits and revisits places that are special to him, whether from experience of the Place, or from having…

Has the Mining Industry in South Africa collapsed?

In 1994, the South African mining industry was a world leader; in 2010 it had descended into a state of both anarchy and paralysis.

This book tells the story of the disintegration of the South African mining industry over a period of more than a quarter of a century since the ANC's accession to power.

Author and mining expert Dr Ian Robinson lays out the background to this calamity, as well as explains how things changed a once flourishing money machine - an industry that made money for the people, not money for those in power - into a…

Sometimes cookery books aren't just about cooking, they're about a whole lot more; the ingredients and where they come from, the ancestors who hold the lore surrounding them, preserving wild foods (in nature, not just in jam jars), and the heritage of indigenous ingredients. It's about the stories that come with the 'lekkerness', the 'mnandi-ness' of the people and their culinary culture.

Gregory Henderson is more than just a chef, he's been a global winner of the LUX Awards Most Sustainable Dining Experience and is an ardent promoter not only of living off the land but ensuring that our…

A guide to the best decade evah - The 80s!

The 80s were a time of hope and frustration for teens and 20-somethings in South Africa, but there was a whole lot of boogying going on.

Drummer (and wannabe frontman!) of such iconic SA bands, such as eVoid, Petit Cheval and Wonderboom, Danny de Wet takes us back on a memory trip through the fogs of time, to an era that not only those that lived through it will appreciate, but as a handy manual for the youngers who are locked into electronics and social media on just how the youth used to live their lives.

For this (mostly) unadulterated look at…

“Sometimes I think that the point of birdwatching is not the actual seeing of the birds, but the cultivation of patience. Of course, each time we set out, there's a certain amount of expectation we'll see something, maybe even a species we've never seen before, and that it will fill us with light. But even if we don't see anything remarkable - and sometimes that happens - we come home filled with light anyway.”
― Lynn Thomson, Birding with Yeats: A Mother's Memoir

And that's what it's about!

Whether you be brand new to the birdwatching game, or a long-time, avid spotter, as one writer has…

Social Media Musings and Going Viral.

While people all over South Africa were hunkered down in their homes baking banana bread, coming up with ways to find gin, bemoaning the fact that they couldn't go for a walk, while finding new ways to navigate this strange new walk of Life, one Facebooker kept a host of other flounderers mentally intact with her pithy, insightful posts, not just about her journey, but on how well others were (or were not) faring in this weird world.

From this, comes Hold The Line, a compilation of many of the posts from Kim Nicola Stephens that had us in hysterics with…

Our Guest: Mike Nicol (Author: Poet: Writing Instructor)

Getting the tips of the trade from the Crime Meister in half an hour is fairly speedy, but you won't want to miss the workings of the inner mind of one of South Africa's top authors. Whether it be his way of getting into the character of Mace Bishop or Fish Pescado, or into the lives of some of South Africa's top icons, Mike Nicol blurs the invisible line between fact and fantasy, in and out of rabbit holes real and imagined.

Making SA as Sexy as the Scandies!

Deon Meyer (Storyteller / Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres)

"It’s never good when your phone rings in a meeting you were never invited to."

Happily we called, and Deon Meyer answered. The King of SA Crime-writing chats about his process, his ties to France, his inspirations and his flawed hero, Bennie Griessel ahead of news of more TV and film projects getting into full flow.

If you have yet to read one of the master storyteller's novels, find out why you've been missing out.

Let’s Unpack It.

The time to be adaptable has come. Are you scared of moving forward? Are you having problems changing your mindset?

“Amateurs hack systems, professionals hack people.”

And professionals when it comes to asking the right questions, Hack It authors, Rinus Le Roux and Rikus Viljoen have put up the tools you need to get the right answers on how to give yourself a mental upgrade.

Step out of Survival Mode with Erik Kruger

Erik Kruger (Author / Founder - Modern Breed)

It’s time to get out of your comfort zone - especially if it isn’t the most comfortable place to be.

Being Dangerous doesn’t mean being reckless - it’s about posing a danger to those things that do not add to your life.

Erik Kruger tells us about how even if threats about, you can do something about them.

Take control and get your power back - the definitive how-to guide.

...and other stories

Ted Botha grew up between Washington D.C. and Pretoria, and his writings are as diverse as his living circumstances over the years.

