Cape Town Stories - Local Flavours from the Peninsula by Madeleine Barnard

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One of the best ways to explore a place is through its stories (which is great, too, because you can do it at home in the bath).

This collection of stories from the Mother City really worked for me because it’s got the right mix of animals, humans and spooks - and it doesn’t hide from the country’s terrible history, either. It’s also got a certain amount of the writer in it, too, and I was touched by the tale of Sad Jessie of Tamboerskloof, a bergie who wormed her way into - and out of - Madeleine Barnard’s life (but this is where I had a bit of a problem with the book: it might just have been me, but I found the writing style a little - er, patronising? old-fashioned? I’m not sure, but it wasn’t enough to put me off altogether. You might feel quite different about it).

Cape Town Stories would make a great gift - and a perfect addition to every Cape-based guest house’s library. You’ll find it - and many others like it - on line at the BarefootBookshop