Pan's Festive Shelf 2024

'Mosse gives us both the satisfying intricacy of historical fact and a fictional narrative that carries us along at a rollicking pace. The long, rich, tragic history of the Huguenots deserved a series of novels as brilliant and well researched as [The Joubert Family Chronicles], in which the past is felt deep in the reader’s bones' – The Observer

A sweeping story of love, adventure and adversity, The Map of Bones by Kate Mosse is an epic tale of courageous women battling to survive in a hostile land.

Olifantshoek, Southern Africa, 1688. When the violent Cape wind blows from the south-east, they say the voices of the unquiet dead can be heard whispering through the deserted valley. Suzanne Joubert, a Huguenot refugee from war-torn France, arrives in search of her cousin — the notorious she-captain and pirate commander Louise Reydon-Joubert — who landed at the Cape of Good Hope more than sixty years before, then disappeared without a trace . . .

Franschhoek, Southern Africa, 1862. Nearly one hundred and eighty years after Suzanne’s perilous journey, another intrepid and courageous woman of the Joubert family — Isabelle Lepard — has journeyed to the small frontier town once known as Oliftantshoek in search of her long-lost relations. Intent on putting the women of her family back into the history books, she quickly discovers that the crimes and tragedies still shadow the present. And now, Isabelle faces a race against time if she is to discover the truth, and escape with her life . . .

Painstakingly researched and beautifully told, The Map of Bones is the fourth – and final – novel of The Joubert Family Chronicles, following the bestselling The Burning Chambers, The City of Tears and The Ghost Ship.

'This is adventure-stuffed historical fiction in the grand tradition' – The Telegraph

'A fittingly terrific conclusion [to The Joubert Family Chronicles]' – i newspaper

* The Map of Bones by Kate Mosse was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 06-10-24

An instant Sunday Times bestseller and soon to be a major motion picture!

'Astonishing. Compelling. Powerful' – Delia Owens, bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing

'Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism' – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

‘Powerful’ – Matt Haig, bestselling author of The Midnight Library

The Number One bestselling novel which has captured the hearts of readers across the world. The Women is a novel of epic love and devastating loss. And it is a story of a memorable heroine, and her deep friendships, whose idealism and courage under fire will define an era.

Their friendship changed lives. Their bravery changed history.

'Women can be heroes, too'. When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances "Frankie" McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California's idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.

Readers love The Women:

'It honours ALL women: those who have fought for their rights and freedoms, those who have been overlooked and underappreciated, those who have been forgotten by families and society'

'I’ve been looking forward to this book’s release for months'

'Kristin Hannah has done it again'

The Women was a Sunday Times bestseller from 17.2.24-13.4.24

Sweeping and evocative, The Hidden Girl is a lost treasure from the author of The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley. Discover this reimagined novel from an author loved by millions of readers worldwide.

You can’t alter destiny . . .

Born and raised in a small village on the Yorkshire moors, Leah Thompson grows more beautiful with each passing day. When she catches the attention of the influential, troubled Delancey family, she knows her life will never be the same again.

Years later, Leah takes the modelling world by storm, travelling from Milan to London and New York and living life in the lap of luxury. But her past follows her like a dark shadow, mysteriously intertwined with the tragic tale of two young siblings in Poland during the Second World War.

As two generations of secrets threaten to explode, Leah is haunted by a fatal, forgotten prophecy from her past, and must fight to challenge the destiny that has been mapped out for her in the stars . . .

Long before she became the bestselling author of The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley wrote Hidden Beauty as Lucinda Edmonds. This standalone novel has been reworked and given new life as The Hidden Girl by Harry Whittaker, Lucinda’s son and co-author of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.

A gripping new thriller by the master of adventure Tony Park about rescue, revenge and redemption, and the things we do to protect the ones we love.

Professor Denise ‘Doc’ Rado is South Africa’s expert on pangolins, busting poachers and freeing the endangered anteaters in elaborate undercover stings. After a risky operation backfires, Doc’s life is shattered, but she still has to lead an eclectic group of donors on a wildlife tour of Southern Africa.

