Redakteur / Editor Grize¨ ll Azar-Luxton editorial Tel : ( 0 21) 4 8 3 -2 4 4 6 redaksioneel lmost everyone knows the story of John Montagu, wore. The Brabant town called Duffel, near Antwerp, gave its Subredakteur / Sub-editor Fourth Earlof Sandwich, aninveterate gambler. Itis said name to duffel, a coarse woolen cloth woven there, from which Janine de Villiers A duffelcoatswere firstmade. Fromthe Flanders town of Cambray that he once spent twenty-four hours at the gaming ta- Tel: (021)483-2234 ble without stopping for a proper meal, ordering his manservant we get cambric. Dungarees were made from an Indian fabric Grafiese Ontwerper/ Fotograaf tobringhim, instead, a piece of steakbetweentwo slices of bread, called dungri, while from Calcutta we get Calico, and from the Graphic Designer / Photographer rrr..! It'sthattime oftheyear again.Wehavereceivedour firstprolongedvisitfromtheraingod thusinventing the snackwhichbearshisname. Countless genera- Vale of Kashmir, cashmere. In the Middle East, we get damask B and the snowman and Capetonians have gone into hibernation for a couple of weeks atleast. Monica Wagner tions of schoolchildren, office-workers and picnickers have bene- from Damascus, and gauze from the Palestinian City of Gaza. The reason? The same as every year.Whenthe first winter rains falland the mountains show their Administrasie en Advertensies white snowcaps, mostof us venture outdoors only for bare necessities. It'sa time of steaming cas- fited from this very Despite the sketch by Bob Newhart, in which Sir Walter Administration and Advertising seroles, red-hotcurries andlovely thick soups and of course, a good bottle of red thrownin for good simple and practical Raleigh excitedly sends home reports of a marvellous new leaf Hennelie de Klerk measure. Allthis and awarm crackling fire makelife almostidyllic. Ask anybibliophile, however, to form of eating. which could be rolled up and smoked, Sir Walter Raleigh does Tel: (021) 483-2483 name the missing ingredient and the answer will be -a good book! BETWEEN Munching away at my not seemtobe commemoratedin any waybyaddictsoftheweed. Faks / Fax:(021)419-7541 The CL to the rescue then! We may not provide you with a book but what we do provide are lunchtime BLT the In1560, however, the French ambassador to Lisbon, one Jacques Webtuiste / Web site readinglists and suggestionsin regard to the hottestonthe market as wellasinthe Service. In her THE LINES other day, I got to Nicot, sent some tobacco plants to Catherine de Medici, and his www.westerncape.gov.za/library inimitable style prof Shirley Kossick highlights the Orange Prize winners with a short discussion on thinking about the name has ever afterwards come to be associated with the drug E-pos/ E-mail each ofthetwentynominees -justreading the articleis enoughto make one discardwhateveroneis many other epony- nicotine. [email protected] busy with in search of one of the novels in question. [email protected] Cecily van Gend mous words which In the political field we have some interesting eponymous Late autumn/early winter is also the time for us to report on the annual Woordfees. This eventtook have been incorpo- words. The word maverick has come to mean, according the Adres / Address place in Stellenbosch in March and then of course we cannotoverlook the Klein Karoo National rated into the English OED,`amasterless person, one who is roving and casual' a bit of a Posbus2108 Kaapstad,8000 Arts festival. Boththese events have become part and parcel ofthe book and artlover'scalendar language. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), loner, in fact, anindependentthinker with a mind of his own, who POBox2108 CapeTown,8000 and are fast becoming a`Sarf Efrican'tradition. Read more aboutiton pages 9 and10. Ge|«ndekseerin/ Indexed in LISA an eponym is`One who gives, or is supposed to give, his name to does not follow a specific party line. Originally it meant (OED Tradition!!! Well what can be perceived as a more lasting and exciting tradition than Wimbledon - (Library and Information Science Abstracts) a people, place orinstitution,'or`Onewhosenameis a synonymof again) `acalf or yearling foundwithout an owner'sbrand'so-called that great great tennis event on the calendar that, irrespective of the prize money involved and ' Biblioteekdiens ' Library Service something'. The sandwich is certainly an institution. after a Texas cattle-owner who carelessly omitted to brand his SAISSN 0 008 5790 the hype that surrounds other grand slam events, remains for me and for most tennis aficionados thebigone.OfcourseIalsoenjoytheAmericanOpen,theFrenchOpenandtheAussieHeat- That other English aristocrat, Arthur First Duke of Wellington calves, so that they wandered freely and anonymously about the Reproduksie / Reproduction wave but for me Wimbledon remains the cherry on the cake or should it be the cream on the is chieflyremembered as the conqueror of Napoleon atthe Battle countryside. From here it came to be attached to loners of all Fotoplate (Pty)Ltd strawberry? Toassist librarians we have puttogether an easy to make display with Wimbledon as of Waterloo in 1815, and as the Prime Minister of Great Britain kinds. Nyman Street,Maitland 7405 the theme -have fun! from1828-1830. Today, however, we tend to thinkof him in the Gerrymanderingis a method of arranging electoral districts so Drukker / Printer A snug winter hibernation to you all... mud and rain, for the boot named in his honour. These were ac- thatone party willbe enabledto electmorerepresentatives than Mills Litho tually military boots covering the knee in front, but cut away they could in a fair system. This was first done in1812 by the Gov- 11th Avenue,Maitland 7405 behind. The name was later extended to include those very ne- ernor of Massachusetts, one Elbridge Gerry, who ingeniously de- Omslagontwerp / Cover design cessaryitemsoffootwearinawet andmuddycountry.SouthAfri- veloped a system of faking electoral districts by reshaping them. rrr..! Ditis weer daardie tyd van die jaar. Kapenaarsis vir die volgende paar wekein die begin Craig Cockcroft B van hulle winterslapie nadatons so pas ons eerste besoek van die ree« ngodendiesneeuman cans generally seem to refer to them as gumboots (OED:`boots One of these remodeled districts resembled the shape of a sala- Jack Russell Design ontvang het. Die rede? Elkejaar na die valvan die eerste winterree« ns enwanneerdie eerste sneeu made of gum or india-rubber'), but one stillreads of people who mander, and an imaginative journalist combined the name of the op die bergpieke verskyn steek mense vir die eerste paar weke daarna net hul neuse by die deur uit wear their welliesin rainy weather. lizard with that of the governor to produce the word vir uiters noodsaaklikhede. Danis dit`ntyd vir stomende bredies, rooiwarmkerrie en heerlike, dik There were also, in the early eighteenth century,Wellington gerrymander. In the pre-1990 era in this country,South Africans sopmetnatuurlik,`ngoeie oubotteltjierooiwyn asbonus.Voegdaarby`nwarmknetterendevuurtjie coats, hats and trousers. had experience ofthis practice. en die lewe is amperidillies. Maar, vra maar vir enige bibliofiel`wat kortdan',en die antwoord sal On the subject of inclement weather -we generally speak of Traitors are often referred to as quislings, dating from World Redaksionele beleid onomwonde wees -`n goeie boek! raincoats nowadays, but in my childhood we allwore rubberised War II. Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician who formed Die Kaapse Bibliotekaris is die huisblad van die Wes- Laatdie KB totjoureddingkom! Onskan nouwelnie die fisiese boekinjou hande plaas nie maar ons mackintoshes, or macs, when it rained. In the early eighteenth his own political party in 1931. He contacted the Nazi leaders in Kaapse Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens en verskyn twee- voorsienlesers vanvolledige leeslyste en voorstelle oor die jongste treffers op die winkelrakke so- century Charles Mackintosh patented awaterproof material con- Germany,and in1940 conferred with Hitler. Shortly afterwards, maandeliks. Dit bevat artikels oor biblioteek-en inlig- wel as in ons Diens. Aansluitend hierby gee prof Shirley Kossick, in haar onoortreflike styl,`n oorsig sisting of layers of cloth cemented by India-rubber. Germany attacked and occupied Norway,and Quisling served as tingwese, nuusberigte, resensies, aanwinslyste asook van dietwintignovellasop dielanglysvandie Orange Prizemetnetgenoeg van`nproetjie omjoute praktiese artikels. Die redaksie behou hom die reg Another Scotsman, John Loudon MacAdam advocated a sys- the head ofthe puppet Norwegian government. Atthe end ofthe laat haas na die naaste plek waar een van die boeke opgespoor kanword. voor om, indien nodig, bydraes te redigeer, te ver- tem of surfacing roads, consisting of the compacting of successive war he was convicted of treason and executed. kort of te herskryf. Die publikasie van artikels wat Laat herfs en vroee winter is ook die tyd wanneer ons gewoonlik verslag doen oor die jaarlikse « layers of stone broken into uniform pieces. Thus we have macada- The