From the 17^th to the 19^th of May some of South Africa’s most talented authors will come together at the 7^th annual Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF). The Cape Winelands will play host to a three-day-long word-filled haven with a wide range of talks, debates and workshops for keen writers, readers and publishers.

To celebrate this literary gathering we will be discounting our AfriBooks titles. All you have to do is access AfriBooks on the 17^th, 18^th or 19^th of May to receive reduced prices across all our ebooks.

AfriBooks is an ever-expanding selection of entertaining and irreverent South African eBooks created by digital Publishers Berg + Bach in collaboration with Burnet Media, available for both Apple and Android users.

‘Lekker’ South African books
now available on iTunes and Google Play

Today on World Book Day digital publishers Berg + Bach, in collaboration with Burnet Media, launches AfriBooks: an ever-expanding selection of entertaining and irreverent South African eBooks on Google Play and iTunes.

South African reading

Digital and online experts Berg + Bach have developed a new application, AfriBooks, specifically for South African eBook readers. It will target both locals back home and expat South Africans around the world.

Uniquely positioned for this venture, Berg + Bach are Dutch-based digital-publishing specialists with global publishing reach as well as strong ties to the South African publishing industry.

‘We thought World Book Day South Africa, a day where the culture of reading is encouraged, would be the perfect time to launch AfriBooks,’ says Miriam Hainebach, creative director and co-founder of Berg + Bach.

South African partner 

For the venture, Berg + Bach have collaborated with independent South African publishers Burnet Media, known for their bestsellers 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa and The Racist’s Guide To The People of South Africa, both of which are available for the first time in e-format on AfriBooks. Together, the companies aim to make irreverent and entertaining South African books accessible to anyone with a tablet or e-reader. 

‘Digital publishing in South Africa is in something of a no-man’s land at the moment,’ explains Tim Richman, managing director of Burnet Media. ‘There is a steadily increasing market, but it appears to be more interested in buying international titles rather than local. We believe AfriBooks offers a great opportunity to take easily accessible, well-priced content to a wider audience, both within South Africa and abroad.’

The details

The AfriBooks library container app is free to download. Apple users can download the app on iTunes; Android users can download it on Google Play.

Launch prices for eBooks within AfriBooks vary from R45 to R80 (approx. US$4.85 to US$8.65). New titles will be added to the AfriBooks container each month, varying from recent bestsellers to niche titles to novels that have gone out-of-print.

About Berg + Bach:

Berg + Bach is not your typical digital publishing company. Small, focused and based in the Netherlands, they work together with publishing houses, self-publishers, magazines, authors and cartoonists all over the world to find the best way to convert their publications for different e-readers and iOS and Android devices, after which they market them through various online avenues. In this way, the publishers/authors/cartoonists can focus on what they do best. In South Africa, Berg + Bach currently manages digital publishing projects for The Big Issue and award-winning cartoonist Zapiro, in addition to a number of other print publishing organisations. See www.berg-bach.com.

About Burnet Media:

Burnet Media is an independent publishing house based in Cape Town that produces two imprints – Two Dogs and Mercury – as well as a variety of customised publishing projects. Its bestsellers include Some Of My Best Friends Are White, 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa and The Racist’s Guide To The People Of South Africa, which have sold more than 100,000 copies between them. See www.burnetmedia.co.za.

The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide: South Africa will once again be at the country’s biggest wedding industry event – the Wedding Expo! Following the success of the book at various bridal fairs in Cape Town and Johannesburg, the authors have decided to return to the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate on the 6th and 7th of April to showcase the book that every engaged reader, wedding planner and industry leader should have.

Last year the book was featured on the Top Billing website, and received an enthusiastic response following their online competition. Elle Magazine has called it “the best wedding book ever,” and various South African wedsites have praised it for it’s practical and accessible yet witty style. The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide: South Africa is fast becoming the go-to guide for brides (and grooms) in need of “the perfect antidote to wedding craziness.” The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide is proud to be associated with the African Bridal Industry Association, so, if you’re a bride who has enjoyed the book, head over to the ABIA website, and tell us what made you laugh, what made you cry, or what kept you sane during your time of wedding-planning madness. Registration is quick and easy – and you’ll get access to a whole host of ABIA accredited suppliers.