But there’s a target on her back. As the safari ventures deep into Africa, Doc fears they’re being followed and she will do anything to keep them all safe – especially Ian Laidlaw, a handsome Australian businessman turned accidental philanthropist. Is Doc being hunted by the poachers she once fought, or is there some other bloodthirsty predator prowling the wilderness?

Winner of the 2024 UJ Debut Prize for Books and shortlisted for the Sunday Times Literary Awards Fiction Prize, The Institute for Creative Dying is a vivid and visceral exploration of mortality and the interconnectedness of all forms of being.

Hidden behind an iron-grille gate, just below the craggy rocks of Northcliff ridge, lies an unnumbered house. To the untrained eye, the rambling property might seem neglected, with its tangle of trees and untamed indigenous bush. But there is purpose here, and a peaceful, subterranean focus on all that withers and dies.

Five strangers – a model, a former nun, a couple in crisis, and an offender newly released from prison – have come to this place to discover an end to life as they've known it. Placing their trust in their hosts, the Mortician and Mustafa, the five open their minds and bodies to an alternative experience. Not all of them will survive – or at least not in the way they imagined – but all of them will be shown the limits of their living.

The Institute for Creative Dying is a bold and imaginative debut, unique in its exploration of death, grief, loss, and the edgy, gothic world of palliative care and academia.

The instant Sunday Times bestseller
Winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024
Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2024
Selected as a 'Book of the Year' in The Telegraph, Financial Times, New Statesman, TLS and The Spectator

'Truly extraordinary books are rare, and this is one of them' – Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha

James is a profound and ferociously funny reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. From Percival Everett, award-winning author of The Trees and Erasure, adapted into the Oscar-winning film American Fiction.

The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he flees to nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town.

So begins a dangerous and transcendent journey along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most life-changing odyssey of them all . . .

‘Who should read this book? Every single person in the country’ – Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake

'James has the potential to become a classic . . . Thrilling, bold and profound' – The Sunday Times

'Funny, wise, gracious; this may be Everett's best book yet' – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

'Magnificent . . . This is Everett's most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful' – The New York Times

'Unforgiving and compassionate, beautiful and brutal, a tragedy and a farce' – Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust

‘I will carry this story, and the people in it, with me for the rest of my life' JOHN GREEN, author of The Fault in Our Stars
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024
A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST 2024
A BARNES & NOBLE DISCOVER PRIZE FINALIST
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARD 2024
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2024 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, AMAZON, TIME AND SARAH JESSICA PARKER
ON BARACK OBAMA'S SUMMER READING LIST 2024

'Smart, dazzling, different . . . This book is thrilling.'
Ann Patchett, author of Tom Lake

'An absolute jewel of a novel'
Tommy Orange, author of Wandering Stars

'A kaleidoscopic debut'
Guardian

Cyrus Shams has always been lost. He’s grown up tangled in the mysteries of his past – an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields, a haunting work of art by an exiled painter, and his mother, whose plane was shot down over the Persian Gulf when he was just a baby. Now, newly sober and maybe in love, he’s headed for an encounter that will transform everything he thought he knew. Can a final revelation change the truth of Cyrus's life?

Electrifying, funny, and all-consuming, Kaveh Akbar's Martyr! is a masterpiece.

_{* Martyr! was an instant New York Times bestseller w/c 27/1/24}

When she turned ninety, my mother sprang a final surprise on us. She started speaking in the voice of a stranger.

Peter’s mother is dying. Born in England and having spent most of her adult life as a doctor in Zimbabwe, she now lies on a hospital bed in the partitioned living room of his sister’s London apartment, her accent having overnight become posher than the Queen’s. Unsentimental, fiercely stubborn and at times hilarious, she finally drops her guard, losing all fear of conflict to become the family provocateur.

While confronting the revelations of what his family was – and wasn’t – and the stoicism that sometimes threatened to destroy them, Peter also mourns the ending of his long marriage. At this point of rupture and healing, Peter reflects on his family’s legacy of exile and their tenuous hold on home.

