Business Book Club | Piers Cruikshanks

Kim Hunter
Oct 5, 2017
2 min read

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes

Photographs from the event on Facebook

Canoeing / kayaking is not my cup of tea – but hey, an author who has written a book that has been made into a film? I’m there!

Tonight’s author, Piers Cruikshanks, has written a book about a relationship forged between two men in tough conditions. It was unfortunate that Siseko Ntondini was unable to attend as I believe that would have made the evening magical. Piers Cruikshanks is a teacher who is passionate about canoeing. An injury forced him to abandon running and to look for an alternative sport which turned out to be riding the rapids in a little boat!

His relationship with Siseko began after he finished a marathon on foot after his paddle and canoe were damaged. Moving from being a single paddler to a team of two was a difficult transition and some of those issues were discussed during the evening. The story of completing the Dusi Marathon (many times by the author) was something wonderful to listen to – as this is not something I have ever contemplated doing, it was fun to listen to someone talk about their experiences of it.

I did feel that some issues were not really addressed by the author, although the questions were asked. I would have liked to hear more about the building of the relationship, as this would have helped me in the building of my own relationships. Some areas were spoken of, but not in any depth, so I was left a little disappointed at the end of the evening.

There was a short discussion on the making of the movie from the book by Heartlines. This was fun and I’m definitely going to make time to watch it.

Overall, an interesting but somewhat disappointing evening. This will not deter me from attending the next Business Book Club meeting on 7 October 2017- as Jacques Velleman always manages to snag interesting and relevant authors.

#SAuthorsforSAbusiness.

https://beyondtheriver.co.za/the-book/

https://beyondtheriver.co.za/the-film/

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About the book:

The Dusi Marathon in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa is a well-known canoeing event of the year. In the race each River is unique, winding a course through a valley of its own making. But at a confluence rivers meet, each taking on the strength of the other as they join forces and head towards the sea.

Confluence tells the story of Piers Cruickshanks and Siseko Ntondini, two men from different backgrounds who formed an unlikely partnership and together embarked on an inspiring journey. Characterised by candour, humour and thoughtful reflection, this book charts the growth of a surprising friendship in the pursuit of a shared goal against tough odds.

Book details: