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My partner is interested in reading/comparing books written in or by south africans...eg joy packer,bryce courtenay.Of particular interest is the1930-50 era written by 'white' south africans.She has to write 2 pieces on attitudes between british/afrikaaners to each other and also 'paternalism' between white landowners and black africans ,discussing how this is portrayed in the fiction of the time, thank you for any help,this really is not my type of thing!
My mother is South African and was born in SA before the war. I was born there too but we left when I was 2. I have sent her an email to see if she has any ideas for you. Takes a while for her to reply though (well, she dictates to my Dad as she says she can't type ) so bear with me , she may come back with something of interest.
I'm South African too, but left 12 years ago, struggling to remember for you. Could ask my parents see if they have any ideas. I'll be seeing them next week, so if you can bear with me too, I might be able to suggest something.
How about Herman Charles Bosman? He was an interesting man - a liberal Afrikaner at a time when very few Afrikaners were liberal. Oh, and he also spent time in prison for murdering his BIL... He died around 1950 so could be the right time period.
He wrote a whole lot of short stories and I think was v. interested in the relationship between Afrikaans farmers and the indigenous people who lived in the same place.
Thanks you all very much for your replies, my partner is looking in to HC Bosnan already...I have been reading some of the background material that my wife has got together and it seems a very complex time with so many nationalities involved, i can begin to see why there has been so much conflict. I look forward to some more info,thanks very much glen
William Plomer wrote a book called Turbott Wolfe about a mixed race love affair - not sure of dates, maybe 1930s? He was a contemporary of Laurens van de Post. Have you looked at Laurens van de Post. He definitely started writing mid-1930s.
Also another one is Mine Boy by Peter Abrahams. This is definitely 1940s - still pre-apartheid though. I think he wrote others. Don't think he was white. Hang on, I'll check.
Yes, I was going to say L v d Post ... my mum hasn't replied yet but I know she will say him ... My Dad replied though and he helpfully suggested you google "South African Authors 1930 - 1950". He said it came up with 4200 items when he did it. I am assuming you have done that already though
Hi Ghosty That was so simple my wife said she just had not thought of it!...neither had I,I think it might be difficult to find the particular emphasises (?) that she wants...paternalism etc again thanks very much for all your help.
I've had a bit of a result for you re. the SA authors ...
My lovely Ma has phone my lovely Auntie and together they have come up with a comprehensive list .... My Aunt has a degree in English Literature and did her degree in South Africa (Stellenbosch University) from 1953 - 1956. Obviously a big part of her studies were about SA authors of the time. She also worked in a bookshop during her student days ... (not quite the drinking/clubbing/snakebite and black uni days of us Brits ) ... Anyhoo, here goes - important ones are underlined :
RoyCampbell Stuar Cloete Nadine Gordimer JH Hofmeijer (or Hofmeyer) JS Marais SarahGertrudeMillin Robert Moffat HV Moreton AlanPaton (wrote "Cry the Beloved Country", 1948) WilliamPlomer Pauline Smith OliveSchreiner (already mentioned in previous thread and possibly a bit early for you but "The Story of an African Farm" is, according to my Auntie, the "Gone With The Wind" of South African literature and could be very useful to you) Herman Charles Bosman (also already mentioned) and last but not least Francis Brett Young.
Lordy, you can see I haven't got an English degree can't you? Sorry about dreadful grammar, was being dictated to over the phone by Ma Ghosty .... (second one is "Stuart Cloete" not 'Stuar')
I read "Cry The Beloved Country" years ago and I remember thinking it was something everyone should read, whether they had the slightest interest in Africa or not.
The only reason I haven't reread it was that it was so good and so sad, I've just not felt strong enough to face it again.
hi ghosty thanks for that lot,it will provide neareat and dearest with some light amusement! The most amazing list,can you please thank your relatives very much from us. Welliemum,thank you also,i have heard of cry the beloved country and I think i might give that a try myself. Every one,thanks fro your support ,it has been great!
Nadine Gordimer is definitely worth a read - it sounds like her book, The Coservationist, might well be very pertinent. I grew up in Apartheid SA and find that her works are incredible reflections of the times.
My mum has a book by Dan Jacobson called 'The Evidence of Love' which I think was written in the late 1950s.
I haven't read in for many years but iirc it's about a relationship between a black South African man and a white South African woman; they meet in the UK and return to SA.
) so bear with me 
, she may come back with something of interest. 
