Interview: Anton Harber

About your latest book

• In your own words, what is So, for the Record about?

It is a deep-dive into what lies behind the best and worst of South African journalism during the state capture era, and the contribution that journalists made both in enabling and undermining this form of corruption.

• What inspired you to write it?

I thought it might help us understand what journalists can do for good, and for bad. It helped that the story had all the elements of a thriller: brothels, honeypots, brown envelopes, secret meetings, backstabbing and the tragedy of lives and careers carelessly ruined.

• As an active journalist, did you feel a conflict of emotions criticising fellow journalists?

It is hard to take on friends and colleagues, but I thought it essential that we break down this notion that we shouldn’t criticize each other. I want to promote accountability and transparency among journalists to ensure we practice what we preach to others who wield public power. What worried me was the fear that I would give fuel to those who hate the media and want to denigrate journalists.

• How was your book received by fellow journalists?

Positively, so far. But I await the storm …

About Anton Harber

• Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? (Where you come from, what you do, your interests and hobbies etc. Any fun details)

I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a journalist. I have always loved books, magazines and newspapers and been passionate about news and politics. I grew up in Durban, the son of a saxophonist, and came to university in Joburg. Like most Joburgers, I love and hate this great city in equal measure, and have never been able to leave it for long. I love chess (and particularly queens gambit accepted), jazz and would like to spend my old age listening to Joshua Redman, sipping a single malt whisky and reading a great book, perhaps within hearing of the sea.

• What’s your earliest piece of writing that you remember?

I have a copy of a speech I wrote for a school debate when I was about 13 on how unfair apartheid was. It was charmingly naïve.

• In your opinion, what’s the greatest challenge facing writers in the South African market?

The market itself – it is frustratingly small and elite. This country won’t come right until people are reading more. The real gap, though, is we need a good outlet for longform journalism – work that is more substantial than a quick report, and less than a book, something of real impact that can be read in an hour.

• Writing is hard. It’s a lonely art that requires you to be disciplined. It requires hours and hours of research and even more time hunched over a computer. Thereafter, you open yourself up to criticism from complete strangers. Why would you want to do that to yourself?

The only reason I embark on the misery of writing a book is that I am even more miserably frustrated if I don’t. Writers must write.

• In my opinion, the goal of a writer is to evoke a reaction from the reader. What do you hope to evoke from your readers with this book/with your writing?

Argument, debate, abuse – any sign that the reader is still awake.

• Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

I once was reviewed by someone who said he would never read anything I wrote. I thought that was a high moment for South African literary culture and am pleased to say that I have read everything this person ever wrote. For the rest, I am just thankful people are interested enough to write something.

• Are you working on any other projects at this moment? What do you have planned for the future?

I am still in the recovery stage from this book.

Engage with Anton

Twitter: @antonharber

Facebook: Anton Harber

Buy your copy now : Support indie bookshops: https://lovebooks.co.za/product/so-for-the-record/

Reviews

Book Review | So, For the Record

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55406889-so-for-the-record