In Exit Wounds: A Story of Love, Loss and Occasional Wars, Peter Godwin considers, with both tenderness and candour, the life of émigrés, exiles and refugees, and grieves the many losses that make life both magnificent and unbearable. He brings us into the spaces that make us question, suffer and celebrate the relationships we have among family and friends, and the healing of our own wounds.

‘Brave, poetic, brutal, always honest. By leading the reader through his chaotic childhood and immersing us in a mental health treatment centre, Lesedi forces us to confront conversations that are often hard to have. I was moved and challenged.’ – GAVIN WEALE

So here I am, at a psychiatric hospital, looking for myself in a building I’ve never been to before. A few nights ago, I was ready to rid myself of myself. I still am, only, in a different way ...

Patient 12A is Lesedi Molefi’s absorbing memoir, reflecting on his time spent in a psychiatric clinic in 2016. With vulnerability and candour, Lesedi reflects on the moments, large and small, that led him there. It is at once a personal history, an observation of how childhood experiences can have a profound effect on the adults we become, and a commentary on how mental illness remains a difficult conversation in black families. More than anything, in Patient 12A, Lesedi allows himself to filter out the noise in his head to find the truth, however uncomfortable that may be.

When he died in 2014, author Chris van Wyk left behind an impressive literary legacy. The scope of his work was broad – poetry, children’s books, short stories and biographies. But perhaps he is best remembered for his memoir Shirley, Goodness & Mercy, which chronicles his growing up in Riverlea and introduces us to the colourful characters who helped to shape his life and inform the stories he wrote.

The public persona of this witty and wise raconteur was well known, but behind it was a family man, who liked nothing better than to spend time with his two sons Kevin and Karl, his wife and childhood sweetheart Kathy, and the friends and family who were his primary sources of inspiration.

Using the unique vantage point of oldest son, Kevin van Wyk’s astute observations of his father and the strong bond they enjoyed throughout Chris’s life have resulted in a memoir that is as affectionate as it is entertaining. In taking us behind the scenes into the Van Wyk household, we witness the inner workings of the mind of a storyteller, from the flowering of his father’s activism, wit and wisdom to the sources of his occasional quirky outbursts. If storytelling runs in the genes, Kevin may just be proof that his father’s spirit lives on.

In The Syndicate of Twenty-two Natives, Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo offers an elegy to her father, the late Professor Stan Sangweni, which explores the personal saga of a family’s lineage rooted in Zuka on Suspence Farm, Newcastle, in what is now northern KwaZulu-Natal.

In turn, Prof Sangweni opens a window into a past where his grandfather, with foresight and ingenuity, became part of The Syndicate of Twenty-two Natives, a group that secured land for their families, including his family of seven wives, and for succeeding generations at a time when Black people in South Africa were being systematically dispossessed of their land.

While packing up her father’s study as her parents prepare to move from their home after 27 years, Lindiwe and her father uncover his lifelong collection of documents and pictures that detail the intricacies of his life as a devoted family man, an ANC veteran and anti-apartheid activist, a pioneer of public service excellence in post-apartheid South Africa and an inveterate stickler for detail in every aspect of his life.

Inspiring, often humorous, occasionally cataclysmically disruptive and generally victorious, this memoir is a tribute and a testament to the enduring legacy of those who paved the way amidst the trials of history for future generations.

The Near North is a vivid account of life in Johannesburg in times of crisis. From the stony ridges of Langermann Kop in Kensington to the tree-lined avenues of Houghton, we follow the writer through the city's streets, meeting its ghosts and journeying through time and (often circumscribed) space, finding meaning in the everyday and incidental.

At once an echo of Ivan Vladislavić’s award-winning Portrait with Keys and an original work of intense acuity and quiet power, The Near North is both intimate and expansive, ranging from small domestic dramas to great public spectacles. Wryly playful at times, fiercely serious at others, it is certain to move and delight all who accompany the writer through its pages.

