BK publishing launch Inspiring Champions and Soccer Farm
93% of South Africans are functionally literate, which basically means that they can read short sentences. This does not mean that we have a reading culture. In fact, we have less than one million regular book buyers, in a country of nearly 60 million inhabitants,”
Benoit Knox, the director/publisher of BK Publishing, said during the launch of two books, Inspiring Champions and Soccer Farm .
“We are innovative and ambitious and we believe that it is our responsibility to help create a nation of readers. Through all our projects and publications we aim to uplift our community, with inspirational and entertaining literature,” Mr Knox said during the launch on Thursday in Pretoria.
“It is only by inspiring people and opening their minds that we can begin to build the country we all want to live in.
“Books are powerful, reading is empowering, people who read have the power to change the world. And how better to get people reading than with sport.
“President Nelson Mandela said:
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people. It speaks to the youth in a language that they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of discrimination.
“This famous statement perfectly fits the extraordinary story of Lourens and his best friend Bareng. A story of hope and friendship and how their love for football brought their families and communities together.
“Lourens came to BK publishing last year to ask my colleague Waldo to design a logo for his new Futsol club, the Golden Warriors. On his way out the door he paused and mentioned, “Oh, by the way, I’ve written a book that I want to publish.”
“At about the same time last year, Henning and I were chatting over pizza at a party. The conversation started something like this: “Oh, you’re a publisher, right? I’ve written a book I want to publish.”
Mr Knox concluded: “Just at the time that BK Publishing was ready for a new challenge, these two impeccable manuscripts landed on my lap.
They are two very different books, but both are filled with stories of human endeavour in the face of adversity, stories of personal growth and ambition, of pushing boundaries and living lives worth living. Two books that every South African should read.”
