To be or not to be

To be or not to be

I still remember the first time it happened. I was standing in the foyer of the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, waiting for my friends to join me. They were driving together and running late, but one was keeping me updated. Then came the WhatsApp message: ‘We just...
Even editors’ brains can be sneaky

Even editors’ brains can be sneaky

I’m sure we’ve all done the brainteaser where the word ‘the’ is repeated in print but when it is read out loud, invariably only one ‘the’ is read. Wordsmiths, however, being astute and wise to the ways of words, tend to notice it and triumphantly read ‘the’ twice. It...
When editors go the extra mile

When editors go the extra mile

The tragic arc of author Terry Pratchett’s life is well known: a prolific and celebrated writer, he was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s in 2007, at age 59. He carried on writing, with his final novel being published in 2015,  the same year he died. What’s...