Year End Function
Date: Friday, 11 December 2009
Reviewed by: Phumeza Mgxashe
Santa's message of love and friendship reverberates at BWA Book Club Year End.
The BWA Cape Town Book Club held its first year end function on Friday, 11 December 2009 at its usual joint, Lion's Kloof guest house. All the regulars brought their signature dish to share in the festivities (others like Christl were brave and prepared their dishes themselves, and most made use of Woolies).
Christine, who manages Lion's Kloof guest house, decorated the place beautifully. Gifts were exchanged and there was lots of laughter, life and love all round.
I can't wait for the next Christmas party.
Please visit our gallery to see pictures from this event.
The Other Side of Shame
Date: Thursday, 1 October 2009
Reviewed by: Phumexa Mgxashe
On the other side of shame... is love and gratitude.
A young and frightened teenage mother is forced by her parents to give up her child for adoption. She is told that his adoptive parents live in Joburg. Eighteen months later, she marries the baby's father and they go on to have three other children. Nearly forty years later...her son makes contact with her and so begins an unbelievable story of love, forgiveness, second chances, beautiful miracles and coincidences. This was the story told to the BWA Book Club in Cape Town by Lynette Langman, the protagonist of "On the other side of shame" book, accompanied by her biographer and relative, Joanne Jowell.
Lynette Langman, executive director of a Jewish Synagogue, told of the phone call from her son, Anthony, who now lives and practises medicine in Seattle. Hers is a story punctuated by coincidences at every turn. Starting with the fact that her son, after completing his medical degree in Cape Town, underwent further training and was mentored by Lynette's family physician Dr Solly Lison.
Fast forward to Lynette and her husband Max Langman telling their three children about Anthony, and their daughter, who is based in the US, decides to undertake a journey to visit her "new" brother. While looking at his wedding album she sees herself in the photographs and then recalls going to that wedding with a friend.
Anthony, on seeking his biological parents, is not motivated by anger. He is a man who feels grateful that his birth mother chose to give him up for adoption and due to his personal circumstances, is able to understand the enormity of the sacrifice and the difficulty involved in giving up a child for adoption.
Ferose Oaten, national vice president and chairperson of the BWA in Cape Town, who attended the meeting commented that she read deep into the night and again from 5am the following morning. "This book is heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time. I loved the style of writing and it left with a great appreciation for all the characters. It is refreshingly frank and this gave the book authenticity. It opened my eyes and I have new-found respect and admiration for Dr Solly Lison, who's already an "institution" in Cape Town. I can't wait to finish it, and could not wait to tell my husband about it. It is a book that gives great hope and inspiration, not only to families and children affected by adoption, but to many of us who need to see that miracles can happen."
A regular guest of the BWA book club, Vivian Raath said having an author there was great; and the protagonist a real bonus. "I felt very emotional during the author's reading of passages out of the book - the passages she chose to read influenced my decision to buy the book at the meeting. I enjoy her style of writing and how well she researched the subject by interviewing so many people. Lynette, the protagonist, showed great courage in sharing her secret as she did not know how her other children and the Jewish community of Cape Town would accept this revelation. The joy of her son finding her and the sadness she has also experienced was so apparent when she told her story. The tragedy is that the year was 1960 and not 2009 - as things could have been different."
BWA Book Club Journeys to an Icy and Windy Swiss Mountain Ledge
Date: Thursday, 6 August 2009
Venue: Lion Kloof Lodge
Rachel Kelsey Colenso, who's penned a book called In a High and Desperate Place - a harrowing account of two nights ssurviving a blizzard on an icy mountain ledge on a thousand metre cliff face in the Swiss Alps, was the guest of the BWA book club in the Western Cape on a cold Thursday evening on the 6th of August 2009. Perhaps it was fitting that she was sharing her heroics a few days before our country commemorated the National Women's Day.
It was a meeting with a difference as Rachel, the first woman to go through the gruelling selection process for the elite taskforce unit within the British Special Forces talked about a first date that turned into a few days on a tiny mountain ledge, with her then date and now husband Jeremy Colenso. They had set off to climb on one of the famous six big North Faces in the European Alps, the Piz Badile, which is situated on the Swiss Italian border. Both climbers had years of separate experience, and researched the climb, and weather conditions thoroughly before setting off.