In 2018, Alastair McAlpine, a palliative paediatrician in Cape Town, decided to share some inspiring thoughts from the children in his care. He posted: ‘I asked some of my terminal paediatric palliative care patients what they had enjoyed in life, and what gave it meaning. Kids can be so wise, y’know. Here are some of the responses.’

Their simple yet profound answers went viral, found their way into homes across the world and touched the hearts of millions. Yet it was never McAlpine’s plan to find himself in this position. Challenged from all sides by crippling addiction, a brutal internship and a deadly HIV pandemic, McAlpine’s journey was very nearly derailed.

Prescription: Ice Cream is his engaging memoir about the highs and lows of working as a medical doctor in South Africa and how, with a little help from metal music and ice cream, he was able to struggle on, find meaning in the chaos and inspire others.

If South Africa were a cat, it would be rapidly running out of its nine lives. In 2024, voters sent a clear signal to the fractured ANC that they had run out of patience. It lost its majority and was forced to enter a difficult multi-party coalition.

Broadcaster, author and public speaker Bruce Whitfield consistently looks for opportunity in times of uncertainty. The author of the 2020 bestseller The Upside of Down, and Genius (2022), now brings you The One Thing, which draws on his unparalleled access to a network of business leaders, founders and deep thinkers.

Bruce challenged his contributors to identify ‘One Thing’ that, if they were president for half an hour, they would order to be implemented so it could have a catalytic effect throughout the economy. You will hear from a host of people, including:

• Sean Summers, tasked with turning around Pick n Pay, on the first step he would take to turn around the country;
• Mining CEO Mike Teke on what he learned playing football on the fields of KwaThema, and how he would apply that to the country;
• Wits Chancellor Judy Dlamini on the power of education; and
• Chair of the Businesswomen’s Association Mandisa Nkwanyana about harnessing the power of women as a catalyst for change.

You will also hear from those who inspire us to be more than we think we can be, such as maestro Ralf Schmitt, who took the raw talent of a group of children from Limpopo to the finals of America’s Got Talent, plus a range of money managers, editors, CEOs, academics and founders of some of the country’s most successful startups.

Bruce also challenges readers to define their ‘One Thing’ and yes, he offers his own ‘One Thing’, too. Probably the simplest and most achievable action of all, it requires just one behaviourial change.

So you’ve come up with a killer business idea and you’re ready to turn it into a side hustle or startup. What now? What do you need to do to bring it to life?

Whether you’re looking to earn some extra money on the side or dreaming of starting The Next Big Thing, Side Hustles and Startups is packed with the information you need to take this big step into your bright future. We’ll teach you how to:

1. Find your passion.
2. Test your idea.
3. Write a business plan.
4. Get funding.
5. Ace your business admin, tax and compliance.
6. Brand and market your business.
7. Manage your money.
8. Set up systems.
9. Build your team.
10. Take care of you.

Heavy Chef sat down with some of South Africa’s foremost entrepreneurs, side hustlers, strategists, marketing whizzes, venture capitalists and, yes, even tax specialists to help you get going. Combined, they have centuries of experience in creating and growing side hustles and startups. We’ve turned their advice into bite-sized lessons for you to snack on – as if you’re firing off instant messages to these trailblazers whenever you get stuck on your journey. Go on. Start up and hustle away.

The Democratic Alliance won control of the uMngeni Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands after the local government elections in 2021. As the only DA-run municipality in KZN, uMngeni provides a template for how local government could work in a post-ANC South Africa. Written by two leaders at the very heart of the project, Saving South Africa reveals the challenges, the triumphs and disasters the new administration has encountered along the way.

It is an eye-opening exposé of how cadre deployment has helped to bring the country to its knees. It is a story of incompetent officials, political spies, gun-wielding tenderpreneurs, petty theft and grand larceny. And yet, as we follow the authors on their journey, there is always hope for a better future as the corrupt layers of local governance are gradually stripped away, revealing the responsive and caring civil service envisioned by the South African Constitution.

you get better with love takes you on the journey of embracing vulnerability in its rawest form. Exploring fears, insecurities, love experiences and the yearning for acceptance, the author weaves a narrative of prose and poetry delving into the heart of human emotion.