word boycottmeans a refusalto dealwith anindividual, an niein opdrag geskryf isnie, kan egter nie gewaarborg Woordfees watin Maartin Stellenbosch plaasgevind het. Enlaatons nie vergeet van die uiters po- word nie. Die menings van medewerkers is nie nood- mised surfaces, or tarmacadmised roads. Generally today we organisation or country. Charles C Boycott was a notorious wendig die¨ van die Biblioteekdiens nie. Alle kopie vir 'n puleª re Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees nie -beide hierdie geleenthede het`n integrale deel van bepaalde uitgawe moet die redaksie twee maande die boek-en kunsliefhebber se kalender geword -meer hieroor op bladsye 9 en10. seem to refer simply to tarred roads, but MacAdam's name sur- English land agent in the mid-ninetieth century. He collected such vooruit bereik. Artikels, briewe en nuusberigte kan Tradisie! Welwatis`ngroter en meer opwindende tradisie as Wimbledon? Daardie fantastiese vivesatairports,wherewetalkaboutsomeonewalkingacross high rents that his tenants refused to have any dealings with him. direk aan die redakteur gestuur word. jaarlikse tennistoernooi op die sport almanak wat, ten spyte van die prysgeld en die opwinding be- the tarmac. Sincethen, boycottshave become a powerfulpoliticalweapon, as Back to clothing: certain fabrics and items of wearing apparel South Africans discoveredinthe1980s. Editorial policy trokke by ander grand slam geleenthede, steeds vir my,en ek glo talle ander tennis aficionados, steeds die groot een bly. Natuurlik geniet ek ook die Amerikaanse Ope, die Franse Ope en die hit- derive their names, not from people, but from the places where It seems that the political words are all used in a pejorative The Cape Librarian is the house journal of the Wes- tern Cape Provincial Library Service and is published tegolf wat die Australiese Ope is, maar vir my bly Wimbledon die kersie op die koek -of moet ek seª , they originated. The latter-day uniform of denim jeans is a case in sense, (pejorative `ending to make worse, depreciatory' - OED), bi-monthly. Articles in the field of library and infor- die room op die aarbei? Ombibliotekarisse te help hetons`nmaklike uitstalliing saamgestelmet point. Denimfabric was once known as Serge de Nimes, after the while the others are a salute to humankind's inventiveness or mation science, library administration, news items, Wimbledon as tema -geniet dit! reviews and accession lists are included. The editorial French city of Nimes, where it was manufactured. Originally it creativity. Iwonder whatthattells us about politicians? staff reserve the right to edit, shorten, or rewrite any `n Heerlike snoesige winterslapie aan u almal... was made of wool, butlatercame to be applied to a tough, cotton copy should it be deemed necessary.We cannot guar- materialusedforoveralls. Thewordjeansis a sailor'scorruptionof antee that unsolicited copy supplied will be printed. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessa- the name of the Italian city of Genoa, from which the tough blue rily those ofthe Library Service. Copy for a particular cotton cloth was initially imported for the outfits which they issue must reach the editor two months in advance. Articles, letters and news items should be submitted directly to the editor.
Cape Libr., May/June 2003 2 & MENSE 16 years later 55 of 60 dui op'ngebrekomte leer',het hy prescribed anthology,and manyknow his Michael Thyhali, principal of Ukhanyo Now,Charlotte Bronte« 's 34-page novella Derelda Roode, employed from1987 to volgens The NewYorkTimesin 1981 geseª . previous anthologies Inscapesand New Primary School and one ofthe members of Stancliffe's Hotel,setinafictionallandshe Ronel Tuttverlaat Boland 2003, was one of the original team mem- Fast kon weens sy teenwoordigheid op die Inscapes). In 2000 he edited The pick of the steeringcommittee, is delightedthatthe and her brother Branwellcreated, willbe McCarthy-swartlys nie 'n uitgewer vir Snailpress Poemsfor the general market. 1 540 learners (of both schools) willnot published for the firsttime, said Bronte« Na ongeveer twee jaar as streekbiblio- bers at Scottsdene Library. She rose Spartacus vind nie totdat Doubleday aan- Hiscollectionsofshort storiesinclude Being needtowalkkilometres or spendmoneyon scholar Heather Glen. tekaris van Hermanusstreek, verlaat Ronel throughthe ranks to become seniorlibrary geduihet as Fastdie boek self sou publiseer, here, No place like and New beginnings. taxi fares to what was formerly the nearest `I think it'll change the way in which she's die diens omhaar aante sluit byhaar manin assistant and was on occasion also acting hy 600 eksemplare soukoop. Die boekhet He was one ofthe founding editors of library -Fish Hoek. seen, rather patronisingly, as a woman wri- Grahamstad waar hy tans besigis omte librarian-in-charge. Ihave workedwith 'ntopverkopergeword enin1960 'n suk- English Alive, the annual anthology of writ- Sue Alexander, librarian-in-charge of ter who wrote about her own concerns. It's studeer. Derelda for nearly four years and have sesvolle rolprent met Kirk Douglas in die ing from high schools and colleges, from Fish Hoek Library,has trained six members humorous, racy,there'ssomething almost Ronelhet'nbaie bedrywige twee jaar hoofrol. 1967 to1971,and has beenthe current edi- of Masipumelele to workinthe library on a modernist aboutit.' agter die rug aangesien hierdie streek kort- tor since1995. He is the series editor ofthe rotation basis, once itis completed. kort van streekbibliotekaris verwissel en Die Burger CapeTimes Siyagruva series of novels for South African 5 000 books donated by the Buffalo moes sy afgesien van die agterstallige werk teens, published by New Africa Books. StateTeachers College in NewYork, willbe ook nog twee splinternuwe biblioteke be- The last manuscripts of a Potter tops lists Robin Malan was awarded the Molteno supplemented by Provincial Library Service voorraad entrek. Tans moetdaar weer Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets great South African writer Medal forlifetime service to literature by stock. voorraad gebou is the most borrowed book in British li- The South African poet and prose writer the CapeTercentenary Foundation onthe The photographs below were taken on word vir twee nuwe braries, according to data released yester- Tatamkhulu Afrika diedin December 2002 Council on which he now serves. the eve of John and Carol Thompson'sre- biblioteke. Ronelis day as the film version of the JKRowling atthe age of 82. He had published eight col- turn to America. According to Carol they diepkant ingegooi, Colleen Higgs best-seller came outon video and DVD. lections of poems, and three prose works, have a house in Simon'sTown, where they maar het die streek Centre for the Book The second volume in the Harry Potter including the recently published novel spend three months annually to oversee weer baie mooi op found her to be well-organised and series was borrowed half a milliontimesin Bitter Eden. projects ofthe Masipumelele Corporation. die been gebring possessed of strongleadership qualities. I the year to June 2002, said Public Lending Six months before his deathhe completed & Libraries A housing project is currently helping locals watdie taak vir haar speakformy wholeteamwhen Isay that we Rights, the body which pays outroyalties to his autobiography, to which he gave the title to build their own houses with donated ma- opvolger soveel gaan will miss her sense of humour and her scin- Masipumelele's new library authors on the strength of loans. Mr Chameleon. Robin Malantyped and terials. vergemaklik. tillating conversation very much -notto Rowling, whose fifth andlatest Potter edited the manuscripts. Malan also edited The previouslibraryin Masipumelelehaving The Masipumelele Library willhopefully Sy het 'n kontrak- mention the pasta dishes she loved and book comes out in June is, however, only his earlier prose works, The innocents and burnt down in August 1999, a new building becompletedbyJune2003. pos by NISC aan- treateduswithonoccasion! the four novellasTightrope. of129 square metresisinthe process of 42nd onthe listof most borrowed authors. vaar,'nmaatskappy Professionally a lossis alwaysincurred OnWorld Book Day (23 April) the Cen- being built andis already standing roof high. Marianne Elliott The front-runner remains Dame Catherine Southern Region wat'n databasis op- when someone with years of experience tre for the Bookin CapeTown held an ex- John and Carol Thompson, directors ofthe Cookson, who died in1998 after penning bou met akademiese tydskrifte. Ronelis leaves and we will especially miss her ex- hibition ofphotocopies ofthemanuscripts of Masipumelele Corporation, raised funds in more than 90 novels. baie opgewonde oor die pos en beskou dit perience and knowledge with regard to the Mr Chameleon. The originals are housed America for this project. Marc Johnson & Books and Authors as 'n uitdaging om haar vaardighede op die toylibrary (Derelda'sbaby) thatis now a for preservation and safe-keeping atthe managed the building operation and the Local names in children's gebied