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Recipes from Bechuanaland
This book is the REPRODUCTION & REPRINT of an iconic and highly popular (in its day) recipe book, produced in the early 1960s by the Women’s Institute of Francistown in the then Bechuanaland Protectorate as a fundraiser for their charitable projects.
It was reproduced by Write-On Publishing at the suggestion of members of the Historical Francistown Facebook page – a closed Facebook group whose members have lived, worked in or went to school in Francistown. And that includes Write-On’s Frank Nunan!
The book’s 144 pages are crammed full of an eclectic mix of good old “home cooking” recipes like “Chicken Casserole” to sophisticated Haute Cuisine dishes such as “Tourte de Pintade a la Hongrosie”, and going on to such home-grown specialities such as “Madila” (sour milk).
it has an “On Safari” section, with game (venison) recipes for the three-legged pot, and a section on Cooking for Invalids and Convalescents,
It also has a handy “hints” chapter with all sorts of household tips.
This is one of my favourites:
White suits: To disguise a last-minute dirty mark on a white drill suit eg. Queen’s Birthday Parade! Use white shoe cleaner.
It also has a Chapter called “Be Your Own Drycleaner!”
A must for Francistown (and Botswana) nostalgia buffs as well as current residents. -
Rejected Treasure
This is a heart-wrenching story of a baby who was rejected at birth by her biological father. He had wanted the child be aborted but the mother rejected this and he abandons her. The abandoned mother moved on – she married a good man from her village and her daughter was adopted by this loving stepfather. The story takes a dramatic turn when the child, at 7 years old, is told the truth that her “father” is not her biological father. Her world comes crashing down and she now has to deal with this new truth in her little life. She is rejected again when she tries to contact her biological father and his family, and has to contend with depression and the pain of rejection. Prayer, faith and the love of her mother and stepfather helps her to forgive and move on. Her story is an inspiration for children facing similar problems.
This is one of our Chapbooks
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Secrets of a Walking Stick
This is a delightful little collection of somewhat whimsical, somewhat satirical vignettes and reflections on the “State of the Village”, as well as the world at large, as seen through the eyes of the inhabitants of an umbrella stand in a cottage in a seaside village.
The author, Mike Silberbauer, a self-styled “Village Eccentric”, has imbued his collection of sundry walking sticks, plus the odd umbrella, with distinct and highly appropriate personalities, and proceeds, in the form of conversations in the umbrella stand, to recount stories from his and family’s lives, as well as sometimes highly astute observations on various contemporary and historical “happenings” in the world out there.
The device of animating inanimate objects to tell a story is not new, but Mike has done it extremely well, especially in defining the characters and personalities of his storytellers. Rather than fall into the trap, as his foreword writer put it, of “composing eloquent sentences”, Mike has perfected a simplistic, almost innocent style, which makes for a refreshing, fun and light-hearted read. -
Start Money-Savvy
Striving for financial freedom and meaningful wealth is not an easy task; however, this should not be beyond your ability to achieve, provided that you apply a few basic money-savvy principles throughout your life.
The journey is easier if you start your economically active life with these disciplines early, but it is never too late to get back on track.
This book, written in simple layman’s terms, offers an insight into money management principles, as well as many practical ideas and tips to guide you on your journey to financial freedom.
Striving for financial freedom and meaningful wealth is not an easy task; however, this should not be beyond your ability to achieve, provided that you apply a few basic money-savvy principles throughout your life.
The journey is easier if you start your economically active life with these disciplines early, but it is never too late to get back on track.
This book, written in simple layman’s terms, offers an insight into money management principles, as well as many practical ideas and tips to guide you on your journey to financial freedom. -
Sundays: Tales from a Winding River
Bartle Logie, together with his wife Caryl, in this the sixth book in his series of historical travelogues through the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, undertakes a fascinating and informative journey along the course of the Sundays River, from its sources in the mountains north of Graaff-Reinet to the sea.