They walked up to base camp the evening before their fated ascent and set off at first light the next morning. After a few hours they reached the rock face and hauled out their ropes to begin the climb up the vertical cliff face. By late afternoon they had made very good progress and were within spitting distance of the summit. Suddenly the weather did an about turn and the pair were encased in arcs of pink lightning and ground shuddering thunder. Lashed by high gale force winds, and pounded with hail and snow, the team abseiled, rope length after rope length, late into the night try and escape. Finally the gale force winds, ice and an injured hand had them pinned to a tiny ledge with precipitous drops on either side. Rachel called for rescue via SMS from the mountain (another world first) to a friend in the UK, who then contacted the authorities in Switzerland.
Rachel had the normally loud alpha-female bookie crowd in stony silence as she also shared stories about other mountain expeditions she has led. Eventually the place warmed up, with the help of the soup and home baked bread, which was on the menu, as she relayed stories about her charity work and her other passions - motivational speaking and landscape photography.
Robyn Williams (not Robin Williams) wanted to know at what point does spirituality help one survive such an experience. "It came more afterwards. This was Jeremy and I's first date and I was not in the habit of saying prayers on a first date. Eventually we did, and we feel our prayers were answered. We had the strength to continue and see things through" she said. Juanita Duncan, another member, wanted to know what such an experience does to a relationship. "I don't believe relationships are built over cups of coffee but through experiences. We could either pull together or fall apart and perish. We had to come up with strategies to stay alive and be creative about it," she added.
She said that, with any momentous achievement or milestone, it is important to rest, recuperate and celebrate. This was a fitting piece of advice for the achievers that the BWA members are.
Lively Debate at the BWA Book Club with Dr Sindiwe Magona
Date: Thursday, 14 May 2009
Venue: Lion Kloof Lodge
Review by: Phumeza Mgxashe
The BWA Book Club members and guests warmed up on a cold and wet Thursday, 14 May 2009 in the evening at the usual venue in Tamboerskloof.
The guest author invited was Dr Sindiwe Magona, who was invited to discuss her latest book, Beauty’s Gift.
Dr. Magona's tiny physique proves that dynamite definitely comes in small packages. She talked about her life before she stated writing and what prompted her to embark on the journey of being a writer. She shared the thoughts and rich life experience that resulted in each book. The themes of motherhood, love, family, values and marriage come through in her various works. She is not afraid to set off on a road less travelled in terms of the angles explored in these themes.
For example, Beauty’s gift explored the thorny issue of faithfully married women who contract HIV while married. The book explores the complicity of women in making excuses for men and in not negotiating a better deal for themselves in relationships.
A lively debate and discussion ensued amongst the members and guests. During the two hours spent together by the group there was a flow of wine, beer and Rooibos.
On my way home, I thought how fitting it was that we’d been addressed by Dr Magona, a few days after Mothers’ Day. Ultimately, the message in her various books is that we have to love and care for ourselves and also one another.
Most of Sindiwe Magona’s books are available at local bookshops.
My Success Your Success
Reviewed by: Sue Milne
Venue: Lions Kloof Lodge
The launch recently of a ‘must have’ book “My Success, Your Success”, by Jane Notten, at the BWA Book Club was a resounding success with 20 BWA members in attendance including Ferose Oaten, Gita Lison and “MJ” Fick who were also featured in the book.
What a hot, balmy, sub-tropical evening you missed in Christine Paterson’s beautifully modern Lion’s Kloof Lodge in Higgovale. Outside on the patio beside a crystal clear pool, we were privy to breathtaking views of our own majestic Table Mountain under a sickle moon. As the sun set the mountain glowed orange (or was it pink?) as we partook of chilled refreshments being fruits of the vine - white, red and non alcoholic. Members could haphazardly sit on the steps or lounge on patio furniture comfortably networking with friends and new business associates. After the presentation we helped ourselves to a delightful buffet style supper lovingly prepared by Christine and her daughter in a candlelit setting which was conducive to loads of camaraderie and sharing of wondrous experiences.
