August is a month when South Africa turns its attention to the women whose voices helped shape the country. This year, Exclusive Books is bringing that spirit into its bookshelves with a collection that moves between history, leadership, fiction, personal finance and stories for younger readers.
At the centre of the month’s recommendations is The Four Principles, the debut book by Discovery founder and Group Chief Executive Adrian Gore, while a strong selection of books by women gives the collection a distinctly fitting Women’s Month focus.
A closer look at Adrian Gore’s leadership lessons
Released on 30 July, The Four Principles has been selected as Exclusive Books’ Book of the Month for August.
The book draws on Gore’s experience of building Discovery from a start-up into a global business. It combines memoir with leadership advice, focusing on four principles aimed at helping individuals and organisations avoid cognitive traps and make clearer, more resilient decisions.
For readers interested in entrepreneurship, leadership or the thinking behind long-term business success, the book offers a look at the ideas Gore believes have shaped his approach.
Remembering the women behind August’s significance
The Women’s Month collection also looks back at an important chapter in South African history.
Lilian Ngoyi by Martha Evans explores the life of the anti-apartheid activist who co-led the historic 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings. With National Women’s Day falling on 9 August, the biography gives readers an opportunity to revisit the story of one of the women associated with a defining moment in the country’s history.
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But the collection does not stop at historical figures.
Books such as Divine Arrangements by Takalani Mutshinyane, Home Truths About Money by Sylvia Walker and Corporate Rebel by Sadika Fakir bring different perspectives to fiction, personal finance, leadership and the workplace.
For readers looking for faith-based books, Becoming a Woman of Prayer by Stormie Omartian and Finding I Am by Lysa TerKeurst are also part of the selection.
Together, the titles show the different subjects and experiences being explored by women writers, from the past and present to money, work, faith and everyday life.
Something for every kind of reader
Beyond the Women’s Month spotlight, the August recommendations cover plenty of ground.
Fiction readers can choose from Circle of Days by Ken Follett, Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown, and thrillers including Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In and It Could Have Been Her.
There is also literary fiction from authors including Valérie Perrin, Sofia Montrone and Toshikazu Kawaguchi, while Tony Park returns with another African adventure in King of Beasts.
On the non-fiction side, readers can explore everything from Richard Koch’s 80/20 Beliefs and Ichiro Kishimi’s Courage to be Ordinary to South African Birds by Name by Eddie Germiquet and The Work of Women by Vashna Jagarnath.
South African voices also feature in titles such as Jack of All Trades by Robert J van Eyden, Qualified Disappointment by Prev Reddy and Drift Happens by Nkululeko Khumalo.
Books for younger readers too
The August collection also makes room for children and teenagers.
Young readers can explore titles including The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh, Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch by Laini Taylor and Nerds vs Aliens by Barry Jonsberg.
For younger children, the selection includes the KPop Demon Hunters junior novelisation by Jessica Yoon, Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon School: Fight of the Flamestrike and Bim Blake’s Hot Takes: My Pencil Case Doesn’t Define Me by Tolá Okogwu.
Afrikaans-speaking young readers have options too, including Spookasem and Candyfloss by Jaco Jacobs, as well as Fanie Viljoen’s Die seun met die swaeltjie.
A reading list with plenty to discover
Exclusive Books’ August collection ultimately brings together books that speak to different sides of life, while placing women’s voices firmly in the spotlight during Women’s Month.
From the history of Lilian Ngoyi to modern leadership, personal finance, fiction and children’s storytelling, there is plenty for South African readers to discover.
The August Exclusive Books Recommends collection is available at Exclusive Books stores nationwide and online.
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