A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to have a special guest on this blog with
my Author in the picture blog post. It was the lovely Val Poore. (See more on
this link).
Now I had the honour to read and review one of her books: African Ways.
Summary
This is the story of a young woman's first encounters with rural South Africa.
Coming from the all-mods-cons society of Britain at the beginning of the 1980's,
Coming from the all-mods-cons society of Britain at the beginning of the 1980's,
the author is literally transplanted to a farm in the foothills of the Drakenberg
mountains in what is now Kwazulu Natal.
mountains in what is now Kwazulu Natal.
Once there, she finds her feet in the ways of Africa with the help of a charming
elderly Dutch couple, an appealing but wily African farm hand, his practical
and motherly daughter and a wise and fascinating neighbour who has a fund
of local knowledge.
elderly Dutch couple, an appealing but wily African farm hand, his practical
and motherly daughter and a wise and fascinating neighbour who has a fund
of local knowledge.
These are tales of a different kind of life, which include living without
electricity, hand-milking cows, drought, veld fires and mad-cap adventures
into the unknown.
electricity, hand-milking cows, drought, veld fires and mad-cap adventures
into the unknown.
They are stories told with deep affection and respect and above all a liberal dose
of tongue in-cheek humour.
of tongue in-cheek humour.
My review
While reading Val Poore's memoirs of South Africa, I regret I know so little
of that continent and its people.
of that continent and its people.
But luckily, African Ways gives the readers a glimpse of how the living is in
South Africa.
South Africa.
I enjoyed reading African Ways because it's short, clear and the stories are
true but sometimes so funny!
true but sometimes so funny!
Of course it was written very well. I also want to mention the fantastic
historical knowledge of Val Poore.
historical knowledge of Val Poore.
I would recommend African Ways to all who like to read memoirs about
South Africa. I want to give with lots of pleasure a 5 * rating to this book.
South Africa. I want to give with lots of pleasure a 5 * rating to this book.
We love memoirs group
I received a free copy via the We love memoirs group, the most friendliest
group on Facebook.
group on Facebook.
Source picture: Book Cover
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