Jane Notten, in her own right an entrepreneur who makes a living out of writing, PR and Communication had once written down a goal that she wanted to write a book. Then by chance, through her network at BWA, she was asked by Struik Publishers to write the book. She approached women entrepreneurs who were famous, pursued stories that she found interesting and basically approached those whom she truly admired.
Out of 32 people interviewed she included 26 women who were outstandingly fantastic and proceeded to write their stories very much in their own words. She took 1½ years to write the book, but only got going after 6 months. Despite having to run her own business she spent 3 days per week on the content and still managed to meet Struik’s deadlines. This quite clearly took dedicated discipline and perseverance.
Jane chose women at different stages of their journeys and divided the book into three sections being Entrepreneurs (1-5 yrs), Established Entrepreneurs (5 -15 yrs) and Veterans (15+ yrs). This was followed by a Chapter on Tips at the end of the book as she discovered that a lot of the challenges experienced by these entrepreneurs were similar. To list a few: how to market, how to hire people, how to complete a VAT return, cash flow, securing finance, belief in oneself, how to achieve balance and creative ways around this. Interestingly, what Jane found is that “entrepreneurs experienced a strange, deranged tenacity and resilience”.
Generally speaking, women go into business for a number of reasons. Very often they flee the politics of the corporate world, they follow their absolute passion, they want to travel spiritually and financially, to have their own independence - autonomy was a big reason, or they have seen a gap in the market and have a specialised service to provide. In SA some women are entrepreneurs because they have no other choice – it’s pure economics.
Jane’s book will provide new inspiration and motivation for those already running their own business and those who wish to start a business. This ‘must read’ book can be obtained through Exclusive, Wordsworth, Struik, Kalahari.net and, if you are lucky, Jane might have a couple at home.
As to Jane’s next project - well, Struik are currently talking to her about writing another book. Who is to say that she may well wish to ease into a novel one day?
The big challenge is going to be the credit crunch and how people will survive. To coin a phrase: “If the going gets tough, the tough get going”.
Jane in her charming way ended with “Success is not necessarily about the money – it is about the journey”. We are all so proud that Jane is very much part of the BWA and I am sure that many of you will salute and congratulate her for what she has achieved in this condensed version of Business Success.
Thanks go to Anneline Black of Brushstrokes, Phumeza Mgxashe, SANparks who sponsored the event and Christine Paterson of Lion’s Kloof Lodge, who sponsored the venue.
BWA Book Club: The Year That Was
Amanda Greef and I started the book club for BWA Cape Town at the beginning of this year. Amanda has subsequently left and Phumeza Mgxashe has joined me as a co-host. The aim of the book club was to have a platform for members to get to know each other on a more intimate level, using books as a vehicle.
Well, looking back, I must say that it was a great success. I have certainly come to know a few members quite well. I have also been exposed to some interesting books that I would not normally choose to read. We were lucky to find the most amazing venue in Lions Kloof Lodge , which was graciously sponsored by the owner and BWA member Christine Paterson. What a fantastic way to communicate with a glass of good red, a lovely cup of tea/coffee and great snacks!
We had a slow start in the beginning but gathered momentum as the year progressed. Amanda liaised with Erina du Toit (also a BWA member), to start a book club online so interested members can have a look at our book reviews. I managed to get an author to come and tell us about her latest book “Drinking from the Dragons Well” - by Alex Smith in China. What a great evening that was! We were absolutely spell bound when she read excerpts from her book and was transported to another world. The discussion there after was quite illuminating on China. Must say that we had quite a few intense and heated discussions on various current topics. We shifted from serious topics and moments, to just having fun getting to know each other. It is rather interesting as we appear to come from such varied and diverse backgrounds and cultures yet we are so much alike as women, mothers, sisters and last but not least, BWA ladies.
Here is to looking forward to an even greater 2009 and of course some great books to share and explore!
