WHY PICK ON ME? By James Hadley Chase

Tough as teak Martin Corridon is up to his neck in this superb tale of high-profile espionage, intrigue, violence, danger, and adventure. As the story unfolds, we gather that Corridon has an eye for gorgeous, alluring ladies - like Lorene and Marian. But there is a third lady, Kara, who initially desired Corridon too, but he does not hide his contempt for her. Hell and the fury of a scorned woman - Kara comes to dislike our hero too, and vows to destroy and finish him...

- P Lothane        

GILBERT MODISE: The Man and the Myth (Book) By Flaxman Qoopane and O Bolaji

There is a cachet of beauty and permanence that surrounds published biographies - the world over. The western world regularly publishes new, (fresh-perspective) biographies on their own key heroes, figures, icons, be it in politics, entertainment, literature, sports and the like. There is a huge dearth in this wise in Africa, despite impressive published works on outstanding figures like Mandela, Nkrumah, Awolowo, Azikiwe, Zuma, Achebe, Eskia Mphahlele, Soyinka, Ngugi, Senghor, Ayi Kwei Armah, Nyerere... The late Gilbert Modise from South Africa (Free State) died prematurely but had already made his mark as a flamboyant personality: priest, parson, healer, poet, dramatist ("thespian") and polemicist. He was a brilliant writer with an "out of this world" diction; pundits attested to his top-notch status as a poet. It gladdens the heart to see this early, maiden work on Modise written by Qoopane  (below, amidst works in his gallery)and Bolaji. Also, strikingly, a few years ago the SA activist, Mr Mpikeleni Duma organised a special symposium in Gilbert Modise's honour. But this should only be the beginning - more must come.

 

THE PALE HORSE. By Agatha Christie

This is certainly a work that an African reader (like myself) will find fascinating and highly gripping. However the conclusion here would shatter what the likes of me would have hitherto been led to believe: so a white, western writer can write so convincingly about the true powers of “juju” (occult) !Agatha Christie is (was) of course a down to earth western writer, and at the end she coolly and rationally explains the events of this work which one could have sworn could only have been due to supernatural means. Hence I find this work instructive and relevant to we Africans, no matter how educated, who even till date tend to “explain” simple occurrences like footballing skill, talent, results; and even illnesses/ailments – by strongly alluding to the occult and the supernatural.