Their journey takes them from the top of the Lootsberg to the town of Graaff-Reinet, across the vast and arid plains to Jansenville, over the Zuurberg mountains into Kirkwood and The Valley, famous for its citrus orchards and mighty elephants, to the sand dunes of Algoa Bay. -
Tales from an Unmapped Country
This latest offering from Bartle Logie, his eighth, follows, to a large extent, the pattern established in his previous books: meticulous research, both on the ground and from reference material, and an easy, personal, story-telling style.
But there is a difference with “Tales”. It is a book of two journeys: one through the Border area of the Eastern Cape and the eastern fringes of the Karoo, and the other a personal one through memories of the author’s eventful and fascinating youth.
Inspired by his friend Kain Sisusa, Bartle and his wife Caryl set out to spend a year visiting familiar places to see how, if at all, they had changed. And then, “trolling through our memories, we would take a parallel journey, returning to the unmapped country of yesteryear”.“I have an idea,” said Kain. “You must go and visit my old village. Because why? Because you are always travelling and talking to people. When you come back you will be able to tell me the truth, but not to hurt my heart. You will tell me and I will be pleased to hear, but I don’t want to go there again myself, it will make my heart too sore.”
Both journeys offer up wonderful insights into places and people, and into the persona and character of the author. -
The Making of a Passion Genius
“A Passion Genius is anyone who aims to become extraordinary, and a great leader, in the area of the passions that he or she possesses, through the medium of applied faith, giving > receiving, self-confidence, great habits, mature thinking and good acquaintances.”
– Thekiso Khanye -
The Multinational Hustler
How to Run a Successful Transnational Business
Concerned about sustaining your business with your current market?
Considering looking for customers in other countries but sceptical?
Not sure where to start when accessing foreign markets?
This book shares what you should consider when contemplating becoming a “Multinational Hustler”. -
The Nunan Line in South Africa
A History of the Nunan family in South Africa, covering the stories of the original immigrant (courtesy of the British Army), Jeremiah, and his three male descendants, in a straight line of succession, down to the generation preceding that of the author.
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The Other Side of 80!
This is the third book of illustrated poems by 85-year-old artist and poet, Wendy Barker, who hails from Bushman’s River Mouth, near Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape.
This time, she is looking at some of the situations of old age in a humorous way.
Most of the ideas expressed are personal experiences, and some are observed situations and some are imagined.
The pen sketches are comical and are intended to, hopefully, bring amusement and light into situations that are not always comfortable for those experiencing life over 80 – and those around them!
Wendy brings a razor-sharp appreciation of life on “The Other Side of 80”, touching on situations and events most of us might prefer to ignore! -
The Paul Heinamann Story
In this Paul Heinamann documents his illustrious career in as a leading executive in South Africa’s corporate world, but it is far more than that.
It is also the highly personal story of his life and that of his family: his wife Melanie and their two sons, Nicholas and Jonathan.
Paul became interested in his origins and genealogy from an early age, questioning his grandmother about the family while he was still at school.
This book is the culmination of that interest, and it delves in fascinating detail into the branches of his and his wife Melanie’s family trees. In so doing, it provides an intriguing glimpse into some of South Africa’s highly complex and often swashbuckling immigrant history.
The book illustrates that while many descendants of immigrants to South Africa (and other colonial countries such as Canada, the USA and Australia) may identify with a specific “mother” country – England, Ireland, Holland, Germany and so on – in reality their bloodlines have of necessity become incredibly mixed. As Paul puts it, he is: 1/8th German Jewish, 1/8th German, 1/4 Dutch/Schleswig Holstein, 3/8th English, 1/8th Spanish/Gibraltese!
This book seeks especially to provide Paul’s children, grandchildren and future generations with an understanding of who they are, where they come from and the events that shaped all their destinies – world wars, persecution, colonial migration and much more. -
The President’s Patient
On the afternoon of 6 September 1966, Demetrios Tsafendas, a Parliamentary messenger of Greek-Mocambican origin, assassinated then Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd in the House of Assembly in Cape Town, approaching and stabbing him in front of all the Members in the House, as well as a packed public gallery. In doing so, he had evaded General Hendrik Van der Bergh’s security apparatus, one of the most efficient and deadly in the world.