Anneline Black
&
Phumeza Mgxashe (in absence)
Year End Function
Date: Friday, 11 December 2009
Reviewed by: Phumeza Mgxashe
Santa's message of love and friendship reverberates at BWA Book Club Year End.
The BWA Cape Town Book Club held its first year end function on Friday, 11 December 2009 at its usual joint, Lion's Kloof guest house. All the regulars brought their signature dish to share in the festivities (others like Christl were brave and prepared their dishes themselves, and most made use of Woolies).
Christine, who manages Lion's Kloof guest house, decorated the place beautifully. Gifts were exchanged and there was lots of laughter, life and love all round.
I can't wait for the next Christmas party.
Please visit our gallery to see pictures from this event.
The Other Side of Shame
Date: Thursday, 1 October 2009
Reviewed by: Phumexa Mgxashe
On the other side of shame... is love and gratitude.
A young and frightened teenage mother is forced by her parents to give up her child for adoption. She is told that his adoptive parents live in Joburg. Eighteen months later, she marries the baby's father and they go on to have three other children. Nearly forty years later...her son makes contact with her and so begins an unbelievable story of love, forgiveness, second chances, beautiful miracles and coincidences. This was the story told to the BWA Book Club in Cape Town by Lynette Langman, the protagonist of "On the other side of shame" book, accompanied by her biographer and relative, Joanne Jowell.
Lynette Langman, executive director of a Jewish Synagogue, told of the phone call from her son, Anthony, who now lives and practises medicine in Seattle. Hers is a story punctuated by coincidences at every turn. Starting with the fact that her son, after completing his medical degree in Cape Town, underwent further training and was mentored by Lynette's family physician Dr Solly Lison.
Fast forward to Lynette and her husband Max Langman telling their three children about Anthony, and their daughter, who is based in the US, decides to undertake a journey to visit her "new" brother. While looking at his wedding album she sees herself in the photographs and then recalls going to that wedding with a friend.
Anthony, on seeking his biological parents, is not motivated by anger. He is a man who feels grateful that his birth mother chose to give him up for adoption and due to his personal circumstances, is able to understand the enormity of the sacrifice and the difficulty involved in giving up a child for adoption.
Ferose Oaten, national vice president and chairperson of the BWA in Cape Town, who attended the meeting commented that she read deep into the night and again from 5am the following morning. "This book is heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time. I loved the style of writing and it left with a great appreciation for all the characters. It is refreshingly frank and this gave the book authenticity. It opened my eyes and I have new-found respect and admiration for Dr Solly Lison, who's already an "institution" in Cape Town. I can't wait to finish it, and could not wait to tell my husband about it. It is a book that gives great hope and inspiration, not only to families and children affected by adoption, but to many of us who need to see that miracles can happen."
A regular guest of the BWA book club, Vivian Raath said having an author there was great; and the protagonist a real bonus. "I felt very emotional during the author's reading of passages out of the book - the passages she chose to read influenced my decision to buy the book at the meeting. I enjoy her style of writing and how well she researched the subject by interviewing so many people. Lynette, the protagonist, showed great courage in sharing her secret as she did not know how her other children and the Jewish community of Cape Town would accept this revelation. The joy of her son finding her and the sadness she has also experienced was so apparent when she told her story. The tragedy is that the year was 1960 and not 2009 - as things could have been different."
BWA Book Club Journeys to an Icy and Windy Swiss Mountain Ledge
Date: Thursday, 6 August 2009
Venue: Lion Kloof Lodge
Rachel Kelsey Colenso, who's penned a book called In a High and Desperate Place - a harrowing account of two nights ssurviving a blizzard on an icy mountain ledge on a thousand metre cliff face in the Swiss Alps, was the guest of the BWA book club in the Western Cape on a cold Thursday evening on the 6th of August 2009. Perhaps it was fitting that she was sharing her heroics a few days before our country commemorated the National Women's Day.
It was a meeting with a difference as Rachel, the first woman to go through the gruelling selection process for the elite taskforce unit within the British Special Forces talked about a first date that turned into a few days on a tiny mountain ledge, with her then date and now husband Jeremy Colenso. They had set off to climb on one of the famous six big North Faces in the European Alps, the Piz Badile, which is situated on the Swiss Italian border. Both climbers had years of separate experience, and researched the climb, and weather conditions thoroughly before setting off.