Exciting news is that TIAZWG is also on the world’s biggest mobile photo-sharing platform – Instagram! With over 100 million active users, Instagram is the perfect way for brides and grooms to connect with the most informative and entertaining wedding guide in South Africa. Our handle is @theirreverentweddingguide. For more information on competitions and giveaways, remember to ‘Like’ and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. While we can’t promise that we’ll inspire you with ideas for your own wedding, we do post some of the funnier wedding snaps that we come across, so check out our social media platforms for all the funniest wedding-related news and info.

What are you waiting for? Get your copy of The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide: South Africa at all good book stores and from the following online suppliers:

Loot

Kalahari

Exclusive Books

Book details

• The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide by Francesca Bourke, Martin Heller
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  EAN: 9780987005847
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On Wednesday night, two of Cape Town’s top crime writers, Joanne Hichens and Consuelo Roland, joined Ron Irwin to discuss how women crime writers are pushing boundaries by exposing the more disturbing side of society. Stuart from Two Dogs/Mercury was on hand to catch this fascinating discussion.

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• Divine Justice by Joanne Hichens
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  EAN: 9780987005809
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Exciting news from Burnet Media is that we will be providing digital readers with a fully-fledged app solution for Android and iOS devices. In partnership with Berg + Bach, a small international company specialized in digital publishing, we will be digitally re-launching some of our bestsellers within the next few weeks.

Among the selected Burnet Media ebooks will be 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa, which has sold more than 40,000 copies, and its follow-up, 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans, by Alexander Parker with cartoons by Zapiro. We will also be re-launching the smash bestseller The Racist’s Guide To The People Of South Africa, and the book that every engaged South African should get; The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide: South Africa.

Berg and Bach will provide a feature-rich and immersive experience when reading selected Burnet Media titles on your mobile device. Berg + Bach earlier launched apps for The Big Issue South Africa and Zapiro. Part of Burnet Media’s eBook strategy includes making these titles available on dedicated eReaders such as the Amazon Kindle, and the recently-introduced Kobo.

For now though, don’t forget that you can still get selected Burnet Media titles on Kindle, iOS and Android. If you don’t have a Kindle but do have a smartphone or tablet, simply download the Kindle app from iTunes or Google Play and search for our books!

Happy reading!

Book details

• The Racist’s Guide to South Africa by Simon Kilpatrick
  EAN: 9781920137328
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• 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa by Alexander Parker, illustrated by Zapiro
  EAN: 9781920137335
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• 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans by Alexander Parker, Tim Richman, illustrated by Zapiro
  EAN: 9780987043719
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• The Irreverent A-Z Wedding Guide by Francesca Bourke, Martin Heller
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Alexander Parker’s 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans is achieving what it set out to do – that is, get conversation going with its entirely subjective and often controversial list of brilliant Saffers. Having been interviewed on Talk Radio 702, SAfm, and 567 Cape Talk, the author has found himself defending his selections, and agreeing with others. The book has just entered the top ten non-fiction Adult titles and has received favourable reviews, even from those who may have found issue with the list of fifty. The following radio personalities had this to say about the book:

“It’s a fabulous book [with] some fabulous, fabulous stories” – Bruce Whitfield, The Money Show, 702

“As is the case with any reader of a list of 50 flippen brilliant anythings, there are going to be some fairly significant disagreements, some raised eyebrows, some ‘yep I’m with you on that one’, and quite a lot of whatabouts… One of the many joys of a book like this is that it does provide opportunity for debate” – John Maytham, Cape Talk

“I think it’s a fantastic book and it could quite obviously lead on to another book… What more could you want for Christmas?” – Jenny Crwys-Williams

Brian Rostron of Business Day also hailed the book as an informative piece of popular history, writing the following: “Written with conviction and brio, this could make a flippen useful Christmas gift”.

Listeners of Kieno Kammies’s show on 567 Cape Talk will be pleased to know that copies of the book are being given away as book prizes on his ’3-2-1′ competition throughout the week. You can listen to all the recorded interviews below, and follow Alex on Twitter to get the latest on 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans.

Podcast not working? Listen on the Burnet Media SoundCloud page.

About the book: The eagerly anticipated 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans, by Alexander Parker and Tim Richman and with cartoons by Zapiro, was launched in November 2012, having earned a coveted spot on the Exclusive Books 2012 Wish List. It is the follow-up to 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa, which has sold more than 40,000 copies, was shortlisted for the 2011 Nielsen Bookseller’s Choice Award and was one of the top five trade titles of 2011.

