Jonathan Amid talks to Naomi Meyer about Thursday night’s first meeting of The Bookshelf Events – the first of some interesting book discussions which will regularly take place.
Jonathan, start at the beginning. Where did your love for books begin?
Hi, Naomi, it’s always a pleasure chatting to you. According to family legend, I was an early talker – full sentences at 11 months, apparently – and photo albums are filled with photographs of me, a baby bottle and a book. My best guess is that my love of books and love of stories and language come from a place of deep curiosity about the world, about people and about the stories we tell ourselves and others. I have fond memories of being read to by my mom and my grandmother, and soon after starting primary school discovering the most wondrous thing, called the Stellenbosch Town Library.
........
I have fond memories of being read to by my mom and my grandmother, and soon after starting primary school discovering the most wondrous thing, called the Stellenbosch Town Library.
........
My biggest gripe was the fact that I couldn’t get as many library cards as I wanted, but it didn’t take long to realise that there were many, many other people who also loved books and reading as well, and that I had to share. If I had to single out a single author who had me hooked – I mean, absolutely obsessed with reading – it was Stephen King. Luckily for me, he was pretty prolific, even at that stage (the mid- to late nineties). The rest, as they say, is history.
Why did you start to review books? Can you remember your very first review?
Before taking a keen interest in books and book reviews, I was enraptured by cinema and the movies. My pocket money simply had to cover the latest Empire, Sight and Sound and Total Film magazines, sourced from the beloved Paper Weight Bookstore in the Eikestad Mall. I knew all the reviewers by name and was confident in whose informed opinion I trusted and who was a little shaky sometimes.
I had a similar love for music and music reviews: If I was lucky, I’d manage a Rolling Stone magazine, or an NME, Hit Parader, Kerrang or Metal Hammer. I soon learned that there were people out there just as passionate about pop culture and creative expression as I was, and that I wasn’t weird for always wanting to ask why something mattered and why it was so popular or considered alternative or different.
I grew up in a time when print culture was all the rage, when you had experts in their fields giving their opinions of style and flair and conviction, and when you didn’t have endless takes and opinions on the internet. I loved reading book reviews in the Sunday papers, in Die Burger and in texts like Insig, and felt an affinity towards craftsmen like Kerneels Breytenbach, Schalk Schoombie, Emile Joubert, Paul Boekkooi and many others.
If I recall correctly, I was in my very early twenties and had finished my honours degree in English Studies – without a particular interest in book reviewing myself at the time – that Imke van Heerden contacted me. Was I interested in reviewing books for LitNet? The answer was yes. Hell, yes. The first was a book by Zapiro, and I thought I was awfully clever writing a mini-essay about him, and about the functions of satire and South African politics and culture at large. My undergraduate studies in history, political science and psychology came in handy, and the three people who actually read the review didn’t hate it, which was nice. Fast-forward close to 20 years, hundreds and hundreds of formal and informal reviews later, and I’m still grateful that the opportunity came my way. Reviewing globally and doing this well is in danger of becoming a lost art, but it remains something I enjoy very much.
Do you think that conversations about books are of any value? Let me rephrase: Are books of value? But is it not a solo exercise – to read? Why discuss the book you have read?
I’ll keep this answer as short as possible. Conversations about books are and will always be of value, because conversation and dialogue – the oop gesprek – will always be valuable and, I argue, essential. Not only do you not truly know what you know or don’t know until you start talking about it out loud, but there is infinite joy in sharing.
........
I’ll keep this answer as short as possible. Conversations about books are and will always be of value, because conversation and dialogue – the oop gesprek – will always be valuable and, I argue, essential. Not only do you not truly know what you know or don’t know until you start talking about it out loud, but there is infinite joy in sharing.
........
Think of Chris McCandless and his own story, Into the wild, where he learned that “happiness is only real when shared”. As a cinephile and bibliophile, I find this to be absolutely true in the sense that I still have the unshakeable urge to tell people I love that I’ve read something meaningful, impactful or deeply compelling – something that has made me think and feel deeply.
You asked whether books are of value – I think I’ve answered that one already! Books, the art of reading – we come into this world alone and we depart from it alone, but in between we get to read. And hopefully read a lot. Reading is solitary – or at least traditionally, bearing in mind that we now have read-alongs and books of the month and audiobooks being listened to around the world, etc – but books perform the ultimate magic trick of reminding us that we are never truly alone. Every single emotion – big or small, quotidian or overwhelming – has been felt before, through the ages, by someone just like you or me, as James Baldwin reminds us. Reading makes us better listeners, more empathetic, more curious and more engaged with the world, even when we are reading purely for what we think of as escapism. Talking about books becomes a way to connect – a simple pleasure that can be enormously gratifying. You don’t have to be an expert, either, but it helps when you’ve read enough other books that you can safely say whether a particular book felt worthwhile to you or not.
Tell me about the upcoming book event on Thursday night. What can anyone who wants to attend, expect?
Thursday evening, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm, will see the very first of The Bookshelf Events, hosted on the Ken Forrester Estate in their wonderfully warm and inviting Wine Lounge. For this occasion, I’ll be discussing Deon Meyer’s bestselling Skorpio, his latest Bennie Griessel crime novel, and saying quite a bit about the genre of South African crime fiction in both English and Afrikaans. I’ll offer my take on what Meyer is doing beyond creating clever, gripping plots and manufacturing boatloads of intrigue and suspense, and why his books have made a meaningful contribution to conversations about who and what we are and could be as a society. Apart from this discussion, guests will be treated to a glass of Ken Forrester wine and to a hearty combo of soup and fresh bread, with books sold by Wordsworth Books. To stay on top of things, readers can follow the Ken Forrester pages on Facebook and Instagram. We have big plans, and Thursday evening is just the beginning!
Where can people buy tickets, and can they also just turn up and bring a friend?
Tickets for Thursday are unfortunately sold out, and the venue is at capacity due to the high demand. However, since this is a special occasion, after all, Ken Forrester will be facilitating a livestream directly from the Wine Lounge from 6:00 pm, with the Skorpio discussion commencing from 6:30 pm onwards. Full details and the link will be available on social media – just follow Ken Forrester Wines. We are very excited to share this initiative with the literary community. Bookmark the last Thursday of every month on your calendars, and keep an eye on social media for the announcement of future events in the coming weeks.
For more information and upcoming event announcements, visit Ken Forrester Wines or follow the various social media channels.
Instagram: @kenforrestervineyards – https://www.instagram.com/kenforrestervineyards
Facebook: Ken Forrester Wines – https://www.facebook.com/KFwines
Also read:
Press release: Books, wine and conversation – The Bookshelf Events come to Ken Forrester Wines