Books set in (the country) South Africa?

[Redlegs]

You really can't go past Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton if you want to understand South Africa.

Of course, there is also Long walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela if you want a detailed non-fiction perspective.

[stoppoppingtheP]

Try any book by the author Rayda Jacobs. She is a fantastic writer. Some of the books that I can remember are called My Father's Orchids, and Confessions of a gambler.

Also try the authors J M Coetzee, Zakes Mda and Imraan Covaadia

Another good book is 'The Power of One' by Bryce Courtenay

[Gravy]

Try any book by the author Rayda Jacobs. She is a fantastic writer. Some of the books that I can remember are called My Father's Orchids, and Confessions of a gambler.

Also try the authors J M Coetzee, Zakes Mda and Imraan Covaadia

Another good book is 'The Power of One' by Bryce Courtenay

Thank you
I'll br sure to make a note of them

[alixcortez]

South Africa has a fascinating history and some wonderful literature has been written there. I know I've read and enjoyed a couple of books set in South African, by South African authors.

I read July's People by Nadine Gordimer several years ago for an African Lit course and it was fascinating. It deals with some heavy themes about race and colonization, but it will definitely make you think.

I also read My Traitor's Heart by Rian Malan, although it was a while ago and the details of the story are a little fuzzier in my mind. I also remember that it confronted the reader with difficult truths about a post-apartheid society.

[Jennifer Allsbrook]

You really can't go past Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton if you want to understand South Africa.

Of course, there is also Long walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela if you want a detailed non-fiction perspective.

The first book that came to mind was Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. I read this book in high school and had to write an essay about the story. I had never thought about the plight of tribal people faced with the erosion of their way of life due to the young members moving to the cities for work. This story brings these issues to light and is a powerful read. I agree with Redlegs about this being an important story to understand South Africa. The book was written in 1948, so it is dated but its importance is still relevant today.

[Circling Turtle]

I highly recommend The Sea of Wise Insects by Terry Westby-Nunn, set (mostly) in my home city Cape Town. I read it recently and couldn't put it down. It is funny, disturbing, touching and relatable. Here's a link to Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1356 ... se-insects

I also recommend Lauren Beukes, although I must say that The Shining Girls was a bit of a disappointment. Her other books are very good, though.

J.M. Coetzee is of course one of our major literary exports, but be warned, his work may just depress the hell out of you. Even so, he is a brilliant and perceptive writer. Andre Brink is also great. I find Nadine Gordimer super boring, but many people love her work.

Another great South African author of magic realism is Etienne van Heerden. The Long Silence of Mario Salviati is one of my favourite books. It is quite reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Hmm, who else... South African Cat Hellisen is one of my favourite fantasy writers, but most of her books are set in a fantasy land so probably not what you're looking for.

Eek, this list is looking rather whitewashed. Kind of makes me realise I need to broaden my own literary horizons when it comes to my country's literature!

[MrsCatInTheHat]

"Cry, the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton

[Gravy]

Thank you all!
I'm glad I have this thread as a record

[Mallory Porshnev]

Cry, the Beloved Country
Novel by Alan Paton is a must read

[Fu Zaila]

I am not aware of any books set in South Africa, though if you're looking for books set in African countries, I'd recommend Naguib Mahfooz and Abdulrazak Gurnah.

[gen_g]

I absolutely love Coetzee's works! I think Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is also a great book to read to know more about colonisation in Africa. If I could introduce films, I think Neill Blomkamp's District 9 is also a great movie to know more about postcolonial Africa.

[Louanne Piccolo]

Hi Gravy,

This is an old post but I'm going to answer it anyway - I'm South African, but I now live in France. I left when I was 21 so I was born there, grew up there and attended school and university there.
I'd suggest anything by Alan Paton - Cry, The Beloved Country, being the one most people would recommend. Nadine Gordimer is also an oldie but goody.
Are you looking for anything in particular? Most literature before 1995 will be dealing with Apartheid in some way or at least mentioning it. I studied English at uni between 1990-1994 and read some wonderful commentaries on it. One of my favourites is Woza Albert - a political satire play. It's funny (although you may have to be SAfrican to really appreciate it, I don't know).
Something completely different is the Spud series, three books on a young boy in a boarding school in SA.
Let me know what you think.

[mary-annef]

Deon Meyer is a popular crime writer in South Africa and some of his books have been made into movies or TV series.
Tannie Maria & the Satanic Mechanic: A Tannie Maria Mystery by Sally Andrew
Followers of Lightning by Charles Bentley which is currently available for review on Onlinebookclub see my review here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=129284

For something more serious - Memoirs of a Born Free: Reflections on the Rainbow Nation by Malaika Wa Azania

All these authors live in South Africa

[sevencrows]

You can't go wrong with any works by Steve Biko, and the Woods biography is interesting as well