They walked up to base camp the evening before their fated ascent and set off at first light the next morning. After a few hours they reached the rock face and hauled out their ropes to begin the climb up the vertical cliff face. By late afternoon they had made very good progress and were within spitting distance of the summit. Suddenly the weather did an about turn and the pair were encased in arcs of pink lightning and ground shuddering thunder. Lashed by high gale force winds, and pounded with hail and snow, the team abseiled, rope length after rope length, late into the night try and escape. Finally the gale force winds, ice and an injured hand had them pinned to a tiny ledge with precipitous drops on either side. Rachel called for rescue via SMS from the mountain (another world first) to a friend in the UK, who then contacted the authorities in Switzerland.
Rachel had the normally loud alpha-female bookie crowd in stony silence as she also shared stories about other mountain expeditions she has led. Eventually the place warmed up, with the help of the soup and home baked bread, which was on the menu, as she relayed stories about her charity work and her other passions - motivational speaking and landscape photography.
Robyn Williams (not Robin Williams) wanted to know at what point does spirituality help one survive such an experience. "It came more afterwards. This was Jeremy and I's first date and I was not in the habit of saying prayers on a first date. Eventually we did, and we feel our prayers were answered. We had the strength to continue and see things through" she said. Juanita Duncan, another member, wanted to know what such an experience does to a relationship. "I don't believe relationships are built over cups of coffee but through experiences. We could either pull together or fall apart and perish. We had to come up with strategies to stay alive and be creative about it," she added.
She said that, with any momentous achievement or milestone, it is important to rest, recuperate and celebrate. This was a fitting piece of advice for the achievers that the BWA members are.
Lively Debate at the BWA Book Club with Dr Sindiwe Magona
Date: Thursday, 14 May 2009
Venue: Lion Kloof Lodge
Review by: Phumeza Mgxashe
The BWA Book Club members and guests warmed up on a cold and wet Thursday, 14 May 2009 in the evening at the usual venue in Tamboerskloof.
The guest author invited was Dr Sindiwe Magona, who was invited to discuss her latest book, Beauty’s Gift.
Dr. Magona's tiny physique proves that dynamite definitely comes in small packages. She talked about her life before she stated writing and what prompted her to embark on the journey of being a writer. She shared the thoughts and rich life experience that resulted in each book. The themes of motherhood, love, family, values and marriage come through in her various works. She is not afraid to set off on a road less travelled in terms of the angles explored in these themes.
For example, Beauty’s gift explored the thorny issue of faithfully married women who contract HIV while married. The book explores the complicity of women in making excuses for men and in not negotiating a better deal for themselves in relationships.
A lively debate and discussion ensued amongst the members and guests. During the two hours spent together by the group there was a flow of wine, beer and Rooibos.
On my way home, I thought how fitting it was that we’d been addressed by Dr Magona, a few days after Mothers’ Day. Ultimately, the message in her various books is that we have to love and care for ourselves and also one another.
Most of Sindiwe Magona’s books are available at local bookshops.
My Success Your Success
Reviewed by: Sue Milne
Venue: Lions Kloof Lodge
The launch recently of a ‘must have’ book “My Success, Your Success”, by Jane Notten, at the BWA Book Club was a resounding success with 20 BWA members in attendance including Ferose Oaten, Gita Lison and “MJ” Fick who were also featured in the book.
What a hot, balmy, sub-tropical evening you missed in Christine Paterson’s beautifully modern Lion’s Kloof Lodge in Higgovale. Outside on the patio beside a crystal clear pool, we were privy to breathtaking views of our own majestic Table Mountain under a sickle moon. As the sun set the mountain glowed orange (or was it pink?) as we partook of chilled refreshments being fruits of the vine - white, red and non alcoholic. Members could haphazardly sit on the steps or lounge on patio furniture comfortably networking with friends and new business associates. After the presentation we helped ourselves to a delightful buffet style supper lovingly prepared by Christine and her daughter in a candlelit setting which was conducive to loads of camaraderie and sharing of wondrous experiences.
