Publisher: Lion's Head
Price: R175
An entertaining and anecdotal account by a former newspaper editor (Pretoria News and Cape Town's Argus), this is ultimately somewhat lightweight.
It will be enjoyed by those in the trade of journalism, but contains little revelation. References to the bumptious Essop Pahad and the "sinister" contentions of Kader Asmal are uncomfortably valid, while the Diary of Death chapter is a sharp reminder of the casual murderousness of political violence.
We can also do with some of the author's reminders, for instance when he writes about PW Botha's resignation as state president and his declared intention of staying on as party leader.
It all ended in tears, of course, and begs the question: Shouldn't Thabo Mbeki be learning from what happened to the Groot Krokodil when the latter attempted to split control?