Escaping The Sun: My Life Beyond Sol Kerzner – Peter Venison
Peter Venison discusses his book 'Escaping The Sun: My Life Beyond Sol Kerzner' (Camera & editing: Darlene Creamer)
Hot on the heels of Venison’s award-winning bestseller SOL: My Friend & Adversary, ESCAPING THE SUN is the blazing, untold story of a man who lived in the orbit of a giant, and finally broke free.
For decades, Peter Venison stood in the shadow of Sol Kerzner, the hotel-world titan whose vision reshaped skylines and redefined luxury. Together they conjured empires: Sun City, The Lost City, Atlantis, The Royal Mirage. But this is more than a backstage pass to the world’s most audacious resorts. It is a story of survival - of ambition and obsession, loyalty and betrayal, and the strange gravity of genius.
Venison takes us from bombed-out Beirut to palaces in Dubai; from boardroom battles in London basements to collaborations with Giorgio Armani, who demanded perfection down to the last pleat. We witness the corporate wars that followed Venison’s acrimonious split with Kerzner, fought across continents and fueled by egos.
Beyond the fireworks, Venison reveals a world few outsiders’ glimpse: post-apartheid power broking in Alexandra shebeens, the birth of Tsogo Sun, royal dinners at Windsor Castle, Mandela and Muhammad Ali leaving rooms breathless with grace.
Bold, witty, and fiercely candid, ESCAPING THE SUN is not just the story of an empire-builder’s right-hand man - it is the memoir of a man reclaiming his own light, and discovering that the true legacy of a life well lived lies not in monuments, but in meaning.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Peter Venison began his career as a desk clerk in London. He later joined Kerzner’s Southern Sun in South Africa. He worked closely with Kerzner on iconic projects like The Palace of the Lost City and Atlantis, Bahamas. He has consulted on global assignments and is the author of eight books. A Commander of the Victorian Order, he resides in Surrey.
Melinda Ferguson is a prolific author, journalist and publisher.
Watch Polity's previous interview with Peter Venison on his book 'SOL: My friend and adversary'
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