He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, and was an editor for Reuters in Manhattan. His books include 'The Girl with the Crooked Nose' and 'Flat/White,' about living in a crazy tenement in Manhattan. His latest book is a true story of murder and movie mayhem in the 1920s that takes place in Johannesburg, London, Paris and New York.

The Beatles got the Beat.

The Beatles have been a worldwide phenomenon for decades - and show no sign of slowing down.

Although they were only a band for less than a decade, their imprint on the music industry will last many lifetimes. The TV documentary series, Get Back, and Paul McCartney’s double volumes - The Lyrics: 1956 to the present - gets behind the stories that went into the songs, and takes Gus Silber down memory (and Penny) lane, back to a time when songwriting told stories.

it's all about getting your Mind over Mountain....

Guest: Robby Kojetin (Author and Extreme Sports Motivator)

From not landing on his feet, to landing up motivating others to get up on theirs, Robby Kotejin has gone from climbing the roof of the world, to wallowing in the depths of despair. But deciding to pull his two broken ankles up by his bootstraps, came back from the precipice to scale not only the world's highest mountains, but the seemingly insurmountable challenge of climbing out of the pits of depression.

This inspirational story of perseverance has been told by Robby in his…

Actress, teacher, author - No longer an author in Waiting!

Meet Rosie Fiore (Author and most fabulous Gurlfrend)

Born in good old Joburg, Rosie Fiore left our sunny shores to follow a literary life in London some 21 years ago. Having studied drama and working as a writer in TV, theatre and comedy - pretty much anything you could write for, Rosie did! - the dream of being a Proper Author took hold. And eight novels later (with one under the pseudonym Cass Hunter - 'The After Wife'), I think we can safely say Mission Accomplished.

But what goes into the process? Not just writing the novel,…

The Anatomy of a Southern African 'Death' series

Meet Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip
(authors - co-writers under the pseudonym Michael Stanley)

Critically acclaimed across the world for their series of original crime/mystery books, Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip are the writing duo, Michael Stanley.

Featuring their African "Columbo", Detective 'Kubu' Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, their latest offering, 'Facets of Death' is a return to his past, and his introduction into the world of crimefighting.

Both gentlemen were born in South Africa and met at…

Female Thriller Writers Taking over the Murder/Mystery World

Long kept in the shadows, female mystery and thriller writers are coming to the fore, not only worldwide, but here in South Africa.

Sarah Key, author of 5 books in the genre, chats to Melanie about being a female in what many perceive to be a Man's Domain, how to come up with a great idea, the Theatre of the Mind and how we're getting back to that, and what it means not only to get a book published, but to keep the thrill going!

Adventurer and Mental coach Jo Rust circumnavigates Africa - SOLO

Meet Jo Rust - World Record Holder. Author. Mental Health Activist.

Jo Rust is the embodiment of the word 'gumption'!

Which is what you'd need to ride around the whole African continent on 2 wheels - a woman alone with her motorsickle.

Women over the decades have been blazing trails across the world, especially those women motorcycle riders. And now Adventure Travel queen Jo has put down her adventures of her record breaking circumnavigation of 45 000 kms through 28 countries - and the reasons why she tackles these mammoth…

Join Paige Nick (novelist, columnist and advertising copywriter) as we discuss what's worth reading and appreciating

On South African authors, the art of short story writing, who's really who in the literary world, and what's worth listening to!

Paige Nick has her finger on the pulse of words, how they're compiled and their meaning - and has piles to prove it!

How Heritage and the Past inform our Future

In less than a century, the jumble of shabby tents and lean-tos that constituted Johannesburg's first settlement grew into a modern metropolis of towering office buildings and sprawling suburbs. This is the history of Johannesburg's rise compiled in one glorious picture book.

Marc Latilla's research into the heritage of our strange City Of Gold brings new life to a city in transformation.

Highly effective reading habits of a Successful Reader

Bronwyn Williams (Economist / Trend Analyst / Futurist)

What insights can this voracious reader impart? Well - Listen Here! If you are at a loss as to what to read that can make your mind take a quantum leap into the future, Bronwyn Williams has a number of interesting insights that will yield quantifiable results!

What is she reading? What is she writing about reading and books? Should one actually read the 'must read' books? And what is the philosophy behind reading - and philosophy?

Economics in One Lesson https://amzn.to/3c4dK9M…

And 100 of them you should get to know!

Megan Emmett Parker (author and senior producer in the environmental world)

With a Masters in environmental management, a conservation degree and a decade working as a senior producer on 50/50 on tv, Megan Parker has a solid grounding on all topics environmental.

