Sandton Places is going places
SANDTON - Gerald Garner, Brian Unsted and Heather Mason are the authors of Sandton Places, the newest instalment in their Spaces & Places book series detailing and celebrating the history and future of Africa's richest metropolis, giving readers an inside look into the area's hidden gems.
The three authors met in 2012 after the publication of Garner’s books Spaces & Places Johannesburg and Joburg Ten Ahead, both guides to the wonders of the inner-city. They all soon discovered their mutual love of Sandton and everything it has to offer. Garner said that the reason behind writing the book was due to Sandton’s reputation as an integral entry point for so many people visiting Johannesburg.
He added, “The area is developing at an incredible pace, but what really intrigues me about Sandton is its verdant suburbs, leafy streets, green spaces, and also the astonishing stories of this area: from Liliesleaf museum and Alexandra to Mahatma Gandhi’s house in Orchards and Nelson Mandela’s in Houghton. A lot has happened in Joburg’s north.”
Co-author Mason said that Sandton truly embodied the new South Africa. She added, “We all know about the big department stores and glitzy hotels. But there are also tons of ambitious small business owners creating interesting, innovative businesses catering to locals.
“I love the challenge of seeking out those hidden places and they really do make Sandton special.”
The trio spent two-and-a-half years researching and writing the book, which included reading up on the history of the Sandton area and speaking to property developers, town planners and architects. Garner added, “The bulk of the research was by walking the streets, visiting all the nodes, eating everywhere, trying sundowners on every deck, visiting every historical place and going on as many sightseeing tours as possible.”
The book was published in July 2014 by Double G Media and has had a tremendous reception, ending up at number two on the best-sellers list in Exclusive Books Sandton City for non-fiction books. And with Sandton Places selling well, Garner, Mason and Unsted hope to move forward, covering more cities in the southern African region while growing the Spaces and Places series.
