National Library Week 13-21 March 2017

Published: March 17, 2017

In celebration of this year’s National library week, we thought it would be interesting to pick the brains of some of the Maths Centre’s staff and find out about their books and authors. You will actually learn a lot about a person from the type of books they actually read and enjoy.

Nobulawu Twala: Business development manager

When were you introduced to books/reading? And who introduced you?

I started reading at a young age and by the time I was 7, I already had my own library card. My favorite library to go to was the city library in Johannesburg. My mother and my primary school teachers encouraged me to read. My mother wasn’t much of a reader, but she pushed me into reading. She would take me to the library and she would sit and wait for me while I was reading.

Top five favorite books….

Poison wood bible: Barbara Kingsolver
I am David: Anne Holm
The tipping point: Malcom Gladwell
10,000 hour rule: Malcom Gladwell
Half of a yellow sun: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

My favorite genre is….

Fantasy, I love being lost in a world full of magic. I have read the entire Twilight and the Lord of the rings book series. I love it!

A book that should be turned into a movie is…

Half of a yellow sun: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Would you say reading has influenced the way you live your life?

Ooh yes, definitely. If I wasn’t a reader I would have most probably ended up being xenophobic or even homophobic. I would probably ask ‘’ooh she was raped, what was she wearing?’’ When I found out someone was raped. Reading has opened up my mind, liberated me and encouraged me to think outside the box. It has truly shaped my mind.

Keitumetse Moswathupa: Communications Admin

When were you introduced to books/reading? And who introduced you?

I started reading in grade one when I was six years old. I would say my grade one teacher; Mrs. Prinsloo introduced me to reading and books. She would read to us almost every day before school ends. I asked my mother for my own story book and I couldn’t put that book down, I probably read that book about 50 times. But then again, my mother has her own theory; she reckons I feel “in-love” with reading because when she was pregnant with me she used to read all the time.

Top five favorite books….

Smacked: Melinda Ferguson
Shirley, Goodness and Mercy: Chris Van Wyk
The Shack: William P. Young
My Sisters Keeper: Jodi Picoult
To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee

My favorite genre is….

Honestly, I do not have one. I enjoy reading almost everything from crime, thriller, drama and even biographies.

A book that should be turned into a movie is…

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Would you say reading has influenced the way you live your life?

Yes, without any hesitation. It introduced me to a different mind-set. It gave me liberation and encouraged me to dream. And it also improves your vocabulary, bonus.

Mahlatse Mathole: National HR manager

When were you introduced to books/reading? And who introduced you?

I think I was 16 years old, I read a book called Maru. And I was so captivated by that book, it is a book based on love and set in Botswana. I was listening to the radio and they were reviewing it and I thought to myself, I need to read that book. And that is how I got into reading and loving books.

Top five favorite books….

Maru: Bessie Head
Wind at dawn: An anthology of poetry: Sue Smith
The pedagogy of the oppressed: Paulo Freire
Advanced selling and strategizing: Brain Tracey
8^th Habit: Stephen Covey

My favorite genre is….

I do not have one. I basically read anything that looks good and worth my money. But I read a lot of books based on leadership and politics.

A book that should be turned into a movie is…

Maru, it is truly an amazing book. It will teach people about overcoming boundaries where race and religion are concerned.

Would you say reading has influenced the way you live your life?

Yes! It changed my perception about the world, race, culture and religion. It shaped me and still continues to shape me. It renews me, like a snake renews itself. Reading also renews me.

Sarika Bachoo: ECD Manager

When were you introduced to books and reading? Who introduced you?

My eldest sister read a lot of books and I started reading in Grade 1. I enjoyed reading Enid Blyton books and I loved any science fiction and western books. In Grade 10 I started reading set works and enjoyed all of them like Mayor of Casterbridge, later on I started reading these Mills and Boons and must have read over 1000’s in the past 20 years. I really enjoy the historical romances and read a few autobiographies. I was never too old to read Harry Potter and enjoyed the authors writing style and story. But all in all I just enjoy a good book. During my career as a manager I read the mind of the fox, Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, Games Foxes Play etc.