SUBSCRIBE to The Star for three months and get an Exclusive Books voucher valued at R500. This is a limited exclusive offer. To subscribe SMS “STSUBS” to 33258 and we will call you back. SMSes are charged at R1.50. Free SMSes do not apply. Terms and conditions apply
Whatever books mean to you, or the people you are buying for, The List, Exclusive Books’ magnificent selection of over 130 titles for the Festive Season, will give you at least 130 reasons to choose books as gifts this Christmas.
Each Exclusive Books store individually curates their own selection during the year, but for Christmas, the List is chosen with input from all store managers. The result? A national selection of books for absolutely everyone. The most important criteria for selection being “giftability" - the appeal of a book as a gift.
In making our choices, we had every kind of book-buyer in mind – those buying for themselves as much as those buying gifts for others. Because we truly believe that whoever you are, whatever your age, reading taste or pocket, there is the perfect book to match.
Find fiction satisfying with any one of the never-fail big hitters - Jodi Picoult, Cecelia Ahern, Elif Shafak and a brand-new series starter from Richard Osman. We are delighted to welcome John van de Ruit back to the literary stage with Spud – The Reunion, alongside a stellar local fiction selection featuring Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Zukiswa Wanner and more.
Biographies and memoirs offer an intimate glimpse into the lives of remarkable individuals. The range of personalities in books on The List spans across sporting greats like Venus Williams and Jurgen Klopp, to culture icons like Esther Mahlangu, Cher, Ian Roberts and many more.
The List’s Business /current affairs selection always features incisive commentary into the prevailing issues, challenges and opportunities of our time. Our chaotic world is filled with information and not always wisdom. Let the likes of Malcolm Gladwell, Pieter du Toit and Yuval Noah Harari help you understand it all.
Psychology continues to grow and grow. With an ear firmly to the ground and a finger on the proverbial pulse, we are always alert to books, thinkers or writers making waves in this category – both here and abroad. Brianna Wiest’s 101 Essays that Will Change the Way You Think is a perfect example of a book we sniffed out, tirelessly hunted down, worked with publisher partners and made a special edition available to Southern Africa.
Poetry is having a moment, and there are four power-women word-warriors creating a stir with their poetry and writing – Duduzile Noeleen Ngwenya, Donna Ashworth, Rupi Kaur and Florence Given head up the List.
Lifestyle
Books are a perfect companion to living a rich life, no matter your interests, and we have ensured that genres like cookery, science, sport and faith carry a good mix of international and local, sophisticated and accessible, as well as all flavours of personalities.
Our Faith selection features two children’s titles for the first time, as well a book that has everyone talking (and buying!) dropped in at the last minute. Disciple - Walking with God, by one of South Africa’s most beloved media personalities Rorisang Thandekiso.
Very giftable gifts
Some books have such wide appeal that you could gift them to almost anyone. Think Zapiro, Madam and Eve, and three delightful new books in the Charles Mackesy’s The Boy and the Mole mould - with beautiful illustration and moving, charming text.
Gifting and Book Accessories
At Exclusive Books, we have turned our gaze very firmly on products related to and/or inspired by books, but not necessarily books themselves - gifting accessories, gizmos, gadgets, bits and bobs, that are the perfect accompaniment to our booky lifestyle – being curious, entertained by wit and words. In many stores we now have dedicated gifting sections, and the Christmas List features three ranges that you will find in every store.
Children
For a sheer quality gift that educates as it entertains, empowers as it amuses, you cannot beat the gift of reading for little ones, medium ones, and think-they-are very grown up ones. Alongside a brilliant local children’s selection from Gcina Mhlophe, Refiloe Moahloli, Jaco Jacobs and other much-loved names, are big brands like Bluey and Wimpy Kid together with the entire collection of Harry Potter books and paraphernalia for those (newly) struck with Potter mania.
Again, “for the fans”, and because of their sheer giftability, is this year’s focus on annuals and gift sets – compilations that speak to Pokemon passion, or Barbie buzz, Guinness World Records aficionados or Minecraft enthusiasts.
BookTok and Top Readers for Gen Z
Books are the ultimate life tool – the perfect companion for any stage of life. New to the world of adulting, new adults are navigating the transitional period of new experiences and responsibilities. We cannot ignore the strong pull of BookTok, keeping its audience enthralled since the dark days of the Covid 19 pandemic, and our research indicating the end-of-year holiday as the perfect time for young adults to catch up on their reading. We’ve featured the BookTok Top 10 in our catalogue alongside, for the first time ever, a list of Top Readers for Gen Z ers – a perfectly giftable selection for young/new adults.
24 Books of 2024
It is always interesting to note that around 8 of our top 20 bestselling books are ‘perennials’ – books that are far from new, but just keep on selling and selling – think Robin Sharma’s 5am Club and James Clear’s Atomic Habits. The rest of the Top 24 features fiction titans like Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water, and Kristin Hannah’s The Women, BookTok chart toppers from Colleen Hoover and Sarah J. Maas and much loved local and international fan favourites.
From November, Exclusive Books will have all these titles (and more) in generous quantities and impressive displays in the front of physical stores and of course, online at exclusivebooks.co.za. A magnificent catalogue featuring the full selection will be available in store and online, jam packed with interviews, a head-scratching word search and more. A massive publicity campaign, including social media of every kind, will get the buzz going, and a myriad events to make books come alive in-store. Fanatics are offered double discounts on all List titles for November and December, with targeted information going to these loyal readers as we countdown to Christmas.
Risk nothing, get into their good books, and shop the Exclusive Books Festive Collection. A book is always the perfect gift. Your recipient is sure to be delighted.
Exclusive Books host real life book launches
https://exclusivebooks.co.za/pages/events or alternatively you can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExclusiveBooks/.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exclusivebooks/.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/exclusivebooks or www.exclusivebooks.co.za
Ways to order books from Exclusive Books include phone in, Uber Eats, Instore of course and online via the website www.exclusivebooks.co.za and delivery to your doorstep in 36 hours. (free delivery for order R450 and up).
Exclusive Books is one of South Africa's largest bookselling chains with stores throughout South Africa, and one store in Gaborone, Botswana and in Namibia.
The Star