The sound of silence
Sir: Charles Moore is right to draw attention to the deafening silence in the press about the present state of South Africa (Notes, 10 June). Not only has the country descended into frightening levels of violence, but the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2021 placed it last of all countries tested, in both reading and comprehension. How long will the ANC ruling elite remain an untouchable holy cow for our press? It is South Africans who suffer most from this implicit censorship.
Margaret Vane
By email
Not cheap, not cheerful
Sir: Emily Rhodes notes that ‘books have never been more beautiful’ (‘Cooking the books’, 10 June). While this may be true of their covers, it is certainly not true of what’s between them. I recently bought a Bodley Head hardback for £20 and an £8.99 Black Swan paperback. Both are printed on floppy grey paper closely resembling bog roll. Both are also Penguin Random House imprints and proudly proclaim that the paper has been sourced sustainably.
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