Book details

• 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans by Alexander Parker, Tim Richman, illustrated by Zapiro
  EAN: 9780987043719
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

The eagerly anticipated 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans, by Alexander Parker and Tim Richman and with cartoons by Zapiro, was launched in November 2012, having earned a coveted spot on the Exclusive Books 2012 Wish List. It is the follow-up to 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa, which has sold more than 40,000 copies, was shortlisted for the 2011 Nielsen Bookseller’s Choice Award and was one of the top five trade titles of 2011.

About the book:

Although 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans brings more of a positive spin to proceedings, it is sure to get the conversation going with its entirely subjective and often controversial list of brilliant Saffers. (We said ‘brilliant’, not ‘nice’.) Of course, there are the great statesmen (Mandela, Luthuli, Smuts), the landmark achievers (Charlize Theron, Chris Barnard) and the incredible talents (Miriam Makeba, Irma Stern), but the lesser-knowns will also make a case. For example, Ntshingwayo Khoza, the conqueror at Isandlwana; Ampie Roux, our very own atom-bomb creator; Ryan Sandes, the world’s best trail runner…From space adventurers (Mark Shuttleworth) and fighter pilots (Sailor Malan) to entrepreneurs (Elon Musk) and environmentalists (Ian Player), this is a raucous celebration of the country we call home, and the perfect partner to 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa – proving that you just can’t have the bad without the good…

About the contributors:

Alexander Parker is a freelance journalist and writer, and a history buff. He is car editor of Business Day and author of 25 Cars To Drive Before You Die as well as 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa.

Tim Richman is a writer, editor and publisher. He is the co-author of the best-selling Is It Just Me Or Is Everything Kak? series, as well as a number of other titles.

Zapiro is widely regarded as South Africa’s foremost political cartoonist. His popular cartoons appear regularly in various publications and his annual collections invariably top the best-seller lists.

Book specs:

Title: 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans

Authors: Alexander Parker and Tim Richman

Cartoonist: Zapiro

ISBN: 9780987043719

Released: November2012

RRP: R180

Imprint: Mercury

Published by Burnet Media              

Distributed by Jacana Media

Contact Stuart Hendricks or Amy Flatau for review copies, interview requests or more information – Stuart Hendricks: stuart@burnetmedia.co.za, 021 671 3440; Amy Flatau: amy@jacana.co.za, 011 628 3200

Book details

• 50 Flippen Brilliant South Africans by Alexander Parker, Tim Richman, illustrated by Zapiro
  EAN: 9780987043719
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After performing to sold-out crowds at the Grahamstown Arts Festival, Siv Ngesi performed his Race Card show to Cape Town audiences at the Golden Arrow Studio at the Baxter Theatre from the 1st to 13th of October. Here’s a recap of what critics, politicians and theatregoers had to say about the show.

Book details

• The Racist’s Guide to South Africa by Simon Kilpatrick
  EAN: 9781920137328
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After performing to sold out crowds at the Grahamstown Arts Festival in July, Siv Ngesi premiered his Race Card show to Cape Town audiences at the Golden Arrow Studio at the Baxter Theatre on Monday the 1^st of October. Never afraid to tackle racial taboos, Ngesi’s “racially active” show has received favourable mentions from reviewers and critics alike. According to Bizcommunity, “[Siv] has such an energy about him that enthralls the audience and brings you to the heart of the issue within our country, which he understands and addresses in a way that we can all relate to”

Race Card is of course based on The Racist’s Guide To The People Of South Africa; a politically incorrect, comprehensively unscientific and exceptionally funny “guidebook” that identifies – and pokes fun at – the people of the Rainbow Nation, and is directed by Brent Palmer. As Terri-Dunbar Curran of the Cape Times puts it, “the combination of Ngesi’s easy-going manner, Palmer’s sharp direction and Kilpatrick’s original concept makes for an entertaining rampage through the varied cultures in SA.”

Blogger Megan Furniss calls Siv “warm, sexy and totally loveable” which to her is “a great recipe for successful stand-up”. She goes on to write that Siv’s content is “well observed; combining stereotypes with (the) quirky and unusual but very, randomly true.” What some might not know is that Siv in fact identifies himself primarily as an actor (he has landed roles in Invictus and Long Walk to Freedom, and has appeared alongside Kiefer Sutherland in 24), but this does not detract from his comedic abilities at all. His stage experience comes to the fore as he manages to masterfully engage his audience over the course of just under two hours.