Tsafendas, a long-time political activist and anarchist, after months of torture and interrogation, was to be found not guilty by reason on insanity at his trial, and committed to an asylum, where he died in 1999. This narrative suited the Apartheid establishment, as it portrayed him a loner and demented, and not a committed revolutionary who had been nurtured in resistance politics by his revolutionary forebears.
In this dramatic fictionalised story, author and Ambassador Mzuvukile Maqetuka challenges that narrative and presents a whole new viewpoint on the enigma that was Tsafendas (or Fernandez Alexepoulos, as he is known in the book).
A must read for all students of South African history!! -
The Road To My Destiny
The is the story of a young girl who was given up by her birth mother as a young child, and raised by her father’s family. They then turned on her and rejected her when she started to ask questions about her birth mother.
It is the story of her struggle to come to terms with this rejection and to recover her self-worth.
It is the story of how she found strength and encouragement in her worship and in the support of her Spiritual father, the Prophet of the Consecrated Congregation of Christ International Church (CCCIC).
She ends by calling on children in similar circumstances not allow their negative circumstances to influence their lives or affect their self-esteem. A truly heart-wrenching story. -
The Sea Shells of Jeffreys Bay
This highly technical little book provides a comprehensive listing of all the seashells found in Jeffreys Bay and its environs. More than 90 pages of full-colour plates showing the shells, as well as a complete listing of the scientific and local names of the shells, make this an invaluable source of reference for the shell enthusiast.
This edition is the second special reprint and update of the original book by Douw and Elise Steyn and was commissioned by the Humansdorp Museum Association, curators of the Jeffreys Bay Shell Museum. Third Edition Revisions by Tana Kruger and Philip Steenkamp in 2022. -
The Self-Publishing Circus
Step right up, aspiring authors! Are you ready to take the leap into the colourful world of
self-publishing?
The Self-Publishing Circus is your ticket to the greatest show in literary history, showcasing the highs and lows of the self-publishing journey. With a playful twist and a wink in its eye, this book offers practical advice, cheeky anecdotes, and tips to help you navigate your way through the chaos of independent publishing.
Whether you’re a rookie writer or a seasoned pro, join us for a ride filled with insight, laughter, and the occasional circus act.
Don’t miss the show – your authorial adventure awaits!
With this book, you’re not just reading a guide; you’re embarking on an adventurous journey filled with laughter, insight, and invaluable lessons.
So, dust off that manuscript, put on your juggling gloves, and step into the arena of self-publishing. The world is waiting for your unique performance, and this book will help you make sure it’s a show that leaves a lasting impression! -
Throw Off the Bowlines
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover. – Mark Twain
Picture this: A successful Johannesburg businessman of 35, with an accomplished young wife of 30 and three children aged 8, 6 and 3, suddenly sells everything – house in Rivonia, shares in the business, cars, the lot – and with his family embarks on an adventure most of us can only dream of!
The year is 1976, and the Sutherland family is away – they buy a world-famous 36-ton, 50-foot (16 m) yacht named Gaucho in Buenos Aires and set off on a four-year adventure, sailing up the coast of South America and all around the Caribbean! -
Toasted Marshmallows & Obies
This, the ninth offering from adventurer, historian and raconteur Bartle Logie, departs somewhat from the pattern established in his previous books. Here Bart offers a very entertaining mixed bag of short, sharp stories – 72 of them! We get a glimpse of his life and adventures as a young man in England and the Cape, as well as anecdotes from his childhood visits to the Lower Albany area in the Eastern Cape, where his father was born and spent his early years.
Interspersed are acute, insightful and entertaining observations of the people, the rich history and the diverse flora and fauna of this fascinating region of the Eastern Cape.
What has not changed is the meticulous research, both on the ground and from reference material, and an easy, personal story-telling style.
