The Simile Press Bookshop — Coming Soon
A full Simile Press bookshop is on its way. It will carry all Simile Press titles as they are published, plus a curated selection of second-hand books with a South African interest — history, literature, art, nature, culture, and the kind of books that belong on a southern African shelf.
We are building the infrastructure to make that shop work properly — the integrations, the payment systems, the stock management — and we are not going to rush it. When it opens, it will be worth using.
In the meantime, we are selling through Bobshop, one of South Africa’s most established online retail platforms. Everything currently available from Simile Press can be found there if you follow the Simile Press Books seller link below.
How We’re Funding This Press
We want to be straightforward about something, because we think it is actually an interesting story rather than something to hide.
Simile Press is being built from the ground up, without external investment or institutional backing. That takes seed funding — money to cover the costs of getting the press to the point where it can sustain itself through the titles it publishes.
One of the ways we are raising that seed funding is by selling second-hand books.
It is an old-fashioned idea and we make no apology for it. Books funding books. The money raised through second-hand sales goes directly into the operational costs of establishing the press — website infrastructure, legal groundwork, editorial development, and the production costs of our first titles.
Right now our Bobshop store carries whatever we have available — a broad and eclectic mix of second-hand titles across genres and subjects. As the press matures and the full shop opens, the second-hand selection will focus specifically on books with South African relevance — titles that belong in a southern African home library. But for now, if you find something you want, buy it. You will be directly supporting the building of an independent South African press.
Currently Available
The following curated selection of titles are currently available through Bobshop. Stock changes regularly — visit the Simile Press Books seller link for the full and most up to date selection.
Ladysmith – Giles Foden
Ladysmith by Giles Foden is a historical novel detailing the 18991900 Boer War siege of the South African town of Ladysmith. Through the eyes of young Bella Kiernan, it explores the 120-day sieges horrors, starvation, and strictures of 19th-century life, focusing on themes of love, independence, and the impact of war on both individuals and the British Empire.
Brothers Born of Warrior Blood: Politics and Ethnicity in South Africa – Gerhard Maré
Do competing ethnic identities explain the ongoing political conflict in South Africa, or is ethnicity itself in need of explanation? With this question as a starting point, the author explores different ways of understanding ethnicity, and analyses the manner in which ethnic identities are created and mobilized in South African politics. He investigates the concept of ethnicity, discusses the mobilization of ethnic sentiment in South Africa, especially when it has a political agenda, and examines the implications of such mobilization for political and constitutional change. The book includes a detailed case study of the mobilization of Zulu ethnicity through the Inkatha movement.
Long Way Down: John O’Groats to Cape Town – Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman
Long Way Down (2007) is a popular travelogue book and television series documenting actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boormans 15,000-mile motorcycle journey from John o’ Groats, Scotland, to Cape Town, South Africa.
Simile Press Titles
As Simile Press titles are published they will appear here first, with links to purchase through Bobshop and other available platforms.
Our first titles are in development. Subscribe to the newsletter below to be notified when they are available.
A Note on Condition and Pricing
All second-hand books are described accurately in the Bobshop listing — condition is noted and priced accordingly. If you receive a book that does not match its described condition, please use the Bobshop systems.
We price second-hand books to sell, not to maximise margin. The goal is to move stock, fund the press, and get good books into the hands of people who will read them.
The Full Shop
When the Simile Press shop opens properly, it will carry:
- All Simile Press titles in digital and print editions
- Back issues of VELDT
- A curated selection of second-hand books with South African relevance — literature, history, art, nature, culture, and more
- Occasional special items as they become available
If you want to know when the full shop opens, the newsletter is the best way to find out.
Simile Press. Johannesburg. Building something worth building.