Jane Notten, in her own right an entrepreneur who makes a living out of writing, PR and Communication had once written down a goal that she wanted to write a book. Then by chance, through her network at BWA, she was asked by Struik Publishers to write the book. She approached women entrepreneurs who were famous, pursued stories that she found interesting and basically approached those whom she truly admired.
Out of 32 people interviewed she included 26 women who were outstandingly fantastic and proceeded to write their stories very much in their own words. She took 1½ years to write the book, but only got going after 6 months. Despite having to run her own business she spent 3 days per week on the content and still managed to meet Struik’s deadlines. This quite clearly took dedicated discipline and perseverance.
Jane chose women at different stages of their journeys and divided the book into three sections being Entrepreneurs (1-5 yrs), Established Entrepreneurs (5 -15 yrs) and Veterans (15+ yrs). This was followed by a Chapter on Tips at the end of the book as she discovered that a lot of the challenges experienced by these entrepreneurs were similar. To list a few: how to market, how to hire people, how to complete a VAT return, cash flow, securing finance, belief in oneself, how to achieve balance and creative ways around this. Interestingly, what Jane found is that “entrepreneurs experienced a strange, deranged tenacity and resilience”.
Generally speaking, women go into business for a number of reasons. Very often they flee the politics of the corporate world, they follow their absolute passion, they want to travel spiritually and financially, to have their own independence - autonomy was a big reason, or they have seen a gap in the market and have a specialised service to provide. In SA some women are entrepreneurs because they have no other choice – it’s pure economics.
Jane’s book will provide new inspiration and motivation for those already running their own business and those who wish to start a business. This ‘must read’ book can be obtained through Exclusive, Wordsworth, Struik, Kalahari.net and, if you are lucky, Jane might have a couple at home.
As to Jane’s next project - well, Struik are currently talking to her about writing another book. Who is to say that she may well wish to ease into a novel one day?
The big challenge is going to be the credit crunch and how people will survive. To coin a phrase: “If the going gets tough, the tough get going”.
Jane in her charming way ended with “Success is not necessarily about the money – it is about the journey”. We are all so proud that Jane is very much part of the BWA and I am sure that many of you will salute and congratulate her for what she has achieved in this condensed version of Business Success.
Thanks go to Anneline Black of Brushstrokes, Phumeza Mgxashe, SANparks who sponsored the event and Christine Paterson of Lion’s Kloof Lodge, who sponsored the venue.
BWA Book Club: The Year That Was
Amanda Greef and I started the book club for BWA Cape Town at the beginning of this year. Amanda has subsequently left and Phumeza Mgxashe has joined me as a co-host. The aim of the book club was to have a platform for members to get to know each other on a more intimate level, using books as a vehicle.
Well, looking back, I must say that it was a great success. I have certainly come to know a few members quite well. I have also been exposed to some interesting books that I would not normally choose to read. We were lucky to find the most amazing venue in Lions Kloof Lodge , which was graciously sponsored by the owner and BWA member Christine Paterson. What a fantastic way to communicate with a glass of good red, a lovely cup of tea/coffee and great snacks!
We had a slow start in the beginning but gathered momentum as the year progressed. Amanda liaised with Erina du Toit (also a BWA member), to start a book club online so interested members can have a look at our book reviews. I managed to get an author to come and tell us about her latest book “Drinking from the Dragons Well” - by Alex Smith in China. What a great evening that was! We were absolutely spell bound when she read excerpts from her book and was transported to another world. The discussion there after was quite illuminating on China. Must say that we had quite a few intense and heated discussions on various current topics. We shifted from serious topics and moments, to just having fun getting to know each other. It is rather interesting as we appear to come from such varied and diverse backgrounds and cultures yet we are so much alike as women, mothers, sisters and last but not least, BWA ladies.
Here is to looking forward to an even greater 2009 and of course some great books to share and explore!
Anneline Black
&
Phumeza Mgxashe (in absence)