All in all, vintage Bartle Logie! -
Township God
This book is not Patrick Noonan’s autobiography, it is a travelogue, Michael Palin style, and a diary, John Pilger style, chronicling the events, the people, the feelings, the thoughts, the reflections, the emotions and the spirituality of a journey of more than 40 years of Christian witness in the townships of the Vaal Triangle in South Africa. It is the astute commentary, by the author of the bestselling “They’re Burning the Churches”, of a keen observer of, and participant in, some of the most momentous events in the recent history of South Africa, told from the perspective of Ground Zero.
It provides a fascinating insight into the life and experiences of a white, celibate, immigrant missionary from Europe in a poverty-stricken, oppressed black ghetto, with only the rudder of his gut faith to guide him.
Here Noonan candidly shares his priesthood with the reader. He also tells how the poor and marginalised of the world taught church and development workers so much. He describes vividly a frightening confrontation with the paranormal, being traumatised during the baptism of 29 infants, and waking up to the sound of bullets crashing through the window of his house. You will witness, awestruck, his angry conversations with God in a darkened church. This is a difficult book to define – you will search in vain for a storyline, or even a timeline, but it takes you to a place very few lay people get to visit – the mind of a struggling religious. -
Travellers’ Tales
R109,00
Adventurer, historian and raconteur Bartle Logie explores the byways of the beautiful Eastern Cape in this his 11th Eastern/Western Cape travel book.
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Travels with 20/20 Vision
St Francis Bay author Bartle Logie’s long-awaited new book about the Garden Route (including Kouga) and the Langkloof!
Adventurer, historian and raconteur Bartle Logie’s normal research pattern involves intensive deskbound research, accompanied by meticulously following the route of the planned narrative in the trusty Isuzu. However, this was not to be for this his 10th book – those plans hit a major snag in 2020: the Coronavirus Pandemic.
As he puts it: “Making plans is all very well, but we were no sooner on our way than we were faced with the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown. This resulted in enforced ‘virtual’ travel while seated at home in a comfortable chair. Ultimately, in dribs and drabs, the journey was completed in reality, but unlike any other that we have undertaken.”
However, this has not in any way detracted from this eminently readable story of the history, people, flora and fauna of the Garden Route and the Langkloof – among South Africa’s most beautiful and fascinating regions – told in Bartle Logie’s easy, highly personal fireside style. -
Travels, Trails & Tribulations – An Octogenarian’s Odyssey
It was only in retirement that David Alston fully succumbed to the desire to write, encouraged by seeing his name in print next to sundry stories that had been submitted to various newspapers and magazines over the years.
Once the bug had bitten however, no power on earth could stop his pen from filling up sheets of paper. While many of them ended up in his ‘out tray’ (a euphemism for his wastepaper basket), an inventory of completed works taken earlier this year revealed that sufficient usable material was ready to be inflicted on an unsuspecting public.
Here is the cream of the crop: the vagaries of travel in various parts of the globe, the trails undertaken by a group of over-seventies who should have known better and some light-hearted pieces which fall under the category of “you can’t make this stuff up”.
So relax, settle into your armchair with a cup of tea or preferably something stronger, and pick a story at random that hopefully will make you rush to read the rest. And may it never be said of Travels, Trails and Tribulations – an Octogenarian’s Odyssey – as American literary critic Dorothy Parker did in a pithy review of a tome that had particularly displeased her: “This is not a book to be put down lightly; it should be thrown aside with great force.”
