Catching up with our next reader in our Shelfie Feature. David Sithole is a Denis Hurley Centre Street Lit book vendor, trading alongside the municipal library satellite container by the Workshop. He has been with the Street Lit team for four years.
He says “I find reading trends to be seasonal. Early in the year it is all about school textbooks, but also many of my customers want to start the year by being positive and improving themselves – they want to get into good habits for the new year and transform their lives. Novels sell better during the year, especially around holiday times when people want to relax.”
What are you reading at the moment?
I am reading ‘Developing and Living by Good Habits’ by MW Makhathini. It is about being aware of good and bad habits: “A habit is a useful servant, but a dangerous master. If you don’t change it, it changes you!” I read lots of self-help books. I seldom read novels, as I prefer to read books which help my own personal development. When I get the time and when I want to relax, I read short stories and plays. I love reading play scripts – especially by South African writers. I enjoyed Nothing but the Truth by John Kani and Zakes Mda; and Junction Avenue Theatre Company’s Sophiatown.
Reading self-help books is something I started doing when becoming a bookseller. Before then I read more academic type books on things like client services and hospitality. Now I tend to read books to learn new skills and habits.
Shelfie Feature – David Sithole
