Lauren Beukes: Maverick: Extraordinary Women From South Africa's Past

[Jan Mbali]

I am Curious as to how this book and its mini-biographies about some of our doubty women would be read by non-South Africans. They are in general pretty amazing and are the bedrock of our history.

It is a very eclectic collection, and written with a wonderfully light touch that conceals some sucker punches. Quite an emotional read for me, but not in all cases - only those that resonate because I knew about them already. Especially Ruth First (who I knew before her assasination by the Apartheid regime) and the Afrikaans poet Ingrid Jonker, whose more famous poems I read in English. Of her poetry I remember one line about her own work "My bloodchild lies in the sewer. From the chapter I now understand this refers to an abortion she had that troubled her. My people have rotted away from me" and link that to her poem about a child killed by soldiers at a roadblock which was read by Mandela at his inaugaration. I also recall my parents reaction to her funeral (after her suicide) when a child, pointing to a photo of her lover, the write Jack Cope, on his knees by the grave. The chapter on Ruth First is not nearly as inspired, although it captures her story well enough. There are a number of other of our icons, including great writers such as Olive Schreiner and Bessie Head. Those I did not know about held my attention, but more as curiosities and revealing of their times. There is a stripper, a cross-dressing doctor, and so on. Living South African women are left out, wisely, the auhor saying in her witty introduction that "it was too early to close the chapter on them."

 

[Eric]

I've read some poems by Ingrid Jonker fairly recently, and in Afrikaans. I have never been to South Africa, but I know Dutch well, and with a bit of goodwill, you can soon get a reading knowledge of Afrikaans. I believe that the Afrikaners regard her as their Sylvia Plath, and that she also committed suicide. I also think that Antjie Krog and Andr? Brink have translated a volume of Jonker's poetry into English recently.

Have you read anything by Ivan Vladislavic? His Restless Supermarket has already been translated into Swedish. I saw it in Sweden this spring, but fancied reading it in the original English.

 

[Liesl]

... with a bit of goodwill, you can soon get a reading knowledge of Afrikaans.

Love that comment, Eric, let the goodwill continue! For the Ingrid Jonker fans, here are some links to enjoy:

Brink at the launch of Black Butterflies

Another with video of Brink reading (scroll down to end of post)

Link to Ingrid Jonker feature on Poetry International Web

As for Lauren Beukes, who this post was about originally, it is a good question Jan Mbali asks re how non-South African readers will perceive the telling in Maverick. I think the writer's style is so accessible that the mini-biographies will appeal to readers wherever.

Beukes has recently written another book, Moxyland, which is still on my reading list. It is doing very well in SA and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Cape Town Book Fair in June. She is utterly charming and is a writer that will grow in stature and recognition, I'm sure.

Review by Michiel Heyns of Moxyland

Link to Lauren Beukes' blog.

 

[Eric]

I knew nothing about Lauren Beukes, but I always swear by LitNet and looked on their website for something about her. And sure enough, a nine-page (!) interview with her:

LitNet | Bright Lights, Bleak City: in conversation with Lauren Beukes

I've not read it yet, but the interview was held on 18th June 2008, as far as I can see. So it's up to date. Plus older things:

LitNet | Big Issue

LitNet: BoekeBazaar

As for Jan Mbali's original question as to whether a book with regional or national flavour can be read by foreigners, my answer would be: "where there's a will, there's a way". If you read something about the geography, ethnic groups and languages of South Africa, and its troubled history, you automatically begin to understand allusions, hints and descriptions. None of us have ever been to Ancient Greece or Rome, but people still read the classics.

As I said in my last posting, I have never been to South Africa, but because of the Dutch dimension, I have read dozens of short-stories in Afrikaans, and don't feel that I'm missing too many references and allusions.

 

[Eric]

I wasn't too thrilled, when I read the articles listed in my last posting. She seems to pull out all the right stops, but I'm perhaps too old to connect. She seems, like certain other South African authors, to move in a rather trendy world, close to advertising and life with computers. Not quite the novelist I'm seeking.

I'm still hoping someone will tell me what the Vladislavic book is all about.