Enjoy, and a special thank you to David’s cartoonist and long-standing friend, Dennis Havinga, whose delightful drawings greatly enhance the ‘funnies’. -
Ukuphuma Kwelanga
Ukuphuma kwelanga esi sihloko sibonisa ukuqala kwemini ethi ibe lithemba kumntu atsho abe namandla okukwazi ukumelana nemingeni yemini. Emva kwesifingo sobumnyama kuye kuthi qheke ukusa. Ebomini uye udibane nabo ubunzima kodwa kufuneka umntu ahlale enethemba lokuba nakobakhe ubom kuseza kuba khona ukukhanya. Lo nto ithi kufuneka ubani asoloko ehleli ethembeni. Le ncwadi iqulethe imibongo amabali amafutshane kunye neentsomi ezithi zinike ithemba nakubani oziva edangele atsho afumane ithemba. Inceda ubani afumane izakhono zobom. Apha uza kufumana umbongo othi uRonta onika ulwazi kulowo ungazange wahlala kuwo. Namabali amafutshane endingabalula ibali elithi bagotywa bebatsha elingomzukulwana othi ngenxa yokusoloko ehleli nabantu abadala aphele ethetha izinto ebekungafanelekanga azithethe. Le ncwadi iyonwabisa iyahlekisa kulowo uthe wathatha ixesha wayifunda.
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Ulwimi Lwam, Igolide Yam
Ulwimi Iwam igolide yam yingqokelela yemibongo eveza indlela umbhali aziv ngayo ngemeko ekuyiyo elizweni. Kuchatshazelwa iinkalo ezahlukeneyo zobomi. Umbhali uhlomla aveze izimvo zakhe ngamava akhe nezinto adlule kuzo ebomini.
Kwezinye zazo singabalula ezothando, ezopolitiko, imo yolwimi isiXhosa eMzantsi
Afrika njalonjalo. Yinqike ke mfundi uzivele le golide yolwimi Iombhali.
“Imibongo ehlaba umxhelo etsho kuthambe neengqaqambo zomphefumlo. Ubukhulu becala ivuselela ukuxotyiswa kwesiNtu nesiXhosa ngamaXhosa. Tshotsh’ ubekhono somaqhulo wethu mbhem ngokuthi uPhembe le ntlantsi icimayo kufundo nothondo lweencwadi zesiXhosa.” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Umbulalazwe
Le mibongo ikukutya kwabalambileyo, ingumthuthuzeli kwabakhathazekileyo, ingumthombo kwabanxaniweyo, kwaye imixholo yayo yonke igxile kumbulalazwe iCOVID-19. Yimibongo le enika ithemba kwabo baye bagaxeleka kulo bhubhane, ikwathuthuzela nabo baye bashiywa zizihlobo zabo ngenxa yawo.
“Siyavuya Mnu. Qeqe mbhem ngokuba usiphakulele kuvimba wakho weengontsi othe waziphawula ngalo mnyakandini wembubhiso wekhorona, u2020. Zimbalwa kakhulu iincwadi esezibhaliwe ezigwadla lo mcimbi ungumbulalazwe. Kwanga ke ngale mbalo uluntu lungaziqoqosha luzibhence luzeke mzekweni ngokuheshela kude lee ikhorona imke tu kumzi kaNtu.”
(ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi.) -
Umkhumezelo – Umqulu 3
Nanko ke mfundi wesihobe umqulu wokugqibela kule ncwadi ithi, “Umkhumezelo.” Apha ufunde imibongo eyahlukahlukeneyo. Kweminye ndiyaqiniseka uzakhele umfanekiso-ngqondweni wezinto ezininzi. Lo mqulu ke ungene nzulu kwiimeko zokuphila ekuhlaleni ngokubanzi. Eminye imiba kungenzeka ukuba iyakrwempa kodwa ke into emasiyivuyele kukuba ivelele iinkalo eziliqela esizaziyo ukuba zidinga ingqalelo emandla. Ndiyayazi ke mfundi ukuba mna ndodwa andinakufikelela zonke iinkalo obunga unganqwenela ukuba ndizifikelele.
Baninzi ababhali endikhuthaza ukuba ufunde iincwadi zabo zesihobe ingakumbi abalemihla abo sele belupapashile uNcwadi lwabo. Injongo yethu inye kuNcwadi lwethu asikhuphisani kodwa sisebenza kunye ukuze kuzuze wena. Akwaba ungasixhasa singaba babhali sisebenza nzima ukufundisa wena silondoloza ulwimi lwethu.