This collection of poetry is a testament to the power of owning one’s feelings and thoughts, showcasing a delicate balance between personal and universal experiences. As a way of symbolising individuality and how we don’t have to constrain ourselves to one thing, the author uses lower-case typography and invites you to reflect on your struggles and triumphs.

As each page turns, you get better with love offers a comforting reminder that as long as we breathe, there is an opportunity to begin anew, love oneself fully, and embrace the endless possibilities that come with choosing to try again.

Rassie Erasmus has been called a genius. He’s been called reckless. All his life, he’s done things differently. Now, with his trademark candour, Rassie talks openly about his adventures and misadventures.

He reveals the turmoil of living with an alcoholic father and growing up in the conservative town of Despatch. He looks back on an exemplary career as a player, whose innate rugby instincts, ability to read a game differently, and appetite for hard work set him apart. While his teammates relaxed, he preferred to watch hours of video to devise winning strategies. When given the opportunity to lead his country as Springbok captain, he refused the honour.

Rassie recalls how he became an important cog in Nick Mallett’s record-breaking Springbok team of the late 1990s. He remembers the anguish of the 1999 World Cup and the devastating injuries that cut short his playing career. He discusses his revolutionary coaching methods, which were initially laughed off and then eagerly adopted, how he fought the rugby establishment at the Stormers and earned the respect of Irish fans at Munster.

Rassie talks about his greatest contribution to South African rugby, appointing its first black captain, Siya Kolisi, without much fanfare or controversy, as his bold plans for effective racial transformation of the national team achieved immediate success, culminating in triumph at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Readers will enjoy the behind-the-scenes information about interactions and controversies and previously untold stories from a truly maverick life.

Rassie Erasmus is al geniaal genoem. Hy is al roekeloos genoem. Nog sy hele lewe lank het hy dinge anders gedoen. Nou, op sy kenmerkend openhartige manier, gesels Rassie oor sy lewe vol hoogtepunte en laagtepunte.

Hy onthul hoe ontwrigtend dit was om saam met ’n alkoholis-pa groot te word en gesels oor sy kinderjare op die konserwatiewe dorpie Despatch. Hy kyk terug op ’n uitblinkerloopbaan as speler wie se ingebore rugbyinstink, vermoë om ’n wedstryd anders te lees en aptyt vir harde werk hom nog altyd onderskei het. Terwyl sy spanmaats ontspan het, het hy verkies om na ure se videomateriaal te kyk om wenstrategieë uit te werk. Toe hy die geleentheid gebied is om as Springbokkaptein vir sy land uit te draf, het hy dié eer van die hand gewys.

Rassie dink terug aan die tye toe hy ’n belangrike onderdeel van die ratwerk in Nick Mallett se rekordverpletterende Springbokspan van die laat 1990’s was. Hy herroep die pyn van die 1999-Wêreldbeker en die besering wat ’n einde aan sy loopbaan as speler beteken het.

Hy bespreek sy revolusionêre afrigtingstegnieke, wat aanvanklik afgelag en toe met ope arms aangegryp is, hoe hy die rugbystrukture by die Stormers die stryd aangesê het en die respek van die Ierse aanhangers by Munster verdien het.

Rassie gesels oor sy grootste bydrae tot Suid-Afrikaanse rugby, die aanstelling van die eerste swart kaptein, Siya Kolisi, sonder ’n groot ophef of omstredenheid, en hoe die onmiddellike sukses van sy onverskrokke planne vir die effektiewe rassetransformasie van die nasionale span gelei het tot die Rugbywêreldbeker-triomf in 2019.

Lesers sal hulle verkneukel aan die agter-die-skerms-inligting oor interaksies, omstredenheid en voorheen onvertelde verhale uit ’n waarlik grensverskuiwende lewe.