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Original poster

South African based fiction

33 replies

glenthorpe · 26/10/2008 00:51

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!

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Pennies · 02/11/2008 08:29

Doris Lessing - The Grass is Singing.
Fantastic book, quite harrowing but very well written indeed.

CoteDAzur · 02/11/2008 07:09

Sorry, yes, Peter Godwin is Zimbabwean. Actually, the book (When The Crocodile Eats The Sun) is mostly about Zimbabwe (so far).

Reading OP, I thought of "South of Africa" rather than "South Africa, the country". My mistake.

Nagapie · 01/11/2008 17:20

Doris Lessing
Jenny Hobbs - Sweet-smelling Jasmine

Nagapie · 01/11/2008 17:14

Also have you tried Guy Butler

Nagapie · 01/11/2008 17:12

Peter Godwin is Zimbabwean and 60's..

slackrunner · 01/11/2008 16:49

Hi Cote - have you read 'Mukiwa' - Peter Godwin's autobiog about his childhood? It's brilliant.

I'm currently reading Frankie and Stankie by Barbara Trapido; it's a wonderful book, I'm gutted that I've nearly finished it.

Mercy · 01/11/2008 16:46

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.

Original poster
glenthorpe · 01/11/2008 16:24

Hi cote
back ground info is always helpful to elp get a handle on things.thank you all,i never expected such a great response
reg
glen

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Coolmama · 01/11/2008 15:47

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.

CoteDAzur · 01/11/2008 07:54

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.

QwertyQueen · 01/11/2008 07:42

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

Original poster
glenthorpe · 31/10/2008 22:31

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!

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welliemum · 29/10/2008 22:13

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.

ghosty · 29/10/2008 11:21

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')

ghosty · 29/10/2008 11:19

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

Original poster
glenthorpe · 28/10/2008 00:02

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.

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ghosty · 27/10/2008 03:16

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

Original poster
glenthorpe · 26/10/2008 23:50

sorry ..obviously...

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Original poster
glenthorpe · 26/10/2008 23:49

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....

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ahundredtimes · 26/10/2008 23:36

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

ahundredtimes · 26/10/2008 23:35

L v d P - In a Province 1934.

[bows]

ahundredtimes · 26/10/2008 23:31

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 · 26/10/2008 23:26

He was black though.

Do you just want white writers?

ahundredtimes · 26/10/2008 23:25

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.

Original poster
glenthorpe · 26/10/2008 23:24

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

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