uit te brei. going concern. National English builder,Daniel Shabalala was assisted by a literature Baievoorspoedmetdienuwetoekoms. Wewish herloads of success with her fu- Bronte« novella to be pub- Literary Museum team of localworkers. Whenthe project South Africa has a proud, if struggling, his- Genietdie natuurskoonin die Oos-Kaap. ture projects and are quite certainthat with lished for first time (NELM) in Gra- was delayed because of various difficulties, tory of children'sliterature. If youwantto Die personeel en biblioteke saljou gehalte her self-assurance and abilities she will at- For years, the kingdom of Angria has been hamstown. David Nkhwezo, (leaderinthe community) supportthe local market, thenyou need to dienslewering mis. tain her goals. known only to scholars who struggled Robin Malan wrote a letter to the Provincial Library Ser- know about: Hier by die KB gaan onsjou talle positiewe by- vice to persuade the authorities to lend through a manuscript crammed with tiny June Swartz lead a walk-and- * Kabelo Kgatea who wonthe Sanlam draes/voorstelle ook baie mis. Voorspoed daar in Librarian talk-aboutguided them their support. spidery writing. die Oos-Kaap. RED tour of the exhibi- Welkom en totsiens Fast oorlede tion and pointed outthe various Howard Fast, rebelse Amerikaanse skry- d Left to right: Sue Alexander, librarian-in-charge at Baie welkom aan Mercia Riekert wat aan- surfaces on which wer wat hom veral op historiese romans Fish Hoek Library, Mark Johnson, operations managerand gestelisin'ndeeltydseposbydie Langebaan the author wrote. Openbare Biblioteek. Mercia is getroud met'n hoe« spanningslyntoegespits en daar- the head ofthe building team, David Shabalala deur gewildheid verwerf het, is onlangs in Afrika used what- met drie kinders en het voorheen onder- ever was at hand: wysgegee. Syhet'n B.A.-graad van die Old Greenwich,Connecticutt, in die ou- ablankdiary,the Photo: Annarivan der Merwe Universiteit vanWes-Kaap. Sy woon reeds derdom van 88 jaar oorlede. Fast, gebore in Manhattanin1914, het meer as 80 boeke outsides andinsides of used driejaarin Langebaan enhetbydie plaaslike A4-sized envelopes, and even large sheets skoolafgeloswaar syookgehelphetmetdie en kortverhaalbundels die lig laat sien, waaronder Spartacus, SilasTimberman, of newsprint. He also liked to use the re- stigting van hulle eerste skoolkoerant. Sy verse sides oftypescripts of old page- het'n baie grootdeernis vir kinderswat The last frontieren CitizenTom Paine.Hy het in1943 'nlid van die Amerikaanse Kom- proofs, writing text of the autobiography on sukkel om te lees. Ons hoop Mercia sal baie the backs of poems or dialogue from un- gelukkig weesin haar nuwe beroep. munistepartygeword enis tydens die hek- sejag van die McCarthy-era vir drie maande published plays. Op dieselfde noot ook net'n grootdankie He took interested viewers through aanRinaBowwatreedsdieafgelopesewe tronk toe gestuur omdat hy geweier het om some ofthe oddities and intricacies ofthese u Leftto right: Lynn Steyn, librarymanager ofthe South jaar Langebaan se aflosis en virdie afgelope die dokumente van die Joint Anti-Fascist manuscripts, and the process of creating a Peninsula Administration, Kush Mpongo, chairlady ofthe Sub twee jaar uitgehelp hetin die pos waarin Refugee Committee aan die McCarthy- workable typescriptfromthem. Council, and JohnThompson, director ofthe Masipumelele Mercia aangestel is. ondersoekspan te oorhandig. `Om dogmaties te wees oor 'nsaak Malan is known for his many compila- Corporation, looking at books donated by the Buffalo State Lize¨ Sadie waarin jy op 20 of 30 glo, is nie buitenge- tions of poems for school use (his anthol- Teachers College in America Bibliotekaris, Langebaan Biblioteek woon nie. Maar om dogmaties te wees op ogy Worldscapesis the current Grade 12 % Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 3 4 Prize for youth literature written in sellerlistsinthe US and Britain, whereithas Jan vanTonder,Riana Scheepers, Erika Darwin: The power of place deur Janet Nederland,Duitsland,Italie« en Amerika Internet-computers were available in the Sotho two years ago. Then he was a soldmorethan 200 000 copies. Murray-Theron, Marita van der Vyver en Browne. Syis, soos McEwan,'n Brit. verskyn. libraries of Brooklyn,Delft Main,Grassy winder operator underground at the The award comes two days after Moore's Corlia Fourie. Park,Gugulethu,Lwandle and Wesfleur. Rustenburg Platinum Mines. Now he documentary Bowling for Columbine,a ATKVeertjie Pryse is ook in vier afdelings In Decemberlast year,4 398 people re- works in the mine's communications Daly weer top-tekenaar Ta r t t wen WH Smi th Pr y s criticallook at America'sgun culture, re- vir kinderboeke toegeken. In die kategorie gistered atone ofthe six free access points. office Die Katrine HarriesToekenning vir kinder- DonnaTartthetdieWHSmith Prys,'nBritse ceivedthebestforeignfilmawardat France's ses tot sewe jaar:Leon deVilliers (skrywer) boekillustrasies herleef vanjaar na¨ ses jaar, letterkundeprys van »5 000, gewen. Die Users were given access to the Internet for * Niki Daly, illustrator of the much-loved prestigious Cesarmovie awards. en Nico Meyer (illustreerder) vir Elsie se 45 minutes every day and by registering, Ye b o , J a m e l a ! and Jamela's dress,among en soos ses jaar gele- Amerikaanse skrywer strooihoed (Lapa-uitgewers); agt tot nege they automaticallyreceived an e-mail ad- others CapeTimes de is die wenner Jude het die prys gekry vir jaar: Antoinette Nightingale vir Dinge wat Daly. haar tweede roman, The dress. * Philip deVos, who has been a teacher of krrraaakkk maak (Lapa-uitgewers); tien `Via e-mail, people can easily communi- English and Afrikaans, an opera singer, a Robert Caro kry tweede Daly kry die prys little friend.Indie¨ kom- tottwaalf jaar:Riana Scheepers vir Blinde cate with government departments and photographer, a translator and a writer. Pulitzer die¨ keer vir haar illu- petisie vir fiksie en drama He is best known for his little poems, sambok (Tafelberg); en dertientot vyftien strasiesin The stone, het haar boek gewen businesses',said Mymoena Ismail, project Die derde volume van Robert A Caro se rhymes, verses andlimericks, which jaar: Anna-Marie Conradie virTippex dit gepubliseer deur die teen dramas deurdielank manager ofthe SmartCape Access Point Master of the senate, die lewensverhaal delight in their frivolity uit (Human & Rousseau). Britse uitgewer gevestigdeTom Stoppard, Project. `This makesit simple to getin con- van die Amerikaanse president Lyndon * Gcina Mhlope, poet, playwrightand Geen prys is in die afdeling drie tot vyf Francis Lincoln. kortverhale deur Sam tact withlocal government anditcan help Johnson, is met die gesogte Pulitzer Prys vir performer, has gained the reputation of jaar toegeken nie. Die Katrine Shepard en Jeffrey Euge- people to find a job.' Biografie bekroon. Caro hetin1975 ook being`South Africa'sfavourite story-tel- HarriesToekenningis nides se hoog aangeskre- During the pilot project the computers 'n Pulitzer gewen vir The power broker: ler'. in 1974 deur die SA we roman Middlesex. were monitored. According to Ismail, most Robert Moses and the fall of NewYork. Brink wen Statebond se Jay Heale, secretary ofthe SAChildren's Biblioteekvereniging ofthe usersweremale and 75% were under In die kategorie vir dramateks het Nilo Afrika Prys Book Forum, recommends these books for ingestel en is tot in1997 met die ontbinding the age of 25. Cruz se Anna in the tropicsgewen. Cruz is Die skrywer Andre¨ P Brink het pas nog'n very young readers: van die SA Instituut vir Biblioteek-en Inlig- Martjie Bosman wen `The Internet was mainly used for educa- die eerste Latyns-Amerikaner wat'n Pulit- prysby'nlanglysgevoeg toehyaangewysis D Winnie the Pooh and The house at Pooh tingkunde toegeken. Uitgewers en illu- Ingrid Jonker Prys tion purposes, to findinformation about zer vir drama wen. as wenner van die Statebond Skrywers Corner by AA Milne streerders hetdikwels die verdwyning van Martjie Bosman se bundel, Landelik, is van- health and to surf for fun.' Die Pulitzer vir fiksie is toegeken aan Jef- Prys in die streek Afrika. die prys betreur, iets wat Unisa se Eenheid jaar se wenner van die Ingrid Jonker Prys vir D Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins frey Eugenides se roman Middlesex. Hy is bekroon vir The other side of silen- Cape Argus vir Navorsing in Kinderliteratuur (Enik) debuut-digbundels. D Thevery hungry caterpillarby Eric Carle Rick Atkinson se An army at dawn: the ce (Random House), watookin Afrikaans aangespoor hetom die prys weerinte stel Die prys word om die beurt aan Afri- D Where the wild things are by Maurice war in North Africa, 1942-1943 is in die onder die titel Anderkant die stilte (Human Library lures readers with en self die verantwoordelikheid vir die toe- kaanse en Engelse poe« sie toege-ken. In elke Sendak kategorievirgeskiedskrywingbekroon. & Rousseau) verskyn het. porn promise kenning oor te neem. geval word die debuutwerke van die afge- D The rainbow birds by Piet Grobler In die afdeling vir algemene nie-fiksie het Brink het in die apartheidsjare begin om ARomanian public library has started buy- Die tydskrif Baba en kleuterhetingestem lope twee jaar oor-weeg. Die prysisin1965 Samantha Power metdie louere weggestap vir'ninternasionalemarkinEngelsteskryf. ing porn magazines, in order to meet public D Not so fast, Songololo by Niki Daly. omdieprysteborg,enaangesiendieprysin ingestel toe vriende van die digter Ingrid vir A problem from hell: America and the Van sy werke is destyds deur die regering demand. 