Posted in general trade by jessica faircliff on october 6th, 2017. The event includes over 150 literary events, featuring over 100 authors over 5 days. Mervyn sloman, the founder and owner of the book lounge, started the annual literary festival seven years. In august 2008, pasa publishers association of south africa voted the book lounge the best independent bookshop in sa just eight months after opening and a year later it was voted the best overall bookshop in south africa.
Joanne richards theres nothing quite like a double bill launch for making a person aware of their character flaws. After a number of years we thought about doing it on a bigger scale. I have said we will be more than happy to have the. The book lounge in cape town is one of favourite places in the world and, not uncoincidentally, my homeground indie bookstore. Book launch south africa 26 march 2020 mymachine global. Andrew browns solace sells out at cape town launch zebra. Mervyn sloman welcomed the exuberant crowd and reflected on the remarkable array of new south african writers who were producing excellent fiction and nonfiction. Etienne van heerdens in loves place launched at the book. Evaluating the impact of the public library book collection. Cape town s gangster state launch back on as new venue. Brown was joined in conversation by michiel heyns and together, they were welcomed by mervyn sloman as two of south africas best.
Broken monsters debut at the book lounge lauren beukes. See more of jewish literary festival cape town on facebook. Book lounge has been named the best independent bookstore in south africa for three years running and has developed a cult following not only in cape town, but around south africa as well. View mervyn slomans profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Owner mervyn sloman had been working in the book trade for about five years when he started fantasising about owning his own book store. Pan macmillan and the book lounge invite you to the cape town launch of selfhelpless.
View all attractions near the book lounge on tripadvisor. Mervyn sloman owner, book lounge cape town area, south africa 1 connection. Nov 26, 2019 the launch of will south africa be okay. The launch of best white and other anxious delusions by rebecca davis at the book lounge was an evening of great hilarity. Citylife spoke to organisor and proprietor of the book lounge, mervyn sloman, about this years lineup. Frankie murrey and mervyn sloman in the book lounge days before the opening of cape town s largest literary festival.
Cape town can connecting communities 06 april 2020 minute listen. Ive debuted all my novels there since moxyland and what i love about them is that theyre not only open to my weird ideas to do an unconventional launch, they take them and run i approached the book lounge in 2008 to launch moxyland and when i suggested having. My feeling to make a sharing space for women has been very strong, but very buried for a very long time. The first group of authors has been announced for the eighth open book festival. Welcome to a world of travel, entertainment and culture, curated from a global collective of writers, photojournalists and artists. Mervyn sloman is the owner of the much loved indie bookshop, the book lounge, as well as the director of open book.
I interviewed mervyn sloman owner and manager of the booklounge. Mervyn sloman owner, book lounge cape town area, south. Zebra press, in collaboration with the book lounge and kalk bay books, invites you to two cape town launches for the revised edition of max du preezs pale native. And you sit, drinking your beverage of choice, in a plush armchair, surrounded by bookshelves. Found in the heart of the city, this twofloor ode to all things literary contains some of the most fascinating, and often unknown, novels and nonfiction accounts in the country. The book lounge coffee shop is tiny more of a counter than anything, and there isnt a whole lot of room to sit down to drink, which makes it even more attractive there are never loads of people to have to fight for space with. Cape town s open book festival runs from the 5th september to the 9th september. Cape towns gangster state launch back on as new venue. Something for everyone at open book festival 2016 cape town. Sloman also founded open book cape town in 2011, an international literary festival, which has become an annual event. Open book festival announces first group of authors confirmed.
This years open book will take place from 5 to 9 september, at the book lounge, the district six homecoming centre, the a4 arts foundation and the fugard theatre in cape town. Why smart readers and authors love this little corner. The open book festival is an annual literary festival held in cape town, south africa with a focus on south african literature in an international context. Raymond suttner launches recovering democracy in south. He supports cape towns open book festival, which aims to put on a truly international literary festival in cape town, to promote the best of south african writing to international audiences, to build a love of reading among the youth of cape town and to attract as diverse an audience as possible read more the book lounge, cape town. The eruption of a volcano in iceland in april 2010 spewed a volcanic ash cloud over much of europe, grounding airlines and stranding passengers. Citylife spoke to organisor and proprietor of the book lounge, mervyn sloma. We spoke with book lounges mervyn sloman about the store.
