The President

by Xander Beattie

When a salacious fictional story about the nation's president is published, the ruling party and its supporters are enraged. As pressure grows for the story to be erased, its young author flees into hiding, carrying with him an explosive secret - and plans for revenge. 



Deftly plotted and gorgeously told, The President is a nail-biting exploration of bigoted backlash against provocative art. Set in South Africa in 2012, Xander Beattie's novel is painfully relevant to our contemporary moment, where - in too many places around the world - powerful demagogues scapegoat the marginalized, imperil human rights and brutally suppress artistic expression.

138 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2025

Reviews

[Minnette]

Incredible!!

I can’t believe no one else on goodreads has shelved this one

[Lorraine]

What a story. If you are looking for hard-hitting without the grime and franticness of a crime novel, The President is right uo your alley.