Crime, politics and loads of laughs
The books available this festive season cover a broad spectrum of interest, writes Beverley Roos-Muller
THE EAGER young bookseller in Claremont, all wild hair and hands waving like fly-swatters, chirps about the book. It’s amazing, he says, sort of horror, like a Stephen King. Awesome, even if it was published two years ago! He’s describing NOS-4R2 by Joe Hill, and by now I’m hiding halfway under the counter.
This is his prize pick for the favourite post-school nephew/niece, so if there are parental complaints, blame him. More gift suggestions for family and friends:
Frazzled friends
Festive in Death by JD Robb has a slightly icky connection to Christmas in its title. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on duty at a killing while her husband, Roarke, is planning a party. A dark thriller than may offset too much festive sweetness.
Quirky cousins
Tim Moore is a sucker for punishment. Having trudged hundreds of kilometres along the Camino with a recalcitrant donkey, and cycled the Tour de France route, he’s now off to ride “the very terrible 1914 Tour of Italy”, 3 000-plus km, on a bicycle he built himself using wood and wine corks. Of the 81 cyclists who rode the original tour, only eight made it back. There are jokes, pain, horror, and stuff about bikes you never wanted to know. I grabbed a copy of Gironimo! and can’t wait to tuck in.
Grannies and grandpas
Yes, even though the iconic British cartoonist has been dead since 1995, Giles lives on. If you’re of a certain age then you’ll remember that no Christmas was ever complete without the latest Giles compendium. Giles: The Collection 2016 is a compilation of some of his best.
All in the Family: Loads of laugh-out loud (or weep quietly into the sherry) collections, of Zapiro (Rhodes Rage), Madam & Eve (Shed Happens) and a slightly disappointing anonymous number, Goodnight Zzzuma – a parody, based on the 1947 children’s classic, Goodnight Moon. The drawing are great, the stanzas not so much. The compendium that impressed me most (in patriotic green and gold) is Absolutely Awesome South Africa by Derryn Campbell. It’s packed with fascinating facts and humour, is a timely reminder of how amazing our land really is, and it’s quite educational with the lightest touch. Lovely to keep on the TV table or take on a long car trip to read out loud. You’ll say “I didn’t know that” quite a lot.
Brainiac boffins
in Wonderland-themed