"Love, Zola" by Zibu Sithole concludes the story of Zola, a South African woman balancing love, career and family expectations.
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Today is International Day of Happiness.
Celebrated annually on March 20, it was established by the United Nations in 2012. The day recognises happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of people across the world.
To mark the occasion, these books offer stories that reflect resilience, love and human connection.
"Love, Zola" follows the final chapter of Zola’s journey as she navigates love, career and culture in Johannesburg.
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The final instalment in Zibu Sithole’s contemporary romance trilogy, published in August 2025, follows Zola, a South African woman balancing relationships, career and culture in Johannesburg.
The story begins as Zola and her fiancé, Mbali, prepare for their life together. Their bond is tested by professional demands, past relationships and family expectations.
The novel explores commitment under pressure, showing how love evolves beyond initial attraction. The return of Okuhle, Zola’s boss and Mbali’s ex, forces her to confront unresolved issues.
Cultural practices, including lobola negotiations and family expectations, also influence the couple’s journey. Through these challenges, Zola grows from a self-focused dreamer into someone who values self-love and authentic connection.
"Shirley, Goodness and Mercy" is a memoir that recalls the author’s childhood in the Coloured townships of Johannesburg during apartheid.
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This acclaimed memoir by South African author and poet Chris van Wyk, first published in 2004, recounts his childhood in the Coloured townships of Riverlea, Newclare and Coronationville in Johannesburg during apartheid.
The title comes from a childhood misreading of Psalm 23. As a five-year-old, Van Wyk recited, “Shirley, goodness and mercy shall follow me,” inadvertently inserting his mother’s name into the verse.
The memoir focuses on community life. Van Wyk highlights the quirky relatives, friends and neighbours who shaped his upbringing, offering a view of daily life in the townships beyond political strife.
Humour plays a key role in the narrative, showing how laughter and storytelling helped people navigate difficult circumstances. The book demonstrates that even in challenging times, joy and connection can thrive.
"The Woman Next Door" explores the long-standing rivalry between two women in their 80s living in a wealthy Cape Town suburb.
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Set in the fictional Cape Town suburb of Katterjin, this novel examines the fraught relationship between two women in their 80s who have been neighbours for decades.
Hortensia James, a black textile designer from Barbados, is outspoken and often sharp with those around her. Marion Agostino, a white Jewish architect who designed Hortensia’s home, maintains old-world attitudes and a sense of entitlement rooted in South Africa’s past.
Their bitter rivalry is disrupted by a runaway crane accident, forcing them to rely on each other.
As the women navigate this forced proximity, their interactions shift from insults to conversation, revealing shared struggles with widowhood, career setbacks, and personal regrets.
Flashbacks explore James’ grief over her husband’s infidelity and childlessness, and Agostino’s guilt over her failures as a mother and complicity in systemic racism.
The novel shows how understanding and empathy can emerge even from long-standing conflict.
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