It kicked off with mervyn sloman, the independent bookshops proprietor, receiving a communal grammar lesson from. Mervyn sloman owner of the book lounge in the cape town city centre said he would have been willing to host the event in his. Mervyn sloman was in conversation with janjan joubert. The book lounge owner mervyn sloman described the book as being about love, families and dealing with brains that no longer work. I spent last week in cape town launching the imagined child alongside my fellow pan macmillan writer steven boykey sidley and his book, stepping out, at two of my very favourite books stores, the book lounge, in roeland street and kalk bay books. Mervyn sloman, the founder and owner of the book lounge, started the annual literary festival seven years ago. She decided that over the course of a year, she would embark on a quest for personal wellness, spiritual enlightenment and good oldfashioned happiness. Deputy manager at exclusive books cape town area, south africa 1 connection. During his student years, mervyn worked as a bookseller, and after graduating from the university of cape town with a political science degree, he started working as an it contractor. Sep 03, 2019 the 2019 open book festival starts tomorrow in cape town. The launch of andrew browns fourth novel, solace, was a book lounge humdinger. Open book cape town, a new festival for south africa. The confirmed list of participants numbers over 100 writers and illustrators.
He had been working at exclusive books for some years, but believed chain bookstores and independent bookstores could happily coexist. The book lounge, an independent bookshop in the heart of cape town. Rebecca lives in cape town, the undisputed epicentre of alternative paths to peace and enlightenment in south africa. Each article of our awardwinning magazine is sure to inspire, no matter which of our destinations you call home. Join rebecca davis at the launch of her new book selfhelpless at the book lounge. Sep 11, 2018 book lounge has been named the best independent bookstore in south africa for three years running and has developed a cult following not only in cape town, but around south africa as well. This is a lovely interview with mervyn sloman, owner of the book lounge in cape town. She will be in conversation with the book stores proprietor, mervyn sloman. We spoke with book lounge s mervyn sloman about the store. Steve kretzmannwcn when mervyn sloman announced to about 200 people squeezed into his bookshop in december last year that cape town would host an international literary festival, everyone clapped enthusiastically and. Passionate staff, great coffee and fantastic books. Memories of a renegade reporter also available in afrikaans as dwars. Cape towns gangster state launch back on as new venue found. Mervyn sloman is the owner of the much loved indie bookshop, the book lounge, as well as the director of open book photo courtesy steve kretzmann.
It is a beautifully written novel, said an mervyn sloman, in a spare style that is. Mymeringe van n bleek boorling max du preez will be in conversation with mervyn sloman at the the book lounge and with donald paul at kalk bay books. On a wild winter night an impressive number of etienne van heerdens fans arrived at the book lounge to celebrate the launch of this widelyacclaimed afrikaans writers latest contribution to south african literature, in loves place. He is the founder and festival director of open book. Aug 04, 2019 i interviewed mervyn sloman owner and manager of the booklounge. The book lounge is rated by many as the best bookshop in cape town and has won the sefika award for best independent bookshop in south africa for many years in a row.
Joanne jowell goldstein and mervyn sloman of book lounge. The book lounge collected three awards best independent bookshop in the general trade category. In recent times, the selfhelp industry has exploded into a multi billion dollar global industry and along with it has come every imaginable type of therapy, healing or general woowoo. Join michele rowe and mervyn sloman for the launch of hour. Two new members of the executive committee welcomed pen.
The book lounge triumphs at the sefikasaba awards sunday. He opened the book lounge to create a homely space that appeals to all ages, to promote engagement between writers and readers through events, and to encourage a love of reading and books in kids. The open book festival, a major annual literary event, is in its 6th year. Mervyn sloman, owner of the book lounge, was in conversation with the author, a wellknown columnist and journalist for the daily maverick, about a whole range of subjects.
The author was joined by the owner of the bookshop, mervyn sloman, in a discussion that crossed the spectrum from hilarious banter this book is seriously good. Mervyn sloman worked in the book trade for five years before opening the book lounge in the heart of cape town at the end of 2007. Marc mendelson head of infectious diseases at university of cape town. At the launch of his second open book festival in cape town, mervyn sloman of the book lounge said if you have a feeling to do something and you dont act on it, it cant have been very strong.
Kwezi cowriter mohale mashigo is launching intruders, her collection of speculativefiction short stories, at the book lounge in cape town. Michele rowe discusses the challenges of the dreaded second. Mervyn sloman is the owner of the much loved indie bookshop, the book lounge, as well as the director of. Kids love it too with storytime and playtime every saturday. Feminism, gender and race lead conversations at next months. The book lounge has won a number of awards including best independent bookshop in sa in 2014 and 2015. Join rebecca davis at the launch of her new book self. Dec 15, 2017 mervyn sloman, owner of the indie bookstore the book lounge says, cape town is an incredibly divided city. View mervyn sloman s profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Flights to cape town cpt find and book flights to cape. Thebook lounge has won a number of awards including that of best independent bookshop in sa in 2014 and 2015. A capetonian who grew up with a privileged middleclass background. The little corner bookstore loved by smart readers and authors.
