Books: Drop everything and read this season

It’s official. The festive season is here and so too, the annual break where the luxury of time is all most of us want for Christmas. That and, well, a seriously good book. And who better to ask for some recommendations than the folk who put the titles on the shelves. 

Gillian Spain is the sales and marketing director of Pan Macmillan in South Africa and, she said, there are several titles coming to a book shop near you that are worth checking out. Whether it’s a page turner while lounging at the beach or curled up by the fire, there’s nothing quite like a good book.

Spain’s hit parade starts with From Here to the Great Unknown, a personal memoir by Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’s only daughter. Presley began the book before her unexpected passing, and her daughter, actress Riley Keough, finished it. The result, said Spain, is a rare glimpse into Presley’s world, painted from tapes she recorded and preserved by her daughter’s pen. “It is a really intimate portrayal of Lisa Marie’s life, her family, and what it was like growing up at Graceland, where legends came and went like family friends,” she said. 

Hit parade of reading

Presley even opens-up about her relationship with Michael Jackson, and, as Spain shared, Presley offers a rare look behind the curtain. “They both grew up in famous families, dealing with the highs and lows of the spotlight from such a young age,” Spain said. “It was that shared experience that brought them close. Both struggled with fame’s strange isolations. Jackson with his fantasy world and Presley within the gilded walls of Graceland. Their relationship was genuinely tender, but it eventually fizzled out.” She added that it is a captivating read for music fans, packed with reflections on both Presley’s life and the lives that shaped her. Recently Oprah Winfrey chose it as her Book of the Month for October.

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For a different flavour, Spain recommended the next instalment in the Spud series. The Reunion, as it’s titled, by John van der Ruit, brings the beloved Spud back for his high school reunion a decade after we last saw him. “Spud is now 28, grappling with life’s disappointments and, like many of us, realising it’s not exactly gone to plan,” Spain said. The story sees Spud reluctantly accepting his invitation back to his old school, reconnecting with the ‘crazy eight’ and finding himself amid both hilarious and touching moments. “It’s like catching up with an old friend,” she said, “and anyone who loved Spud in his teens, in the earlier books, will find themselves laughing and wincing in equal measure as they revisit the chaos.”

From a new Spud to bush mysteries

The Protector by Tony Park offers an adventure with a conservation theme. Park is an Australian author who spends much of his time in South Africa and draws on his love for wildlife to write his thrillers. This latest title tackles the illicit pangolin trade. “Tony’s like a modern-day Wilbur Smith but with a focus on wildlife,” Spain said. “His books are always gripping and this one’s a page-turner. It’s perfect for anyone after a beach read, they can’t put down.”

For readers that may be looking for something heartwarming, Spain suggested The Uncut Grass from Trevor Noah. It’s his debut children’s book and tells the story of a young boy and his talking bear as they embark on an adventure to escape the drudgery and demands of everyday life. “It’s one of those books you can share with children, but it’s got universal appeal,” she said, calling it “a lovely stocking filler and a thoughtful read for the season.”

The Hidden Girl by Lucinda Riley ranks high on Spain’s list of book-must-reads. It’s a family saga written in Riley’s signature dual narrative style. “Riley’s books always seem to captivate,” Spain said and added that the author has a knack for intertwining past and present in a way that draws readers deep into the story. “She’s an expert at family dramas, and The Hidden Girl is no exception. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys a saga and one of those reads you can completely lose yourself in.”

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