Literati the world over are busy pencilling the six shortlisted titles for the Man Booker prize down on to-read lists. At least one is sure to appear in your stocking this Christmas. The publishers of the happy few will have sent out new orders for vastly inflated print runs, anticipating the heightened demand. “And herein lies the reason why we have the prize. It is the publisher’s answer to the persistent grumble that fiction is in its death throes, something that has been a regular and common strand to accompany this art form for the past couple of centuries, but more prevalent with the rise in digital publishing,” writes Stacy Gills about the importance of literary prizes on Tech Central. Publishings Bastion against the Death of the Novel

The South African Book Development Council (SABDC) is proud to be hosting the 6th Annual National Book Week (NBW) from 7–13 September 2015. National Book Week is the longest running, most successful reading campaign in South Africa to date and it has grown in leaps and bounds this year. The initiative is aimed at uncovering the thrill and magic of reading books. It is guided by the idea that when the nation learns to share the joy of reading books, the country as a whole benefits as this leads to empowered, self reliant communities. Read more

The National Further Education and Training (FET) Literature Catalogue has been developed, approved and sent to provinces. After due consultation, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has decided that Grade 11 must be implemented in 2016, Grade 12 in 2017 and Grade 10 in 2018. Read more

The first half of 2015 in the trade sector has been one of colouring books and more colouring books, albeit ever more expensive colouring books as the Rand plummeted from R18 to the British Pound on January the 1st to R19 by the end of June. Deon Meyer kept local spirits high with yet another mega seller, Ikarus while the banting craze inspired by Prof. Tim Noakes continued unabated. Job cuts and store closures at CNA caused tremors across the trade. We waved goodbye to the Kalahari brand, faced an existential dilemma in the wake of the Franschhoek furore, got our hopes up when Marlene van Niekerk was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize and finally gave a sigh of relief when E.L. James provided welcome respite amidst continued loadshedding woes. Read more

Die Handwoordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (die HAT) is vir die eerste keer in 1965 uitgegee. In 2015, 50 jaar later, staan die geliefde woordeboek sy plek steeds vol in byna elke Afrikaanse huishouding in ons land. ’n Omvattend herbewerkte en uitgebreide uitgawe van die HAT is op 25 Junie bekend gestel. Met hierdie sesde uitgawe, nou oral op die rakke, vier die HAT vanjaar sy eerste halfeeu. Die behoefte aan ’n Afrikaanse handwoordeboek is reeds in 1926 raakgesien, maar die droom het 40 jaar later eers werklikheid geword. Die eerste uitgawe van die HAT, met P.C. Schoonees, C.J. Swanepoel, S.J. du Toit en C.M. Booysen as redakteurs, het in 1965 die lig gesien. In die daaropvolgende 50 jaar het die HAT verskeie mylpale bereik. Op verskeie terreine, van skole tot in die media, word die woordeboek vandag daagliks as gesaghebbende bron geraadpleeg. Vanaf die tagtigerjare word die HAT, wat die betekenisse van woorde betref, ook as outoriteit in howe aangehaal. Die derde uitgawe, wat in 1993 verskyn het, was in 1998 een van die eerste Suid-Afrikaanse woordeboeke wat op CD-ROM beskikbaar gestel is. Read more