Cape Town Magazine had this to say about Race Card: “This energetic comedy gives us an opportunity to enjoy our common humanity, whilst recognising and appreciating our different tastes and quirks.” Siv’s adaptation and interpretation of the Racist’s Guide has left audiences in stitches, and with plans to take the show to Port Elizabeth, East London, Joburg, and Durban, Race Card looks set to dominate the comedy circuit.

Tickets are available through Computicket.com and cost R80p/p for shows from Monday to Thursday and R100p/p for the Friday and Saturday shows. Discounts apply to the Monday to Thursday shows: students, pensioners and block bookings of 10 or more get 10% off the regular ticket price. For corporate bookings, contact Sharon Ward on +27 (0) 21 680 3962 or viasharon.ward@uct.ac.za or Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993 or via carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za.

Follow Siv on Twitter @iamSivN and get tweets from Two Dogs/Mercury @TwoDogs_Mercury.

Book details

• The Racist’s Guide to South Africa by Simon Kilpatrick
  EAN: 9781920137328
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South Africans react to mining ‘massacre’

Residents express outrage and dismay at Marikana shooting, where 34 people were killed and 78 others injured.

It has been described as the most violent police operation in post apartheid South Africa.

Thirty-four people were shot dead and 78 others injured on August 16, when police opened fire on striking miners outside the Lonmin mine in the country’s north west province.

While police say the incident was an act of self-defence against a mob wielding clubs, machetes and handguns, questions are being asked about why police resorted to automatic rifles and live ammunition to disperse the crowd.

Many South Africans are outraged by the incident, and see it as part of a larger story of growing frustration at rising income and social inequality, poor service delivery and a state determined to squash organised dissent.

Jacob Zuma. South Africa’s president, has called for a commission of inquiry into the shootings, but many feel the damage might have already been done.

Al Jazeera spoke to South Africans from different walks of life to get their perspectives.

“South Africa has a new massacre to add to its list. The now-dubbed ‘Marikana Massacre’ will probably the most abhorred, simply because it occurred in ‘post-apartheid-new democracy-constitutional’ South Africa.

“The incident resembled the conduct of an oppressive unforgiving police force we know all too well. We, as South Africans, pledged to never let such atrocities occur under the watchful eye of the constitution.

“Now that ghost has come back to haunt us and all the fears we locked in the back of our minds and in the basements of our hearts returned with it. The use of deadly force is justifiable in certain circumstances within certain limits and the constitution supports this ‘justifiable harm’.

“However that’s not really what we should be discussing, as South African society, rather how did we let the brewing tensions behind the rival mineworkers’ and their unions at Lonmin Mines get to the point where the police have to consider using deadly force?

“This could have, and should have, been avoided – as South Africa has had enough experience with ‘violent crowd’ scenarios for protocols and procedures to have been developed in light of preserving life and in upholding the rights enshrined in our sacred constitution, as far as possible, before taking all those rights away, especially the right to life.”

“When faced with tragedy, I think we’d like to believe there’s only one party to blame for what has happened at the mine this week.

“However, [when] self-serving unions and corporates [are] coupled with workers who have had to endure terrible living and working conditions, you have a problem.

“Add to that an unskilled police force and we have created a perfect storm. As South Africans, we tend to live in an echo chamber and many live oblivious to this tragedy. This will be seen as a black problem; many people can’t or won’t empathise.

“Unless we start focusing on bridging the gap between the socioeconomic classes, the disenfranchised will rise up and bring South Africa to a standstill. I believe that this is only the beginning of our own ‘African Spring’.

“The ‘people shall govern’ will be more than just a party slogan in the next few years.”

“The cops are wrong because they used guns. The owner of the mine can resolve this now. Even Zuma needs to get involved. I feel so bad, because I do not think people should be killed in that fashion.

“I blame the cops, because they killed the people. Sometimes, they should be using rubber bullets or tear gas, but to use live fire is not good.

“I think people in South Africa are feeling bad. What happened was not right. You know those people they killed, were people of South Africa and the police were people of South Africa – so I feel bad.

“I think the police need to do their job. They have no business killing people. The people in the mine have a dangerous job. Maybe they were right to strike.

“You see, when you are inside the mine, everything is dangerous, that’s why the people want the extra money, because they know how it works. They have no choice but to ask for better wage.”

Click here to read the full story on the Al Jazeera website. Follow Azad Essa on Twitter @azadessa and catch tweets from Two Dogs/Mercury @TwoDogs_Mercury.

Book details

• Zuma’s Bastard: Encounters with a Desktop Terrorist by Azad Essa
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  EAN: 9781920137311
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