This first-ever comprehensive biography reveals personal anecdotes, including Kerzner's intriguing relationship with Nelson Mandela, offering a captivating glimpse into a man whose legacy shaped the hospitality industry.
Image: File picture
UK-based author Peter Venison has released a new book about Sol Kerzner, the controversial and charismatic business tycoon who once dominated the Southern African tourism landscape.
Kerzner left an indelible mark by developing dream destinations such as Sun City, The Palace, and the Atlantis resorts in the Bahamas and Dubai.
In this riveting memoir, Venison—Kerzner’s longtime associate, confidant, and eventual adversary—offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at a man whose legacy has long been shrouded in mystery, with no comprehensive biography until now.
In this riveting memoir, Venison offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at a man whose legacy has long been shrouded in mystery
Image: Peter Venison
Venison fills in the gaps with vivid personal anecdotes and exclusive details, including the little-known relationship between Kerzner and Nelson Mandela, which played a crucial role in South Africa’s political transition in the early 1990s.
This tour de force unveils the true Kerzner—the brilliant, magnetic, chain-smoking, whisky-drinking workaholic who transcended borders to become a key player in both the international hospitality industry and South Africa’s own “Sun King.”
Publisher Melinda Ferguson said: “I’ve been keeping this book a very well-guarded secret for a number of reasons. This is a huge book for me because it’s the first-ever published biography of the incredible entrepreneur, Sol Kerzner.
"Love him or hate him, the man changed the landscape of not only the local hotel industry but the global one as well. I am very proud to have worked with author Peter Venison, who was Sol’s right-hand man through many successes and storms. He has managed to tell the ‘Sol’ story warts and all but he’s also managed to pay huge respect to the genius.”
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