6 conversations we fell in love with at this year’s Open Book festival so far

So the Open Book festival is nearing its end and our brains feel like they’ve been injected with some serious food for thought, debate and even more love for the written word.  

The panels we’ve seen have covered everything from media, journalism and political upheaval in our country, to information about self-publishing, digital innovation and social justice.

We’ve highlighted some of our favourite parts of Open Book so far:

No Holy Cows with Vytjie Mentor

Ex MP Vytjie Mentor's recall of detailed and consistent events involving her meeting president Jacob Zuma and the Guptas back in 1991 and the lies, deceit and betrayal that followed was the topic of her discussion. According to Mentor, the mess of the ANC cannot be cleaned up unless there is a coalition of the opposition government. 

Media moments with Marianne Thamm, Scaachi Koul, Thandeka Gqubule, Nathan Hill

In this panel conversations that were focused on included the relationship between readers and the media, the changing and evolving forms of dialogue, community and social media response to news and the role journalism plays in book writing.

Self-publishing with Paige Nick, Blaq Pearl, Mervyn Sloman and Andrew Salomon

Authors Paige Nick and Blaq Pearl and owner of the Book Lounge, Mervyn Sloman chat to Andrew Saloman about what it takes to publish their own books, the highs and lows of taking on the costs of self-publishing and offer advice on what you need to do to ensure that you aren’t taken advantage of when it comes to issues like printing and distributing.

Methodology with Thandeka Gqubule, Michael Marchant and Mark Shaw with Jan-Jan Joubert

Authors Thandeka Gqubule, Michael Marchant and Mark Shaw chat to Jan-Jan Joubert about the research processes involved in writing their books. While Gqubule essentially experienced a painless writing process, Shaw encountered legal issues and had to deal with unsavoury characters, and Marchant discovered a worryingly deep reluctance in the bureaucracy to grant access to and release records.

Money & Middlemen with Caryn Dolley, Craig McKune and Khadija Sharife with Hennie van Vuuren

Three phenomenal investigative journalists shed insight on Cape Town's criminal economy, ranging from the social grants system, diamond miners and apartheid era bankers. Dolley discusses a big shift in the so called ‘underworld’ and Sharife draws attention to the significance of protecting whistleblowers from being exposed and facing imprisonment for revealing the truth.  

Reflecting Rogue with Pumla Dineo Gqola

A very witty and charismatic Pumla Gqola spoke to Toni Stuart about her latest book titled Reflecting Rogue: Inside the mind of a feminist. 

She briefly introduces us to the women in her book (and in her life), who all have different brands of feminism, yet never lose sight of what it means to be a woman. While Gqola is an unrelenting feminist, she also shares how raising two sons is a continuous learning experience for her.

She also makes a very pertinent statement by saying feminism can be rogue, and it can also be quiet - both are valid.