Sunset Books

1914 edition of "The Diary of Adam Tas (1705–1706)." Edited by Leo Fouché, a Professor of History at the Transvaal University College and translated by A.C. Paterson (from the original Dutch). Adam Tas was a prominent free burgher in the Dutch Cape Colony. His diary is a primary historical source detailing the 1706 rebellion of settlers against the corruption and monopolistic practices of Governor van der Stel. The map at the top depicts Stellenbosch and its surroundings as they appeared in 1705.

Now available at Sunset Book or Order it from our Website

https://sunsetbooks.co.za/shop/

Official South African Pensioner Definition :

To officially qualify as a pensioner at Sunset Books, you must be over 60 and nod your head at most of the following without needing your grandchild to explain any of it :

You remember Springbok Radio, Dallas, The A-Team, Knight Rider, MacGyver, and when the TV eventually signed off for the night. That colourful test pattern wasn't a problem—it was bedtime.

You remember Brylcreem, perms that reached for the heavens, bell-bottoms, safari suits, platform shoes, and polyester shirts that could probably survive a veld fire.

You know what it was like to wait all week for your favourite programme because if you missed it... you missed it. Forever. No catch-up. No streaming. No "I'll watch it later."

You remember when a telephone lived on the wall, every phone number was stored in your head instead of your pocket, and if someone wasn't home... well, you simply tried again tomorrow.

You remember handwritten letters, birthday cards arriving in the post, maps folded in the cubbyhole, and asking a complete stranger for directions without first checking your phone.

You remember rewinding cassette tapes with a pencil, hearing the satisfying click of a typewriter, and telling everyone to keep quiet because someone was recording a song off the radio.

You grew up drinking water from the garden hose, riding bicycles without helmets, disappearing for the entire day, and returning home only when the streetlights came on. Somehow, everyone survived.
You remember when children played outside until sunset, and "screen time" meant sitting too close to the television and being told, "You'll ruin your eyes!"

You owned—or knew someone who owned—a Nokia 3310. If you dropped it, you didn't check whether the phone survived... you checked whether the floor tiles had cracked. That thing hit the ground like a paving brick.

You still instinctively tell people to switch the lights off when they leave a room, fold wrapping paper because "it can be used again," and keep a drawer full of perfectly good plastic containers that once held ice cream.

If you smiled at almost every line...
Congratulations.
You're not just over 60.
You're the reason the rest of us know what the "good old days" were.

And you qualify to come enjoy the Sunset Books pensioners special every Thursday. AND come join in on the fun events we offer. 🤍📖✨

Helderberg! Be sure to join the amazing movement of Helderberg Sbc here at Sunset Books in Strand.

No T's & C's, just RSVP's 😱✨📖

We simply love old books and maps that end up in our rare book room. 🤩
Just found a copy of this this antique map in one of our special titles.

Fun fact: Gordon’s Bay (Gordonsbaai) is named after Colonel Robert Jacob Gordon (1743–1795), a Dutch explorer and the VOC boss at the Cape.

Before that, the spot was known as Vischhoeks Baay or Vissersbaai because the waters were buzzing with fish. This vintage map by Adam Tas from 1700s shows exactly that. Love it❤️