Her book, Game Ranger in your Backpack, has been selling out and reprinted yearly since release ten years ago. And her book on trees, originally titled If Trees Could Talk, now published by Struik under the title 100 Bushveld Trees, is the go-to guide for those wanting to know more about…

How Has the Cloud Moved?

Jean-Marie Jullienne (Entrepreneurial Author)

For centuries, visions and beliefs of and in "God" have been obscured in many ways, oftentimes through mistranslation of the original texts that make up the Scriptures, holy books and teachings.

To many, religion seems to be either something which is divisive or not relevant to them in this day and age. But looking at the Writings from a different perspective can change our perception.

Over a period of 35 years, Dr. Jean-Marie Jullienne studied the ancient texts to divine a clear understanding of what the words in…

Taking the most rewarding path

Cliff Matthews (Clinical Social Worker and Behavioral Specialist)

Do you know the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem?

If you'rsre lacking the latter, do you need a positive exercise routine to flex that mental muscle?

Then #ListenHere!

Giving us an unique insight into the challenges of maintaining your "authentic self" and self-esteem, author of This Way Forward, Cliff Matthews helps us to navigate the route sometimes hard to travel.

Whether you Think you Can or you Can’t - You're Right

Richard Wright (Professional Speaker)

This is not necessarily a treatise on overcoming cancer - although it in part is.

It’s how Richard found the Wright way to deal with what life had thrown at him, how he came to find his life’s purpose, and how to obliterate obstacles.

'What is most needed right now is inspiration, motivation, encouragement and some help with a shift in thinking. If I can enrich lives in the smallest of ways at this time, I am making a difference and my life can mean something.''

If you need motivation, you’ve…

A Million Miles From Normal

Paige Nick (novelist, columnist and advertising copywriter)

Many people would know her from her weekly column on sex, dating, and romance, and other crazy shenanigans, in the Sunday Times newspaper. But Paige Nick is more than the sex-obsessed writer many people wrote in to the newspaper would have us believe!

Nick's first book, A Million Miles from Normal (2010) and her second novel, This Way Up (2011), were followed by a co-authorship with Sarah Lotz and Helen Moffett in 2013, of series of Choose Your Own Adventure erotic novels, including, A Girl Walks into a…

Travels through the world of reporter Chris Marais

Chris Marais (Author | Reporter | Brains behind KarooSpace.co.za)

How many of you remember Scope magazine? That "raunchy" mag with great writing from back in the day? Or Style? A paean to gorgeousness in the 80s and 90s...

Great journalism comes in sometimes surprising places, and one who contributed greatly to their popularity is Chris Marais. In his time, Chris has been a deadline-crazy newspaper reporter for some top South African titles (including the Rand Daily Mail), a magazine investigative journalist (Scope Magazine) and editor…

He's been Out To Lunch for Years!

David Bullard (Columnist | Author | TV Presenter | Celebrity Public Speaker)

Known for his controversial satire, David Bullard, SA's voice of calm in a time of faux outrage, takes no prisoners when he takes people out to lunch.

With his penchant for creating a furore at every opportunity, mainly through his widely read column, "Out to Lunch", Bullard has taken on new media and Woke wannabe "Rock Stars" with gusto on Twitter, even causing a storm in the South African blogosphere by describing blogging as the 'air guitars of journalism... cobbled together…

Making peace with a piece is not as piquing as sneaky peaking

Sue de Groot (Sunday Times and Times Live | Deputy Features Editor and Columnist)

Autocorrect: making Twitter pedants delete and re-tweet since 2007 - Cassandra Page

Pedantry
attitude; human behaviour, displaying obsession with detail or process, often negatively perceived

For the Grammar Nazis and busy spelling-bees out there, Sue de Groot's "Pedant Class" in the Sunday Times was a main reason for buying the paper.

Now found on the Times Select website, she continues to enthrall us with her "Word in the Hand" column.

The…

Digital Graffiti from Gus Silber's Wall

Gus Silber (Journalist | Author | Scriptwriter | Speechwriter | TweetWriter)

Over the last few years, columnist, scriptwriter and author Gus Silber has written some extraordinary commentary pieces on his journeys around his neighbourhood in Johannesburg and his digital wanderings through the global village we call social media, and posted them to Facebook.

This latest tour de force, Electric Graffiti: Musings on a Facebook Wall, takes us on a magical mystery tour around what words and thoughts mean when cobbled together in sound bytes.