Maybe you’ll be spending the 14th of February blissful in love, maybe you won’t … but whether or not you’ve found that one person, there is a book out there that is perfect for you. And you’ll find it on this list:
First up is Afrikamasutra by Ilse de Korte, illustrated by Hardus Koekemoer, Marna Schoeman and Diek Grobler (also available in a pocket-sized version: Afrikamasutratjie).
Afrikamasutra is an Afrikaans version of the Kama Sutra by Vatsayayana, with quirky and creative illustrations. It captures the essence of the sensual classic, but with a fun, local flavour.
Dr Eve has lovelife advice for the young and old.
Ageing and Sexuality is a guide to a healthy and fulfilling sex life for older people, while at the other end of the spectrum, Dr Eve’s Sex Book for Young People offers guidance about the risks, rewards and responsibilities of sex.
Wilbur Smith is known for books filled with riveting adventure, shocking violence and thrilling sex. His latest book Desert God is no exception.
In an interview last year, Smith frankly told the interviewer: “I enjoy sex. I enjoy writing about it and I enjoy thinking about it.”
A word of warning, however: Desert God was shortlisted for the 2014 Bad Sex Award, although it was beaten by the Ben Okri novel, below.
Ben Okri won the 22nd annual Literary Review Bad Sex in Fiction Award last year for his 10th novel, The Age Of Magic.
Okri has also won a number of awards regarded as somewhat more prestigious in the literary world, including the Man Booker Prize, and upon winning the dreaded award, he said: “A writer writes what they write and that’s all there is to it.” This might be just the ticket to lighten the mood.
A Girl Walks In is a choose-your-own-erotic-destiny series created by Helena S Paige – the pseudonym of three friends, Helen Moffett, Sarah Lotz and Paige Nick.
The books are entertaining and empowering, and have something for everyone. A Girl Walks into a Blind Date is the latest book in the series, it follows the titillating A Girl Walks into a Bar and A Girl Walks into a Wedding.
For the more traditionally romantic, perhaps, Romanza issues four new Afrikaans romance titles each month. The four most recent are Jy is my engel by Mari Roberts, Drome word waar by Tosca de Villiers, Liefde agter sluiers by Rika du Plessis, and Haar trouman by Frieda van der Westhuizen.
These are tender stories of emotion, deferred desire and mature sensual romance.
Swinging back to the more adventurous side, Adults Only: Stories of Love, Lust, Sex and Sensuality, edited by Joanne Hichens, is a collection of South African short stories. The book is the result of the second annual Short.Sharp.Stories. competition, and includes original stories from established writers as well as by new talent. Stories run the gamut from dark and dramatic to irreverent and humourous.
Authors include Alex Smith, Ken Barris, Donvé Lee, Nick Mulgrew, Efemia Chela, Chantelle Gray van Heerden, Bobby Jordan, Aryan Kaganof and Tiffany Kagure Mugo.
Switch and Folly by Jassy Mackenzie are South Africa’s answer to 50 Shades of Gray … but if that’s not up your alley, Mackenzie’s most recent novel is Breathless, the story of newly married New Yorker, Erin Mitchell, who is saved from drowning after a bridge collapses during a lowveld flood by Nicholas de Lanoy.
Erin is stuck on his game farm while the bridge is repaired, and she must keep her stay a secret from her possessive husband. Nicholas is a handsome libertine with more to him than initially meets the eye, and Erin finds herself falling hard.
Leon de Kock says Bad Sex was his attempt to write a “sustained and concentrated” book about sex in South Africa and, love it or hate it, the critical consensus is that he has. What more is there to say?
Love Your Wine by Cathy Marston is a guide to drinking wine and loving it, and is a wonderful guide for both seasoned connoisseurs and newbies.
The book includes information about how different types of wine are made and how best to enjoy them.
Whether it’s classy champagne for two, or a large bottle for one, this book has what you need this Valentine’s Day.
Die mooiste Afrikaanse liefdesgedigte is a retrospective overview of the most beautiful poems written in Afrikaans on the topic of love.
Featuring work by passionate poets such as Breyten Breytenbach, Ingrid Jonker and Elisabeth Eybers, this book is the ultimate elixir of love – provided you understand Afrikaans, of course.
There is no need to justify buying an anthology of poems for your loved one. Ignite the passion, or fuel the fire of loneliness, with Heart of Africa! Poems of Love, Loss and Longing selected by Patricia Schonstein.
This collection contains the words of respected, illustrated and much-loved African poets and expresses the many guises of love – from anguish and betrayal to erotic pursuit and passion.
Why fall in love when you could fall in chocolate? Or cream? Or any one of the delicious dishes in Comfort by Tina Bester.
Don’t Film Yourself Having Sex is Emma Sadleir and Tamsyn de Beer’s invaluable guide on how to avoid infamy on social media.
If you are lucky enough to score a hot date this Valentine’s Day, make sure you give this book a quick read before you head out!
Book details
- Afrikamasutra by Ilse de Korte, illustrated by Hardus Koekemoer, Marna Schoeman, Diek Grobler
EAN: 9781868887255
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- Afrikamasutratjie by Ilse de Korte, illustrated by Diek Grobler, Hardus Koekemoer, Marna Schoeman
EAN: 9781868887507
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- Dr Eve’s Sex Book for Young People by Marlene Wasserman
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EAN: 9780798145909
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- Desert God by Wilbur Smith
EAN: 9780007535651
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- Ageing and Sexuality: Your 21st Century Guide to Lifelong Sensuality by Dr Eve
EAN: 9781770200784
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- A Girl Walks into a Blind Date by Helena S Paige
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EAN: 9780908387953
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- Liefde agter sluiers by Rika du Plessis
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EAN: 9780799372328
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- Haar trouman by Frieda van der Westhuizen
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EAN: 9780799372311
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- Drome word waar by Tosca de Villiers
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EAN: 9780799372304
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- Adults Only: Stories of love, lust, sex and sexuality edited by Joanne Hichens
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EAN: 9781928230007
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- Breathless by Jassy Mackenzie
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EAN: 9781415206867
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- The Age Of Magic by Ben Okri
EAN: 9781784081478
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- Bad Sex by Leon de Kock
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EAN: 9781415201527
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- Love Your Wine: Get to grips with what you are drinking by Cathy Marston
EAN: 9781920434830
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- Die mooiste Afrikaanse liefdesgedigte by Fanie Olivier
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EAN: 9780798151825
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- Comfort by Tina Bester
EAN: 9780981428765
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- Heart of Africa!: Poems of love, loss and longing edited by Patricia Schonstein
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EAN: 9780620608503
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- Jy is my engel by Mari Roberts
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EAN: 9780799372298
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- Liefde agter sluiers by Rika du Plessis
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EAN: 9780799372328
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- Haar trouman by Frieda van der Westhuizen
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EAN: 9780799372311
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- Don’t Film Yourself Having Sex: and Other Legal Advice For the Age of Social Media by Emma Sadleir and Tamsyn de Beer
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EAN: 9780143538943
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- Folly by Jassy Mackenzie
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EAN: 9781415203910
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- Switch by Jassy Mackenzie
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EAN: 9781415206843
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