AIDSAFARI by Adam Levin

Back in 2006 when I was looking on a book about AIDS relevant to me as a South African I came across this book. It was refreshing to read it. Its a memoir by Adam Levin.

The fact that the Author is white and gay had no reference to me as I identified with the author. Its about the struggle the author went through in dealing with the disease. I learnt to appreciate a lot reading this book. The author talks about the disease not being a sentence.

There is one part in the book when he is talking with Stephen,an AIDS survivor, he say "I dont care if you remember anything else, but I want you to remember this. There are times when you cant see anything at all. But if you look,then somewhere, far out in the distance, you'll see the faint lights of a runway. And you take that runway, my boy,and you run with it!.....I know there are times when this feels like a punishment.....like it's some horrible,horrible curse. But it isn't. I am telling you, my boy: It's a gift"

The author say that living with Aids makes each day a brand new beginning- a day of fear, suffering,inconveniences and complications but its still a day no less. He talks about waking up and wondering if he can stomach the medication for the rest of his life. And he is wondering what discomfort lies in store for him. But then when he is wondering whether he can live with the disease he comes to this conclusion "Not living with it. Not living at all"

Its not a choice really we live, until the Lord calls on us. I love this book and I have shared it with so many of my friends. They love it, and they are not even positive.

Red Ink by Angela Makholwa

I bought this book after I read The 30th candle by the same author. A friend recommended it and I loved the writing style of the author then I went and bought this one.

This is a first book by the author and it is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It revolves around Lucy Khambule a Public Relations Officer,ex journalist, a partner to Patricia and mother to Diseko. A call from a C-Max prisoner by the name of Napoleon Dingiswayo a notorious serial killer offering her a chance of a life time,to write a book about his life. The story that was never told turns her world upside down. Lucy goes to Pretoria prison to meet this man. She does everything she can to get the story and around her , her world is falling apart.


Lucy is faced with a choice whether the brutal killings happening around her are actually a coincident or whether its all the doings of a crazy man sitting behind bars. Should she abandon her lifelong dream of writing a book? Who is this insane man? How far is she willing to go? Is she willing to loose her partner, her man, her friend, her son and ultimately her life?


The book is gripping and a must read.

I love the twists this book presents. Angela Makholwa made me to go out and buy more South African books. You get excited about reading about the places you know and can picture in your head. I loved this book so much and I passed it on to my friends.......let just say they loved it!