1997 laas toegekenis, is besluitom dit te- Jonker besluit het om haar op die¨ wyse te age of genocide. verbied. Sedert die politieke verandering Ananova.comreports thatthe magazines Cape Argus rugwerkendtoetekenomalleillustreer- huldig. Die prys behels 'n herdenkingsme- Die Pulitzer vir digkuns is toegeken aan skryf hy elke boek gelyktydigin Afrikaans canonlybeborrowedbyadults,andmay ders wat die afgelope ses jaar gepubliseer dalje deur die beeldhouer Bill Davis en Moy sand and gravel deur Paul Muldoon, en Engels. not be removed fromthe library'sreading het'nkans te gee. Die eerste toekenning R2 000. terwyl die prys vir musiek gegaan het aan Die beoordeling het vanjaar in Suid- room. & Literary Awards wat Enik nou maak, is virillustrasiesin boe- Vanjaar was die kompetisie buitenge- die komposisie On the transmigration of Afrika plaasgevind -die eerste keer in die 17 Monica Munteanu, a librarian atthe ke wat in1997 en1998 gepubliseer is. Die woon sterkenis die eerste keerin sowat'n soulsdeur John Adams. Die¨ werk gedenk jaar van die prys se bestaan. County LibraryinTimisoara, defended the Britain's book of the year volgende aantal jare sal die prys elke jaar dekade'nkortlys saamgestel. Bosman se die gebeure van11September 2001. Suid-Afrika en sy skrywers het lank buite move, telling the Evenimentul Zilein news- Michael Moore's controversial Stupid white toegeken word totdat die agterstand inge- bundel, wat deur Protea Boekhuis uitgegee die prysgestaan nadatdie landin die vroee« paper:`Because we had such a huge de- men, a blistering critique of the United haalis. Daarna sal dit weer twee-jaarliks is, was een van vyf op die kortlys. sestigerjare uit die Statebond geskop is. Die mand, the library decided to buy sex States (US) administration received Brit- Joubert wen ATKV Prys toegeken word. Vanjaar se beoordelaars, watingevolge 22-jarige Nigeriese student Helon Habilas magazines. `We have the Playboycollection ain's Book of theYear Prize. Die skrywer Elsa Joubert hetdie ATKV se Omdat die kompetisie so straf was, het se debuutboek, Waiting for an angel,is die statuut van die prysfondsgepubliseerde prestigeprys ontvang vir haar volgehoue die beoordelaars besluitom'n aantal boeke Moore'sbook, which rakes US President aangewys as die wenner in die Afrika-kate- digters moet wees, was Wium van Zyl en George Bush and his team over the coals, bydrae tot die Afrikaanse kultuur. wat sterk meegeding hetom die prys, eer- gorie vir eersteboek-skrywers. Trienke Laurie. Verlede jaar is die prys toe- was carried to the top spot by telephone Vorige ontvangers van die¨ toekenning is vol te vermeld. Die¨ boekeis Boy on the be- Brinken Habilas wen elkeen »1 000 (on- geken aan Kobus Moolman seTime like BELANGRIK dr Anton Rupert,PG du Plessis, lt genl ach deur Niki Daly (Human & Rousseau); votes from the public, which were for the geveer R14 000) en dring deur tot die stone en in 2001aan Zandra Bezuiden- M vanVuuren,Fanus Rautenbach,Nico Bravo! Zan Angelo deur Niki Daly (Farrar Foto'sin digitale formaat vir publikasie firsttime counted alongside those ofthe of- eindronde. houdt se Dansmusieke. ficial jury. Carstens,MimiCoertze,profElizeBotha Strauss & Giroux); Die rooi rokdeur An- in die KB moet asseblief nie in jpeg Die beoordelaars in die kompetisie se Die Burger en prof TTCloete. neliseVoigt (Garamond); Lulama's magic digitale-formaat wees nie, maar wel Stupid white men raised controversy be- Afrika-deelis professor Andries Oliphant, Die ATKV Prosa Prysis'ntweede keer blanketdeur Elizabeth Pulles ( Tafelberg); in tif formaat. Verseker dat dit van fore it ever hit the stores. Originally sched- die sameroeper, professor MEMKolawole uled to appearinlate 2001,its publication oorhandig aan die skrywer Deon Meyer Karnaval van die diere deur Piet Grobler goeie gehalte is deur dit in'n hoe« re- van Nigerie« en die digter AyetaWangusa was delayed whenthe US publisher balked vir sy spanningsroman Proteus,watdeur (Human & Rousseau); en Wow! Its great & Miscellany solusie in te skandeer. van Uganda. at releasing it, with its virulent anti-Bush Human & Rousseau uitgegee is. Hy hetdie to be a duckdeur Joan Rankin (Bodley Free Internet at libraries st ance, after S eptemb er 11. prys ook in 2001vir Orion gewen. Ian McEwan wen gesogte Head UK). IMPORTANT The publisher,Harper Collins, relented Syprysgeldis R23 000, waarvan die Al hierdie boeke is van weª reldgehalte en All 97 publiclibrariesin CapeTownwillhave when Moore, who claimed he was told to helfte kontant toegeken word, en die ander prys dit is geen wonder nie dattwee van hulle, free Internetfacilities by the end of 2004. Please note that digital photographs tone down his message, publicised the row helfte aangewend moet word vir 'n volgen- Ian McEwan se roman, Atonement het die Bravo! Zan Angelo en Wow! Its great to This is the target of the SmartCape Access for publicationinthe CL should be on his website and generated a wellof sup- de projek waardeur Afrikaans verryk sal National Book Critics Award, Amerika se be a duckook slegs in die buiteland verskyn Point Project after finishing a successful pilot scanned with a high resolution and port. word. voorste letterkundeprys, gewen. Die bio- het. Karnaval van die diereis wel in Suid- projectin six of CapeTown'slibraries. preferably in tif format and not in jpeg The bookquickly shottothetop of best- Vorige wenners van die¨ prosaprys is grafie-prys het gegaan aan Charles Afrika uitgegee, maardie boek hetookin The pilot project ran from June to format. Dalene Matthee,Etienne van Heerden, December 2002. In this period five free
Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 5 6 but also magazines from the 30s, such as 29 September-3 October- Classifying and as a luxuryin manyparts of Africa where * Violence, war and prejudice as themes one called Body and Soul,whichissimilarto indexing for information retrieval war, famine and the AIDS pandemic have in children's books the erotic publications of today.' 08-12 December-TheWorld WideWeb for displaced hundreds ofthousands ofchildren. * Challenges ofteaching children'slitera- Kaapse Bibliotekaris Library director Paul Eugen Banciu said teacher-librarians Whatcanliterature offer? How doesit help ture at tertiary level and in teacher/ thatthelibraryagreedto buy themagazines Courses offeredin 2004 are: children negotiate the challenges facing librarian education -especially in mul- 40 jaargelede even though it only had about R18 000 to * Information sources & networks them? ticultural and multilingual countries. What is the `canon'? spend eachyear. * Children's & youthliterature Books for Africa willhave two broad `Generally we follow a serious directionin tracks -a celebration of the abundance of D Voormalige Direkteur Dr Friis skryf uiters volledig oor die geskiedenis van openbare * Information literacy education Requirements bibliotekein Suid-Afrika,1928-1955. making new acquisitions', he said. `But we African story-telling and its heritage all over Please send a summary (in English or D CJFourie in'n artikel oor skakeldienste van die biblioteek haal die volgende aan:`Little want to keep people coming to the library.' Course fees are R750.00. A depositof the world; and then an exploration of how French) of your paper, workshop or poster girls play at being a teacher, nurse, mother, airline stewardess andlittle boysliketo Ananova.com R100 is required per course. to provide Africa's young people with the in about 200 wordsbymailoremail. Include pretend thatthey are cops, cowboys, firemen, police or robbers -but nobody plays For more information, contact Sandy books they urgently need. Though our in- full contact details. librarian.' Authors collect signatures Zinn, e-mail
Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 7 8 deur die uitsonderlike film Korreltjie niks is my dood wat KKN K gewys is. Die vertoning is ingelei deur Henk van Woerden wat deel gehad het in die maak van die dokumenteª r. Andre¨ P Brink se praatjie kon nie anders as om in die 2003 Sasol Kunsmuseumte wees nie. Marjorie Wallace, grootse skilder en eggenote van wyle Jan Rabie, se werke behang die mure. Met die woorde van Brink in jou agterkop, voer KLEIN KAROO NASIONALE KUNSTEFEES Wallace se skilderye jou weg na verskillende landskappe, meestalna die gemeenskap. Amanda Bothais die gaskura- tor van hierdie uitsonderlike groot solo-uitstalling van LIESEL DE VILLIERS moet maak. Weet nie of ek moeg was nie, maar ek het byna Wallace en lei feesgangers deur die kunswerke wat so baie Adjunkdirekteur in'n koma gegaan met hierdie vertaling! het om te vertel. 'n Paar dae na die opening het Marjorie Die Kanna Prys vir die beste regie is aan Marthinus Wallace'n beroerte gehad en'n mens wonder of die¨ uitstal- ie Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) Basson toegeken vir Mamma Medea en Antjie Krog be- lingnie onthou salword as dielaaste groot Wallace-uitstal- 2003 is iets van die verlede, maar gelukkig is die hoort ook vir haar vertaling in Afrikaans vereer word. THEOKEMP ling nie. 'n Hoogtepunt. 'n Goeie onthou. D onthou nog daar. Vanjaar se fees was effens stiller Raaiselkindvan Annelie Botes verwerk vir die verhoog het 'n Ander program wat nie vergeet sal word nie is Skry- Korrespondent en korter as verlede jaar. As ekstra bonus het meeste van vol sale getrek en ten spyte daarvan dat die hele boek slegs wersgala, wat beslis sy naam werd is. Dit was 'n GALA in die sale uiteindelik lugree« ling gehad en al is mens tradisievas na een uur verkortis, was dit'nuitersgeslaagde toneelstuk. aie dinge is geseª na afloop van Woordfees 2003. hoofletters. 'n Vrydagaand en die HB Thom word gee jy glad nie om as so 'n nuwe tradisie ingewy word nie! Ander hoogtepunte was Mimi Coertse se Black tie en- Goeie goed. Dat dit 'n fees is wat sy voete gevind volgepak. (Wie het geseª skrywers trek nie vol sale nie?) B het; datdie fees daarin slaag om'nfyn balans tussen Ditismaarelkejaarmoeilikomtweemaandevoordietyd semble,'n groep jong Suid-Afrikaanse opera sangers wat 'n Met skrywers soos Dalene Matthee, Andre¨ PBrink,Antjie tekiesuit aldie produksieswat aangebiedwordenmensmis staande ovasie gekryhet. Die skouvan die fees was sekerlik pure preten'swaar'intellektuelekwessieshandhaaf. En dat Krog, Koos Oosthuizen, Etienne van Heerden, Michiel altyd'npaar vandiegoeie shows. Tyd en geldlaatjou boonop Sonder grense,'nmusikale extravaganza wat met musiek, vi- dieWoordfees'nsoort nis skep waar skrywers hulle seª kan Heyns, PJ Philander, Henk van Woerden enTom Lanoye nie toe om alles wat jy graag wil sien, te gaan kyk nie. Ek het deobeelde en choreografie, bekende opera areas en klas- kom seª oor relevante en aktuele dinge. kon mens nie anders as om'nglansryke geleentheid te ver- dusmyplanne vir'n persoonlike fondsinsamelingreg vir vol- sieke werke tot 'n asemrowende ervaring verwerk het. DieWoordfeeshetinvierjaargegroeivan'ndeurnag-tot wag nie. Iris Bester se professionele aanbieding, die gende jaar en beplan 'n stalletjie met al my oortollige goed Hopelik is dit nie die laaste sien daarvan nie. Die feit dat dit 'nweekfees. Van kort uittreksels uit dramas tot vollengte Abongondisi Brothers se suiwer Afrika-klanke en die op die voorstoep van die mense waar ek tuisgaan. Vanjaar aand vir aand vol sale getrek het (en die Grootsaal van die dramas, van storieboekure tot'n volledige kinderfees, van beeldprojeksie van elke skrywer op 'n lewensgroot skerm was daar drie uitstallers wat sommer 'n lekker paar rand Korporasie kan1 200 mense vat) is 'n bewys van die sukses 'n paar skrywersure tot 'n skrywersprogram wat verdeel het hierdie program mooi afgerond. verdien het -en glo my die mense op die fees koop wonder- van hierdie skou. wordin vuurwarm diskoerse en voorlesings. Maar dit was nie die laaste sien van Dalene Matthee in die like goed, soos oukoekblikke, tikmasjiene en veral Afrikaan- Of ek vanjaar beter keuses gemaak het en of die gehalte Woordfees 2003 salnie netonthouword virdie fees wat Bos nie! Matthee het 'n nuwe boek getiteld, Toorbos, se letterkundige werke. van die shows oor die algemeen beter was, kan ek nie seª nagenoeg 15 000 mense gelok het nie. Daar was 'n hele oppad. Hieroor het sy in Protea Boekwinkel gesels en so Oja, die eintlike rede vir die feesis mos omjou siel te ver- nie, maar genoeg om te weet dat dit wel een van die lekker- klompie hoogtepunte wat onthou sal word van die vierde bietjie geheime uitgelap oor wat mense kan verwag. ryk met kultuur -dus immers hoekom mens gaan! ste KKNK'swas. Woordfees met die slagspreuk: Vas aan die siel, los op die Pieternella,Eva Krotoa en Sarah Baartmanhetdiep spo- Ons het die fees begin met'n skou getiteld, My Ma se po- lippe. re gelaat in ons geskiedenis. Dalene Matthee, Dan Sleigh, 3 e« sie en ander gedigte vanWillie Straus. Dit is pragtige toon- Die Sestigersprogram staanuit soos'npaalbowater. In- Willem Fransman en Dianne Ferrus het almal oor hierdie settings van NP van Wyk Louw, JD du Plessis en Sheila Kloksgewys van links: John Jacobs in 'n fees hoogtepunt, Mime sig Heildronk op Sestig wat by die skilderagtige Huis van JCle figure geskryf, en in DrieVroue het die¨ skrywersgedagtes Cousinssegedigte.Daarisook'nCDbe- le France; 'n voorstelling van Pieter Fourie Roux net buite Stellenbosch gehou is, was 'n monumentele uitgeruil oor die waardigheid wat letterkunde aan hierdie se Koggelmanderman;enMimiCoertse skikbaar wat aangekoop kan word as daar ervaring. Sestigers Andre¨ P Brink, Chris Barnard en vroue teruggee. (agter regs) met die BlackTies belangstellingis. Abraham de Vries het staaltjies rondom die Sestigers en 'nSkrywer watnie agterwee« gelaatkanword nieis Petra Een van die hoogtepunte van die KKNK veral Jan Rabie (die'leiersfiguur' van die groep) vertel wat Mu« ller wie se poe« sie so mooi soos musiek lees. Met Die was John Jacobs se Mime le France.Hyhet, nog nooit vantevore in die publiek vertel is nie. Ampie woorde wat so wink daar het Johann Kotze poe« sie en onder andere, klassieke mimiek onder Coetzee was die gespreksleier. klank meesterlik vermeng. Maar meer nog: ook Afrikaans Marcel Marceau gestudeer en hy gebruik Net na die ontbyt het Brink 'n boeiende gesprek in die en Zen, wind, woestyn en weemoed het e¨ e¨ n atmosferiese letterlik elke spier in sy liggaam om stories Sasol Kunsmuseumgeleweroordievernuwing watdie Ses- klanklandskap gevorm. Mu« ller het haar eie werk voorge- uitte beeld deur slegs van sy mimiektegnie- tigers se werk gebring het en hoe dit lees en ook Jacques Coetzee het met sy besonderse stem ke gebruik te maakomjou te laat lag en huil. alles deurgewerk het tot op hede. en verse ekstra dinamika aan die aanbieding verleen. As hy weer Suid-Afrika toe kom, moet nie Ongelooflik. Dit is nie nagenoeg die Nog so'nlandskap is geskep deur Marriana Booyens en sy vertoning misloop nie. woord om te beskryf watter rol 'n en- Louise-Marie Combrink. 'n Alledaagse landskap waardeur Vanjaar se fees is vir my ook gekenmerk kele paar skrywers bykans vier deka- die moderne vrou, Sarie, stap. 'n Landskap vol sonde. deur meer toneelstukke. Die Nagtegaal des gelede gespeel het in 'n verdeelde Booyens en Combrink het die woorde en beelde op veer- Prys vir nuwe verhoogtekste het definitief landnie. Die Sestigerswoudie regime, tien doeke vasgevang. Die eerste sewe beeld die sewe werke bygedra met Die Koggelmander- die status quo en die Establisment tot doodsondes uit en die laaste sewe beeld die afrekening manvan Pieter Fourie as die wenner. Die Krit,Donderdag die been toe dekonstrueer. En ongeag met die sondes uit. Die uitstalling Sewe doodsondes het 3 April, het die volgende daaroor te seª gehad: `Dis 'n ruim die streng sensuur wattoegepasis, kon so¨ uitgebrei dat sewe (toeval?) ander kunstenaars -waar- metaforiese en komplekse toneelstuk. Die figuur van die hulle dit regkry om mense se oe« oopte onder Strijdom van der Merwe -deelgeneem het aan die bloukopkoggelmander is vir lang rukke prominent en aan- maak. Woordfees. Die¨ uitstalling was die beste voorbeeld van grypend op die verhoogas simbool (van ondermeerdie fal- 'n Glasie moes al lankal op hierdie hoe woord en beeld verbind kan word. En dat selfs jou lig- lus en leksido)...Fourie slaag daarin om die gehoor...aan die mense geklink geword het. gaam woord e¨ n beeld kan wees, het installasie-kunste- frons tehou...' En ookop Ingrid Jonker wie se naam naars soos Seth Harper,Elmi Badenhorst en Jaco Bouwer Ek moet erken, ek het ook maar gefrons totdat die pennie onvermydelik genoem word as daar feesgangers gewys. geval het. My enigste versugtiging is dat hulle die ellelange van die Sestigers gepraat word. Sy is Vir musiekliefhebbers was daar meer as genoeg om te Jan Rabie verhaal van die Padda en die maantog net korter vanjaar weerop dieWoordfees vereer geniet. Laurika Rauch het in die program, Die skoene moet
Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 9 10 jy dra, (wat spesiaal vir die Woordfees deur Albert du Plessis saamgestel is), vir die eerste keer die verhoog ge- deel met Valiant Swart en Laurinda Hofmeyr. Natanie« lhet feesgangers vermaak met sy verwerking van die uitbundi- ge Saint-Sae« ns musiekstuk in Karnaval van die diere. Na die tyd kon gaste saam met Natanie« laansitvir'nSarie-drie- gangete in die Bergkelder. 'nVerrykendekomponentop diemusiekprogramwas die uitvoering deur Maleierkore onder leiding van Desmond Desai. Adam Samoedien,Rawooten Desaihetdie feesgan- gersin boeiende gesprekketouwysgemaakoor dinge soos moppieskrywing en wat'n Na'at (lofgedig) alles beteken. Die musiekfees is meesterlik afgesluit met die Afrikaanse Kunslied enVolkslied. MetkunstenaarssoosRandallWicomb, Andre¨ Howard en Suzanne Erasmus en Magdalena Oos- PROFESSOR SHIRLEYKOSSICK Lore, a twelve-year-old whose parents are arrested by the thuizen se puik koo« rdinering, kon hierdie program nie an- Emeritus Professor of English Literature Allies just after the war; and, over fifty years later,Micha ders as'nsukses wees nie. University of South Africa who reads his grandfather's SS war record and is appalled Met die bekwame samestelling van die dramaturg by what he finds. Saartjie Botha, is agt opwindende drama's op die Woord- he annual Orange Prize, open to all women nove- Joanne Harris attempts a comparable delving into the fees aangebied. Mamma Medea,'n historiese stuk gegrond lists writingin English, was establishedin1992 amid wartime past in Five quarters of the orange. However, op die oorspronklike Euripedes-tragedie, is uiters goed by T a storm of controversy. The brainchild of a group of though the story she tells of a woman looking back at her die fees ontvang. No¨ g'nklassiekedramawatdikwelsbe- womeninthe publishingindustry,the prize was criticised for Kloksgewys van bo links: childhood in occupied France has exciting moments,Harris skouword as die beste toneelstukin Afrikaans, was Kanna Een van die mees reinforcing the idea of women's writing as a separate (and is too lightweight a writer to deal with such themes hy koª hystoe. Feesgangers het ook gestroom na die pre- heid dat daar te min nuwe onderwerpe is om oor te skryf glansryke geleenthede lesser) category of literature, of ghettoising female writers effectively. The novel is easy to read and entertaining, but mie¨ re van Saartjie Botha se Raaiselkind, wat gebaseer is virdie Suid-Afrikaanse skrywer. was 'n Skrywersgala at a time when such barriers were being broken down. the subject needs handling with more gravitas and tends to op die gelyknamige romanvan Anneli Botes. Kritiek wat ek so deur die tyd gehoor het is dat daar so wat in die HB Thom Many eminent women writers themselves, including be trivialised in her hands. Theo Kleynhans se Drie tannies en 'n tert en Die uur- baie dinge is wat net doodeenvoudig gesien mo¨ e¨ tword aangebied is. Hier het Anita Brookner, contributed to this chorus of disapproval, Perhaps the most powerful work on the topic of war in bekende skrywers soos werk kantel deur Marie¨ Heese was so¨ gewild dat ekstra maar dat daar nie tyd is vir alles nie. Dit is altyd so. En 'n yet from its inception the prize has achieved precisely what this long list is Helen Dunmore's The Siegewhich was even- vertonings geree« l moes word. Zebulon Dread het met sy Etienne van Heerden it set out to do. That is, it has raised the profile of literary tually included in the short list. Under 300 pages in length, mens sal waarskynlik nooit alles by 'n fees kan sien wat jy (foto, Johan Wilke), eerste 'formele'en kontroversie« le drama, Hotnotsgot,die wou nie. works by women and given a boost to interest in and sales the book nevertheless has a monumental quality about it feesgangers behoorlik aan die gonsgesit. Andre¨ Brink (foto, Obie of the novels selected for consideration. Maar die Woordfees is gelukkig nie net eenkeer per jaar Oberholzer) Dalene which may justly be compared to Antony Beevor's Stalin- Hoe« rskool Bloemhof het kom wys hoekom hulle'nprys This year's long list of twenty novels is testimony to the nie. Ditis'nfeeswatheeljaarbetrokkeisbydiebevordering Matthee (foto, Annari grad (winner of the Samuel Johnson Non-Fiction Award in gewen het vir Die vaal koestertjie en vir Tip (ook deur van die kunste. Aangesien die Woordfees 'n fees is van die van der Merwe) en variety,range and high quality of the contemporary English 2000). Saartjie Botha) het die mense gehuil van die lag. Universiteit van Stellenbosch het dit 'n sterk fokus op Annelie Botes (foto, novel by women. As the chairperson of the judging panel, Dunmore's treatment of the 900 -day Nazi siege of Lenin- Die Saterdagoggend het die HB Thom kompleks letterlik gemeenskapsprojekte. Daarom hou die Woordfees elke Queillerie Uitgewers), Dame Gillian Beer (King Edward VIIProfessor of English Lit- grad in the winter of1941is depicted through the sufferings gewemel van al die kinders wat na die ATKV-produksies maand gedigvoorlesings in Stellenbosch of elders, waar letterlik vol sale getrek erature at Cambridge) commented,`the fictions women are of a small cast of characters. Anna, an artist and nursery Spook! en Krinkelkronkelkarbonkelbos,diepoppekasse,en jong e¨ n gevestigde skrywers hulle ding kan kom doen. writing now range far beyond the domestic or miniature'. school assistant, her father,Levin, and brother Kolya (aged die Hip Hop Jive program gestroom het. En 'n mens kry Daarom bied die Woordfees nou 'n skryfkompetisie aan Present-day women, she went on to say,`have found the five) are joined by the ageing actress Marina, and later by skieliknuwe hoopvirdietoekomstigeteateranger. en later weer 'n skoleorkeskompetisie,'n kinder-plakkaat- freedom to explore fresh plots, often on a large scale, or Andrei, a clear-sighted doctor in love with Anna. BakgatboekevirBabbelbekkies (aangebied deur Lapa-en kompetisie, skoolbesoeke deur skrywers. Ensovoorts. En- withthe power of intense recollection across communities'. The siege ofthe title causedthe death of 600 000 people NB uitgewers) het net weer eens bewys dat kinders boeke sovoorts. The novels on the 2002 long list that most readily spring bycold or starvation, and Dunmore manages to suggestthe w|¨llees. Solankdit net aangebied word op'nboeiende ma- Die Woordfees sal altyd 'n to mind in this connection are several which deal tellingly deprivations of awhole city throughherintense focus onthis nier soos wat Carina Diedericks-Hugo, Martie Preller,Piet fees bly wat op skrywers en with WWII. In Stevie Davies's The element of water the tinygroup. The five characters, so differentfromeach other Grobler en Marianna Brandt dit doen. Die resultaat is kin- woordkunstenaars ingestel is. plot moves between life at the headquarters of Admiral in every way, are levelled by their terrible neediness and ders wat om hulle ouers neul om boeke te koop asof dit Want dit is wat die Woordfees Dit is 'n fees wat gevestigde Donitz (Hitler's successor) during the last days of the Reich through this they become emblematic of the loss and hard- draairoomysis. so 'n belangrike fees in Suid- and the English school occupying the pre- ship endured by the thousands scratching for existence in Daar is nog bitterlik baie dinge wat ek sal onthou van Afrika maak. Dit is 'n fees wat kunstenaars vereer en jonges mises thirteenyearslater.Wolfi and Isolde the besieged city. Woordfees 2003. Die alternatiewe klanke van Kobus!, gevestigde kunstenaars vereer ... from its inception the (both children of former soldiers who Inevitably the main concern is keeping warm, but even Alta Joubert,Delta Blue endie Brixton Moorden Roof Or- aanmoedig; 'n fees wat 'n fought in the German army) confront the more pressing is the desperate search for food. It is here en jonges aanmoedig; 'n fees prize has achieved precisely kesinMysticBoer.KatinkaHeynsenChrisBarnard,vete- wat 'n platform vir almal bied complexities not only of their own rela- that Dunmore's writing shows her insight and empathy as
rane regisseur en draaiboekskrywer onderskeidelik, wat platform vir almal bied om te tionship but of the Nazi past which hangs she describes the anguish of hunger and its horrible effects om te seª dit wat nodig is om ge- v what it set out to do ... it has kom gesels het oor al die dinge wat agter die skerms hoor te word. Dit is 'n Universi- se dit wat nodig is om over their lives like a malign shadow. on mind and body. In this scene Anna is out foraging for fuel aangaan. SarahTheron se sterk kabaretstem in die knus teitsfees wat die gemeenskap raised the profile ofliterary Rachel Seiffert deals with similar and food: Dorpstraat Teater Cafe¨ , die Bekgevegte, die Filosofie Ka- themes in The dark room,abook(which dien en daarom almal se fees. gehoor te word. Dit is 'n works by women and given But it's still not quite dark. The space closes around her, fee waar skrywers en filosowe mekaardie stryd aanseª oor Daar is ook reeds groot, though also shortlisted for the Booker packed with shadows. On her right a goblin-red light jumps die betekenis opgesluit in woorde soos waarom? en groot planne vir Woordfees Universiteitsfees wat die ge- a boost to interest in Prize) is in effect three novellas. Each tells from another doorway. She edges forward silently, and peers wanneer? Die Afrikaanse Studentevereniging se (ASV) pa- 2004 wat van 8-14 Maart in a story related to the wartime past and the intothesmallroomwhichmusthavebeenavestibule.Thefloor neelbespreking oor die aanstelling van Bruines in tradisio- and sales ofthe novels legacyofthe Holocaustthroughthelivesof Stellenbosch aangebied sal meenskap dien en daarom almal is churned up, and in the middle a little fire burns, close to a neel Blanke poste, die geredekabel deur mense soos Paul word. selected for consideration three individuals. These are Helmut, a woman who's hacking at a thick column of wood, more than Cilliers, Annie Gagiano en Elize Parker oor die moontlik- se fees youth in the nineteen-thirties whose two metres long. The woman's saw looks as if it comes from a 3 crooked arm precludes army service; child'scarpentry set.
Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 11 12 `F...offout of here. This is mine,'says the woman. She stares cent of such novels as Freud's Peerless Flats (19 93) which preparation for adulthood. Jealous of `love situations not to her and the mysteries she penetrates as she tries to come up at Anna from where she's squatting over the wood. Her takes its name from a soulless housing estate. When thir- involving a family member', Jemima and Harriet do every- to terms with her past form the substance of this unusual shawl has fallen back on to her shoulders, exposing her face. teen-year-old Maggie is left orphaned after her father's thing they can to breakup Jude's new relationship. Harmless novel. She looks old, but probably she is young. The saw won'tcut, not desertion and her mother's suicide, it is to just such an one may think at first, but gradually cracks emerge in the Equally inventive and unconventional in setting is Nani onlybecauseit'sa child'stoyrather than a tool,butalso because estate that she is sent to join her grandfather,Pop, and his perfectfac° ade and one starts towonder howhealthy abso- Power's tale of urban despair, Crawling at night.Herean the wood is hardwood. Mahogany,probably. A newel post or dog. lute family devotion in fact is. unlikely cast involving a sushi chef, a waitress, two prosti- something like that, put into the house when it was young and Man, child and dog are metaphorically silhouetted against Rather than giving her the confidence to confront life's tutes and a Vietnamese-American teenager play out their magnificent. That woman willnever be able to cut it up, and she the background of `the eternal damnation' of a Sutton Cold- challenges, Jemima suffers terrible bouts of depression, tragic roles against the shifting backdrops of Manhattan, won't be able to drag it home in one piece, because she's as field council estate that `rolls on like miles of repeating necessitating `new medications and higher and higher North Carolina and Japan. weak as a cat. But she won't leave it, either. She stares up at wallpaper.' The author's wonderful descriptive powers doses'. Worse still is her tendency to self-injury. As she Though Power approaches her materialwith stylisedwit, Anna, not aggressive any more, and certainly not asking for evoke the heatwave of 1975 as the three figures move grows up she desperately misses and continues to need the the misery she depicts is unremitting. Ling (sold into prosti- help. There are only three things to deal with here: the wood, between pub and football stadium, sharply imaging their intimacies and familiar games shared with her siblings. The tution by her father) makes a comment to herself when Ito the cold, and her own weakness. None ofthemis negotiable. past and inner lives. There are moments of intense sadness main strength of Sister Crazyis Emma Richler's skill at con- (the sushi chef) complains of being`sad in heart'that seems Several scenes in The element of water (mentioned in this book, butthe vigor of the writing and the trenchancy veying without specifically defining Jemima'smalaise and at to sum up the tenor of the whole book: above) have a comparable force to this one from The Siege. of Aldridge's wit unfailingly restore the balance. evoking the idiosyncrasies, shifts in mood and atmosphere `Everyoneis sadinheart',shethinks.`Whothehelltellyou Stevie Davies'sdescription ofthe child Wolfi starvingamong Several other novels on the 2002 long list share with No of childhood and family life. otherwise. That is kind of life'. the bombsites of a ruined city come to mind here. After his bonesand Pop thethemeofayounggirlgrowingupindiffi- Lesley Glaister is also excellent at recreating convincing Sadness also permeates The hero's walk by Anita Rau mother's death the boy becomes `only his hunger now, a cult circumstances. In The secret life of bees by Sue Monk family dynamics, but in her latest novel, Now you see me, Badami which introduces the reader to the Rao family on walking stomach, emptyand spasming. He dreamedin fitful Kidd,forinstance,theidyllic1960ssettingonaSouthCaro- she chooses as her subject a young woman, Lamb, living in the eve of their daughter's death. Fascinating details of cus- sleeps of pork cutlets with onions and mushrooms; thick lina peach farm contrasts starkly with fourteen-year-old solitude. The book is full of nameless menace as the vulner- toms in an Indian village contrast with life in Canada as in sausage...' As Davies goes on to explain,`Wolfi himself had Lily's fear of her sadistic and abusive father. Quite able girlekesout alivingas a cleaner andhidesinthe cellarof Badami's earlier book, Tamarind men (19 96). Though the suffered violent division. He had slipped out of his old self to a`Thomas Edison when it came to inventing pun- an elderly employer. Having set up a home of sorts among collision of cultures, so prevalent in contemporary Indian become some animal, like a rat'. ishments',Lily's father has allowed her to believe the discarded household oddments of the cellar, writing in English, is a worthwhile theme, the integration of A different but no less devastating type of war is the sub- she was responsible for her mother's death ten Lamb is drawn reluctantly into complicity with a the two strands is not successfully achieved, making this ject of No bones by Anna Burns. In this debut novel Burns years earlier. young thug,Doggo. perhaps a surprising choice for the long list. examines in stark, unadorned prose the impact of Ireland's Haunted by guilt and terror of punishment, Lily Scarred by self-inflicted injuries, Lamb is also La Cucina by Lily Prior is subtitled `a novel of rapture', a recent history on an individual and a community. Amelia decides to run away with her only friend, Rosaleen, emotionally damaged by the sudden death of her reaction it failed to induce in several critics, including Lovett -a Roman Catholic girl growing up in Ardoyne, a black servant who has been arrested andhorribly mother: `Nobody even said the word cancer and myself! Joanne Harris, however -a writer much given to North Belfast -has been through the ordeals of anorexia, assaulted for trying to vote. The two flee toTiburon next thing she was gone. Like a conjuring trick. culinary effusions -calls the novel `a festival of life and allits alcoholism and a nervous breakdown. Her story is pre- andfind sanctuaryinthehome ofthree blacksisters, Now youseeher,now youdon't'.Glaister'sportrait pleasures'. These pleasures presumably include the heroine, sented as a metaphor for the political violence assailing Ire- August, July and May. Full of wisdom and genuine ofthislonely figure is moving and eventragic aslayer Rosa Fiore, having Siamese twins for brothers and a father land from1969 when British troops were posted to Belfast piety, the three keep bees whose activities afford upon layer of her long-buried history comes to light. whipped away to a `white death' by the Sicilian Mafia. The and the1994 IRA ceasefire. endless useful lessons and whose honey has endless In A true story based on lies Mexican-basedpoet doughty Rose has to flee the family farm and forego her Structuredin a series of short, sharp sketch-likechapters, useful applications. As Lily remarks,`nothing was safe Jennifer Clement tells the story of another blighted pleasurein butcheringanimals whenthe man sheloves turns No bones creates a picture of unrelenting violence both pri- from honey...the ambrosia of the gods and young life. Leonora, sent to a convent by her impo- outto be engaged to someone else. vate and public. Amelia's bloody fight with her brother over shampoo of the goddesses'. verished mother, is snatched from its safety As Elizabeth Buchan remarks,`food and sex are not only a collection of rubber bullets culminates in his attempt to A similar wry humour informs Sister crazy, into domestic service. Her employer, a wealthy celebratedbutlinkedtogetherinprint',andindeed Rosa and rape her. This particular scene ends viciously with Lizzie thedebutnovelofEmmaRichler,daughterof lawyer, seduces the fifteen-year-old Leonora her next love have a predominantly gastronomic courtship. (Amelia's sister) attacking him with a hot poker: Canadian satirist, Mordecai Richler. This andlaterdecides to keep herchild to be reared This is a rather overblown confection of a book whose place She burnt his hair, burnt his head, burnt his back, burnt her young novelisttells the story of Jemima Weiss, ashis own. in the Orange long list could have been better filled by any hands, burnt everybody else and burnt giant holes all over the the third of five children whose father is a This tale of helplessness and cruelty,as Leo- one ofthe manymore substantialnovels ofthe year. carpet. Eventually Mick fell over and she and the Marys flung fractious Jewish sportswriter and mother an norais forcedtolivein close proximity withher To say that two out of the twenty books are less than themselves ontop. Theyrippedhim apart, tore his fleshfromhis even-tempered Protestant. Being half-Jewish daughter who takes her for a mere servant, is satisfying stillleaves eighteen really excellent literary works