Eoin Colfer’s quirky books are marketed for children, although the themes and the gags seem likely to appeal more to adults. In the first one, Artemis Fowl, corrupt elves fought a gangster’s appalling son. THE WISH LIST (Puffin) features a teenaged girl, blown up when her attempt to rob a pensioner goes wrong, given another […]

THE NEW CENTURY OF SOUTH AFRICAN POETRY, edited by Michael Chapman (Donker), is what used to be called “inclusive” — the word now has a tincture of liberal condescension about it, but this is surely the most inclusive anthology of South African poetry imaginable [Buy online]. Everyone is here. Beside all the established poets, there […]

The English language has proved to be the most globally adaptable of all the “world languages” at the planet’s disposal. For some reason, it seems able to expand to absorb new vocabularies all the time, and it is now correct to speak of “Englishes” rather than one singular English with unbending standards and a self-important […]

Classic” used to be a much-debated term. Nowadays, it seems, it can be applied to anything that’s really good. The word still connotes longevity, though, and is used in that way by Picador, which celebrates 30 years of quality publishing with uniform-edition reissues of some of its greatest hits. The set includes Colm Tóibín’s The […]

Iterior designer Marcia Margolis has devoted her career to offering South Africans resource material about developing a décor sensibility. Since 1998 she has been responsible for compiling the authoritative guides to design in the annual SA Décor and Design: The Complete Buyer’s Guide. This season she has brought out the equally resourceful LIVING SPACES (Décor […]