South African based fiction

[glenthorpe]

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!

[ghosty]

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.

[AnnVan]

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.

[welliemum]

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.

Might be worth a look?

[glenthorpe]

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

[Cremolatorium]

Barbara Trapido
brother of the More Famous Jack ( some SA refs) and
Frankie and Stankie( about grwoing up in SA)

[ahundredtimes]

Olive Schriener was an Afrikaans writer who wrote a book called The Story of An African Farm.

I think she might be within your dates.

[glenthorpe]

Great,thanks Ceremtorium,love the name!

[ahundredtimes]

Barbara Trapido is a modern novelist.

Schreiner no good, she died in 1920, I've just checked.

[glenthorpe]

I am just amazed at this site,there does not seem to be anything that cant be answered.

[ahundredtimes]

Alex La Guma wrote a good book called A Walk in the NIght - about Cape Town's District Six, but I think it's 1960s rather than 1950s.

[ahundredtimes]

He was black though.

Do you just want white writers?

[ahundredtimes]

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.

[ahundredtimes]

L v d P - In a Province 1934.

[bows]

[ahundredtimes]

Oh and Peter Abrahams was mixed race. It's quite a famous book.

[glenthorpe]

White writers are what she is after,this is obvious not meant to be racist,its to get the slant on the pieces that the lecturer wants....

[glenthorpe]

sorry ..obviously...

[ghosty]

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

[glenthorpe]

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.

[ghosty]

Hey Glenthorpe, how are you?

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 :

Roy Campbell
Stuar Cloete
Nadine Gordimer
JH Hofmeijer (or Hofmeyer)
JS Marais
Sarah Gertrude Millin
Robert Moffat
HV Moreton
Alan Paton (wrote "Cry the Beloved Country", 1948)
William Plomer
Pauline Smith
Olive Schreiner (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.

Phew

HTH

[ghosty]

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')

[welliemum]

Wow, what an erudite family you have, Ghosty!

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.

[glenthorpe]

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!

[QwertyQueen]

Alan Paton - cry my beloved country def worth a read
and I think his wife wrote too?

[CoteDAzur]

I am reading "When A Crocodile Eats The Sun" by Peter Godwin, a white South African talking about the era of interest to your DP.

It is non-fiction, though.

[Coolmama]

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.