I have said we will be more than happy to have the launch tomorrow evening, said sloman. And because shed quit drinking, she no longer had the comfort blanket of alcohol to tamp down her anxiety. Apr 20, 2010 the eruption of a volcano in iceland in april 2010 spewed a volcanic ash cloud over much of europe, grounding airlines and stranding passengers. The book lounge, at the corner of roeland and buitenkant streets in the east city, was opened by mervyn sloman 10 years ago today. Davis, our very best white, is one of the funniest writers alive. Book launch, cape town, jeremy maarman, mervyn sloman.
Mervyn sloman, owner of the indie bookstore the book lounge says, cape town is an incredibly divided city. Literary festival opens a new chapter for cape town west. For the launch of his new book, raymond suttner was joined by fellow journalist rebecca davis and a roomful of interested readers and friends at the book lounge in cape town before suttner and davis dove into an enlightening discussion about south africas political present and recovering democracy in south africa, store owner mervyn sloman introduced the author. Philippi lettuce farm and and impact of covid19 on oranjezicht farm market. Mervyn sloman has run cape town s best bookshop the book lounge for decades. Mervyn sloman deputy manager exclusive books linkedin. Open book festival at the fugard theatre is an annual literary festival, the first of which happened in 2011. Despite the chilly winters evening, the launch of the 2014 caine prize anthology, the gonjon pin and other stories, was a decidedly festive affair at cape town s book lounge. Rebecca will be in conversation with the owner of the book lounge, mervyn sloman. Owner of the book lounge in roeland street, sloman is also. Launch, cape town, jeremy maarman, mervyn sloman, the book lounge. It isnt possible, or desirable for that matter, to try and represent literary cape town as one concept. Open skies article open skies emirates south africa. South african journal of libraries and information science.
Everywhere she looked, the world was in poor shape. The programme will also include a tribute to nadine gordimer. This book launch is in collaboration with our esteemed mymachine. Bridget pitt launched her latest novel, notes from the lost property department, at the book lounge recently, where she was joined in a fascinating discussion with veteran books journalist jennifer crocker. The book launch is a bookstore in the centre of cape town, founded by mervyn sloman, who did not listen to the discouraging advice of his former colleagues at the publishing house where he was working. Tonkin chaired the judging panel of the man booker international prize last year.
Aug 21, 2009 press release from our friends at the book lounge independent cape town bookshop, the book lounge was named the best bookshop in the country at the pasasaba sefika awards dinner held just outside durban on tuesday night. Open book cape town, a festival set to take place from 21 to 25 september 2011 in cape town s east city precinct. According to the festivals official website, when mervyn sloman and. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Feminism, gender and race lead conversations at next month. Open book is an extension of what we do at the book lounge events and platforms for discussion, exchange of ideas and debate, and access for authors to readers and vice versa. Press release from our friends at the book lounge independent cape town bookshop, the book lounge was named the best bookshop in the country at the pasasaba sefika awards dinner held just outside durban on tuesday night. I saw it displayed at the book lounge in cape town and could not walk away.
Its a novel about the unbearable, intolerable weight of. Coincidentally, 2016 man booker prizewinner paul beatty appeared at the open book festival in cape town last month along with 15 other international writers. Two launches for pale native by max du preez revised. Apr 11, 2019 mervyn sloman, owner of the book lounge in cape town city centre, said he would have been willing to host the event in his store if necessary. Why smart readers and authors love this little corner bookstore. Caine prize writers okwiri oduor, efemia chela and diane. Eager fans crammed into every available space to hear the awardwinning author, who is variously a lawyer, farmer and police reservist.
Rebecca davis launches best white and other anxious. On september 8, 2015 during the opening feast of the fifth open book festival, organised by him and his team. Tonight, your correspondent teamed up with the book lounge s mervyn sloman to announce a major new south african books and literature initiative. Mervyn sloman has run cape towns best bookshop the book lounge for decades. Open book festival mervyn sloman open book festival. Mervyn sloman, owner of the book lounge in cape town city centre, said he would have been willing to host the event in his store if necessary. The event was initiated by mervyn sloman of the book lounge a cape town based bookshop and ben williams of books live a literary focused subsidiary of the south african newspaper times live. Fourteen women, mismatching teacups, meltinthemouth cheese cake and a lot of listening.
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