There Goes English Teacher
At the age of 48, Karin Cronje made a life-changing decision. She flew to a small Korean village to teach English – her second language. She let her Cape Town house, parked her possessions with various accommodating friends, and – hardest of all – parted with her architectural student son.
In Korea she met some extraordinary people and had to deal with incomprehension, awe, dislocation, belonging and the sticky business of identity and the loss of it. The author shocks, and delights by turns as she digs into the full catastrophe of being human in her memoir, There Goes English Teacher. Modjaji Books, R280.
And Then Mama Said…
Tumi Morake is probably best known for the fact that she takes to the stage in the male-dominated field of stand-up comedy … and holds her own in triumphant style. But there’s much more to this complex woman, who modelled her public persona on her charming and contentious mother who used her big voice to say what others were afraid to mention. And Then Mama Said… is Tumi’s behind-the-scenes story.
In it, she’s frank about the race row at Jacaranda FM and the body-shaming she endured on set, as well as her tumultuous relationship with her beloved husband. It’s a fascinating glimpse of SA’s glitzy but often ruthless entertainment industry – a story that nevertheless carries through it the voice of her mother. Penguin, R220.
The Life of a Song Volume 2
Fans of popular music will grab The Life of a Song Volume 2 with glee. David Cheal and Jan Dalley have tracked down the fascinating stories behind 50 of the world’s best-loved songs. Bet you thought Henry VIII wrote Greensleeves. If you did, you’d be wrong, but the real story’s right here. Find out how Elvis Presley got his first Number 1 hit with Heartbreak Hotel and the strange happenings behind the song.
There’s the tale about the World War I marching song, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, which is the oldest song still earning royalties, would you believe! Then there’s You’ll Never Walk Alone written for the musical Carousel that, surprisingly, became a favourite with football fans around the world! Anyone who enjoys popular music will find this a delightful book to dip into. Brewer’s R287.