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Umkhumezelo Umqulu 2
Bathandi boncwadi ndithi kuni yonwabelani lo mqulu, endiqinisekayo ukuba uza neenguqu kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Izimvo endizivakalise apha nezinto endizibhale apha maziphikiswe ngulowo ukwaziyo, aze lowo uvumelana nazo avumelane nazo. Uza kukhumbula ukuba kaloku namphi na umntwana uye anxibe izihlangu ezingalinganiyo okanye azigqwethe naye elinganisa ngamanye amaxesha. Umbone unkabi elinganisa utata wakhe xa ehamba naxa ethetha ufike umfo omkhulu ezikhotha nemifinya le yembala, okanye ufike umfo ehamba ezibhenca efake nezandla ezipokothweni ukuba unconyiwe ukuba unxibe kakuhle. Nalapha ke kule ncwadi usengafumana izinto ekumnandi ukuzamkela nezikuchaphazelayo, kodwa ke ngamanye amaxesha ndingaqondanga ndisenokukudanisa njengomfundi.
Yonwabela ke ukufunda izishwankathelo, iinkcaza ezinabileyo, imibuzo nophando, kanti neeprojekthi zomfundi. Ukuba ngaba ootitshala banqwenela inkcazelo engakumbi kunale inikiweyo kulo mqulu, bangabhalela kwi-email echazwe kwiphepha lale ncwadi. Kwanga ungawonwabela lo mqulu wesibini mlesi kwemithathu yosiba lwam.
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Umthubi
Le ncwadi yeyemibongo yesiXhosa. Yincwadi yam yesibini enjongo zayo zikukuqhubeka ndidlala indima yokuphucula, ukufundisa, ukulondoloza, kwaye nokonga ulwimi lwethu. Ndinelizwi elincinci elihleli lindikhumbuza ukuba mandidlale indima yam ekuphuculeni ilizwe lethu ukuze abantwana bethu nesizukulwana sethu sibe nako ukuphila ubomi obububo. Ndihlaba ikhwelo ndikhuthaza nabani na oneendlebe ukuba adlale indima yakhe ukuze ashiye umzila nomqela othe qabavu ukubonakala nokucaca oku. Yeyele ke mawethu khaniyonyule nakweli tyeli.
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Unlimited Possibilities with God
1. Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
6. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8. So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused[a] the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. -
When The Foundations Are Destroyed
Are you suffering limitations, stagnation, poverty, failure and you feel as if there is an underlying curse upon your life? Are you where you have always dreamed to be or you are struggling to get there? Find out the root cause of your problem and get wings to fly to your destination!
Foundations can be mended, a curse can be broken! You just need to know how. Before the presence of the curse upon mankind, there was a blessing, for God created mankind and blessed them to be fruitful and multiply. We just need to know how to activate the original blessing of God upon our lives.
Turn over the pages of this book, until you find out how to correct the foundations.
There are invisible enemies we have to fight, and as much as we can use physical weapons, but we also need to be equipped spiritually. You may be asking yourself, “How do I deal with the fears relating to this Coronavirus pandemic?”
Turn the pages of this book, you might just find your answers! -
Windomayne
The heart-wrenching journey of a young woman, Sarah-Anne’s quest to find the last will and testament of her Grandfather Luke, who died under suspicious circumstances.
The devious plan and lies of the accountant John Stephen Boucher and his mother, the housekeeper, Violet, to keep Sarah-Anne away from her inheritance.
The content of a letter from Attorney Raymond Chad Tucker (Spike) forced Sarah-Anne to return to the farm she so loved yet feared! Seeking answers to the life she left behind; and finding murder, deceit, intrigue, and suspicion spanning over three generations.
If you like unravelling plots and enjoy a riveting, heart-racing, chilling thriller – read on. -
Window into Wendy
At the age of 87, Wendy Barker thought it was a good idea to record some of the interesting and amusing events in her long life, hoping they would be enjoyed by family and friends.
