Alan Holmes to launch a new book on Marloth
The third book by local author, Alan Holmes, is to be launched next week.
MARLOTH PARK – Holmes will be signing books purchased at the Bush Centre on Saturday November 21 and at Marlothi Trading Post on Monday November 23.
Born in the Eastern Cape to 1820 settler stock and schooled in the Free State and Gauteng, this 70-year-old came to Marloth Park in 2005 as he couldn’t resist the charm and peace of the bushveld.
Twice helicoptered to Johannesburg in flights that saved his life; in 2008 for surgery after a heart attack and in 2019 when cerebral malaria took the life of his wife of more than 47 years and very nearly took his, Holmes believed until April this year that he would never again return.
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In December 2019, he published an autobiography titled Abnormal – the Holmes Family Story about his unusual life. In April 2020, his next book, Memories of Paradise, a collection of stories from his memories of his time in Marloth Park, quickly sold out.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic turned the world on its head and suddenly the fear of malaria seemed nowhere near scary as the risk of contracting the virus in the densely populated Johannesburg. When a three-day window was opened at the beginning of May for those trapped from their homes due to the lockdown, he returned to his piece of paradise – Marloth Park!
Holmes has been very active on social media in the park, on his own Facebook pages and most of the well-supported pages that exist in support and promotion of this wonderful place, posting his experiences in the bush almost daily. He has a large following on these platforms.
Finding that questions were being repeatedly asked about his happiest of happy places, he decided that it was time that Marloth Park had its own guide book. Four months of collecting information and stories about this unique place have now culminated in the park’s first dedicated guide book, titled Marloth Park – a User’s Guide, due to launch in the park on November 21.
The book is a conservation-based guide to this unusual, unique piece of African bushveld, full of information on what to do and where and how to do it, useful and essential information about its varied attractions, and fascinating stories of the rich history of the region.
There are sections for the bird enthusiasts, interaction with our fascinating collection of iconic African mammals and reptiles and advice on how to help the efforts to conserve this precious place for future generations. In short, all you ever wanted to know about this fascinating place!
The book retails at R350.
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