Recommended by The Reading List

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and Vision for the Future by David Attenborough. A legacy-defining book from Sir David Attenborough, reflecting on his life’s work, the dramatic changes to the planet he has witnessed, and what we can do to make a better future. “If we act now, we can yet put it right,” says Attenborough. “We have one final chance to create the perfect home for ourselves and restore the wonderful world we inherited.”

Seven Votes: How WWII Changed South Africa Forever by Richard Steyn. If a mere seven more MPs had voted with Prime Minister JBM Hertzog in favour of neutrality as WWII engulfed the world, SA’s history would have been different. As Steyn recounts so compellingly, the war’s unforeseen consequence was the boost it gave to nationalism, both Afrikaner and African, that went on to transform the country in the second half of the 20th century.

Still Life by Val McDermid. “The bodies never stay buried forever...” On a freezing winter morning, fishermen pull a body from the sea. It is quickly discovered that the dead man was the prime suspect in a decade-old investigation. In her search for the truth, DCI Karen Pirie uncovers a network of lies and secrets that can turn deadly when someone is determined to keep them hidden.