PAGECAST PAGECAST

The World by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Loading player...
On Monday 20 March 2023, amidst a National Shut Down in South Africa, local author Mphuthumi Ntabeni met up with Simon Sebag Montefiore, in a quiet nook of the Book Lounge in Cape Town, to discuss Simon’s exquisite new book - The World.

The world is a fresh and original history of humanity, unlike any previous world history book: it uses family, the one thing all humans have in common, to tell the story. In his new book, Simon steers us through an interconnected world via palace intrigues, love affairs and family lives, linking grand themes of war, migration, plague, religion, medicine and technology to the people at the heart of the human drama. It features a cast of extraordinary span and diversity.

The World is both a celebration and an indictment that takes the human story, from caves to drones, in a single narrative by a master storyteller.

We hope that you enjoy this episode of Pagecast.
3 Apr 2023 English South Africa Books · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

The Persian by David McCloskey (with Lester Kiewit)

What happens when a former CIA analyst turns his hand to fiction? Lester Kiewit chats to David McCloskey about The Persian, a sophisticated, atmospheric thriller that pulls readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel, and the human cost of living a double life. David McCloskey's new book…
20 Jul 33 min

A Food Love Story by Onezwa Mbola (with Star Senamile Shongwe)

In this episode of Pagecast, food enthusiast, recipe creator, and social media sensation Onezwa Mbola joins storyteller and marketing professional Star Senamile Shongwe for a warm conversation about her debut book, A Food Love Story. Onezwa traces her culinary journey from her mother's kitchen in a rural Eastern Cape seaside…
13 Jul 28 min

On the Sponge Islands by Julia Martin (with Prof David Attwell)

In this episode of Pagecast, South African writer Julia Martin joins Professor David Attwell, Professor of English at the University of York, for a reflective conversation about her latest book, On the Sponge Islands: Loss and Restoration in the Aegean. The book follows Julia's journey through the Greek islands of…
6 Jul 30 min

Where to From Here? by Tara Roos (with Twanji Kalula)

In this episode of Pagecast, political analyst Tara Roos joins Twanji Kalula for a sharp, no-nonsense conversation about her new book, Where to From Here?, and what it reveals about the state of South African politics. Roos argues that South Africa has entered an age of uncertainty, as populism rises…
29 Jun 36 min

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng (with Mphuthumi Ntabeni)

In this episode of Pagecast, Man Booker Prize-shortlisted author Tan Twan Eng joins Cape Town-based political commentator and writer Mphuthumi Ntabeni for a conversation about his latest novel, The House of Doors. Set in 1921 at Cassowary House in the Straits Settlements of Penang, the novel follows Robert Hamlyn, a…
22 Jun 29 min
All episodes