Guide To Birds Of The Kruger National Park by Warwick Tarboton & Peter Ryan 7
Revolution by Russell Brand 6.5
Maverick: Extraordinary Women From South Africa’s Past by Lauren Beukes and Nechama Brodie 6.5
Hasta La Gupta, Baby! by Zapiro 5
Do we need more bird books? In this case, definitely “yes”. This is an exceptionally good new field guide. It covers more than 500 species that have been recorded in the Kruger National Park. Of these, more than 400 of the most common or likely to be seen species are described and supported by full-colour photographs. The guide is easy to use, with a good index in the front of the book and a more detailed version in the back. There is also a scientific index and an index to Afrikaans names. The most important and useful feature is that the distribution maps are based on actual sightings. These are based on the Second Southern African Bird Atlas Project. Each dot on the distribution maps marks a pentad in which the bird was recorded at least once. A pentad measures about 7km x 8km. An informative introduction describes the park’s underlying geology, vegetation types, climate and rainfall, and how these dictate bird distribution within the area. These are also supported by distribution maps of the park. Warwick Tarboton is a well-known bird expert and writer and a past president of Birdlife South Africa. Peter Ryan is Director of the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town. – MH
Russell Brand is many things – funny, tall, bearded, obnoxious – but he is also, as made clear by this book, a superb writer and, of all things, wise. Essentially, his idea (not a new one, but one that it’s unfashionable to be this passionate about) is that the pillars on which much of modern society is built, from the power of celebrities to corrupt corporate structures, are utter tosh. The response he demands is a change in the behaviour of the everyman, those most affected by actions of the supposed elite, which would force a more egalitarian way of life to become the norm. He eschews the more predictable, staid philosophical approach usually employed in such treatises and, while writing richly comic passages, also manages to make some persuasive points. Brand’s credibility as a commentator on such matters may be questioned by some, but his intelligence is never in doubt, and he bolsters his general integrity with eviscerating self-examination in which he lays bare his own shortcomings, past and present. The only problem with the book – and it’s a substantial one – is that he simply goes on for too long. Activism is admirable, but after a certain point, Brand’s efforts feel like a crusade rather than thoughtful encouragement to reconsider a perspective. And, as Brand would tell you, not many people like being preached at when they haven’t yet signed up for the gospel being examined. – BD
A reprint of a 2005 book (with updates, tweaks and new chapters), Maverick is an entertaining, concise historical document that focuses on the lives, achievements and influence of 22 South African women. The use of the word “extraordinary” rather than “great” in the title is worth noting, as some of the individuals are eccentric rather than influential (particularly the alien-loving Elizabeth Klarer), while many others are tragic figures, significant for the sadness of their stories as much for the impact they had in their respective fields. The irreverent tone of the writing makes some otherwise well-documented biographical material more accessible and reader-friendly, bar a few instances when this style seems affected rather than natural (a shortcoming author Lauren Beukes alludes to in her preface, noting that her perspectives on some of her subjects and what language is appropriate where have changed since she wrote this, her first book). Overall, the way she and Nechama Brodie present their material makes this a more effective resource than some of the many projects focusing on the same women in other contexts – such as the recent film about 17th Century Dutch-Khoekhoe translator Krotoa-Eva. This has much to do with the fact that, though is obvious admiration for or at least fascination with each woman profiled, the authors refuse to ignore obvious shortcomings in their subjects, and if a happy ending didn’t happen, they don’t try to imagine one. – BD
For a political satirist, 2017 was a huge year for material, filled with everything from Donald Trump becoming president of the most powerful nation on the planet to South Africa being captured by a family with – somehow – even fewer scruples than the man who benefits most from their actions: former South African President Jacob Zuma. So rich pickings, then, for a cartoonist who’s never been afraid to rip the rug out from anyone who deserved it. The problem with 2017’s storylines, though, is that they were – almost without exception – rather depressing on one or more levels. As a result, Zapiro’s annual collection for the period, which rounds up all of these threads in one focused volume, is sometimes rather difficult to get through. Zapiro’s illustrations are as thought-provoking as ever, but it may be that, this time, the thoughts they provoke lead to spaces many readers will want a break from. This is not the cartoonist’s fault – don’t shoot the messenger and all that – and he will have more accessible and entertaining books when the headlines swing around in that direction. – BD[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”default_sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
