Some great reads for diverse palates

Patricia McCracken has rounded up some titles that push you to take charge of your finances, encourage deep reflection, take us way back in time, and put young arachnophobes more at ease.

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Boss Your Money by Nokuhle Kumalo (Macmillan, R340)

Pietermaritzburg-born and raised Nokuhle Kumalo-Chamoto (28) had planned to become a doctor - until she realised she couldn't stand the sight of blood.

She smartly pivoted and focused on her ability with figures, becoming a chartered accountant.

Her own journey into making her money stretch made her realise just how much we are all bleeding money without being aware of it.

Her second book has a take-charge approach to dealing with the positive and negative associations we have with money, and our blind spot to debt.

Nokuhle's key words:

1. Gap: Many personal-finance books are written from an American point of view, rather distant from South African realities. Others are written by older authors reflecting back with regret on what they wished they'd done differently. I take a younger, present-day perspective.

2. Book: My books offer strong structure, fewer distractions and more space to provide practical examples to help someone understand more about their money.