body. hasitscomplications, especially whenthe girls fraught with race and class prejudice. Often and the judges must have had a very difficulttask in making Horrible as the content of such scenes is, there is a sty- attend a convent school, but this serves only resorting to the magic realism so popular with the six-book selection for the short list. Two that are not lised, often comic vitality to the writing which makes for to reinforce solidarity. The family moves Latin American writers, the author creates a included but which are really outstanding and weighty compulsive reading. from England to Canada when Jemima is sensitive reflection of Leonora's inner con- works of literature are Niagra Falls all over again by Eliza- The suggestionthatpoliticalbrutalityinfects the personal eleven which gives an added unity to the clo- sciousness while at the same time condemning beth McCracken and Middle age: a romanceby Joyce Carol lives of those who witness it is ever-present in the novel. sely-knit siblings. They have their own the conditions she depicts. Oates. And the evidence of its destructive potential is made palp- encoded language, in-jokes and associative word Using an even less familiar setting in The In her first novel, The giant's house (1996), McCracken able in the world surrounding the protagonist: games. Jemima loves her oldest and youngest story of my face,Kathy Page moves her narra- tells the story of a strange -not to say bizarre -love affair Amelia had counted thirteen houses from the top of one side brothers, Ben and Gus, but is closer to Harriet - tive from East Anglia to a remote Finnish township. between a confirmed spinster of 28 and a gangly adolescent of her street and nine houses from the top ofthe other that had three years her junior -and particularly to Jude, Natalie Baron, now 44, goes back to Finland to who is destinedto become an eight-foot, fragile freak. Inhis been burnt so far. nearestto her in age. research the origins of the Envallists, a small and specially-built home the boy,James, finds his opportunities That`sofar'has an ominousring of persistence which con- As the adult Jemima thinks backon her childhood rigid Protestant sect to which she briefly belonged diminishing in inverse proportion to his size until he veyswhat Burns sees as the self-perpetuatingnature of vio- and her fascination with Francis of Assisi -who as an adolescent. becomes a tourist attraction and the focus of media titilla- lence. `called everything Brother this and Sister that' - Forbidden images of any kind (`windows for the tion. The bleak landscape of No bones has an echo in the set- webegintodiscernthesignificanceofthebook's devil to climb through'), Natalie transgresses by The element of showmanship in this pathetic tragedy is ting of Pop by Kitty Aldridge. Also an accomplished first title. The intense, idyllic English childhood and not only watching television but by harbouring a echoed in McCracken'slatest book where a pair of vaude- novel, Pop has been described as inhabiting Esther Freud Canadian adolescence of Jemima's protected darkdomestic secret in the form of a dead baby's ville comedians take centre stage, as it were. The comedy territory. Andindeedthe urbanlandscape of Popis reminis- upbringing has not, it would seem, been an ideal photograph. The horrible punishment meted out duo of Rocky Carter and Mose Sharp thrives, rising from
% Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 13 14 its backwater beginnings to Hollywood eminence. Like dren's failings while they in turn must adjust to pers off - but only the once, because of diva invited to sing. Hosokawa has felt the magic of opera Abbott and Costello or Laurel and Hardy, they are a fat their tyrannical father's sudden weakness. The Withso many fine works on the crests and stampings; and when we fromthe firsttime he was takento hear Rigoletto as ayoung man-thin man team, with Mose playing the straight man narrative is more contemplative than eventful had finished, Mr Ibbs would take the boy since when he has`believed thatlife, truelife, was some- and Rocky the hapless fallguy. but affords a wonderfully insightful deconstruc- the 2002 Orange Prize long cups and bowls and melt them into thing that was storedin music. Off-stage Rocky tends to take allthe credit while Mose - tion of a family crippled by prejudice. Darren has bars. He did the same with gold and Inevitably as the days proceed -and despite the warnings whose life-story unfolds in the course of his first-person escaped to America while Dirk seems self-indul- list it could not have been pewter. He never took chances; that's of their leaders -the terrorists form relationships with their narration -is endlessly forgiving of his partner's self- gent and abusive. He has few redeeming fea- easy to isolate the winner. what made him so good. Everything hostages and Roxane and Mr Hosokawa become close. destructive behaviour. The inevitable tensions and dissatis- tures, the result, we gradually realise, of his that came into our kitchen looking like Throughout the ordeal, which takes on a paradoxically factions of a lengthy collaboration are set against the per- father's harsh parenting which has left him no Bel Canto,however,does one sort of thing, was made to leave it domesticated tenor as the two groups settle into a mutually sonal lives of the two men to form an intriguing and out-of- room for self-esteem. He seeks fellowship with again looking quite another. dependent routine, it is Roxane's voice that soothes the the-ordinary book. McCracken writes with wit and zest, white supremacists and drinks to bolster his confi- the judges proud in its A frequent visitor to the house is tensions. So used do they become to the situation, in fact, irony and pathos, and the final effectis exhilarating. dence which his father has destroyed: `When he'd fluid prose, interesting themes `Gentleman' or, as Sue explains that the reader, too, is lulled into a sense of security which Middle age by Joyce Carol Oates is an equally accom- had a few drinks, he was invincible. He was `Ge'mun' -`as if the word were a f ish makes the sudden denouement all the more startling and plished novel but in a totally different way. The setting for himself. He was enough, atlast.' and well-delineated and we had filleted it'. He proposes a appalling. this humorous but simultaneously serious work is the Probably in reaction to her father's xeno- character... plan involving Sue posing as a lady's Throughout Patchett handles her complex themes and affluent New York suburb of Salthill-on-Hudson. A sort of phobia Shirley was first married to an maid to help him dupe the rich Maud the interplay of diverse characters with great skill. There is fictional Princeton, the area is glamorous but the money African and now lives with her Caribbean Bel Cantois also highly into marriage. The ramifications of considerable humour in the narrative, especially at the that breathes fromthe eleganthouses has notensured hap- lover. In the multi-cultural society of modern this complex plot are too numerous beginning, but the tone darkens later and the characters' piness. London Shirley's liaison is anything but readable, entertaining and to name, much less unravel. Suffice relationships seem to echo the passion and pain of grand The sudden death on the 4th July of sculptor Adam extraordinary, despite the outrage felt by accessible and can only add it to say that Waters keeps her opera with which they have so unexpectedly become pro- Berendt when he tried to save a drowning child jolts the people like the Whites who, in critic Heather readers thoroughly mystified as the foundly involved. residents of Salthill in surprising ways. Many of the middle- Clark'sphrase,`were shocked to find thatthe to the prestige of the narrative shifts from Sue's point of With so many fine works on the 2002 Orange Prize long aged women of the community had looked upon this lone Empire hadlanded ontheirdoorstep'. view to that of Maud and we learn list it could not have been easy to isolate the winner. Bel bachelor as their own personal property, each imagining Like Zadie Smith in White teeth (2000), Orange Prize that her apparently sheltered exis- Canto, however, does the judges proud in its fluid prose, herself to be his special friend and admirer. However, now but in a more profound and searching way, tence is no less shocking than Sue's interesting themes and well-delineated characters. Both that Adam has died, unsettling questions arise about him, Gee explores the changes wrought by the life in a thieves'den. complex in its ideas and thought-provoking, particularly in not least his very identity. influx of colonial immigrants into a formerly Exciting, intriguing and masterful in its depiction of var- its topicality, Bel Cantois also highly readable, entertaining As the women seek answers to the enigmas surrounding all-white, working-class neighbourhood. ious aspects of Victorian England, Fingersmith is Waters's and accessible and can only add to the prestige of the Adam they come to question their own past certainties The picture she paints is both vibrant and -for people like third historical novel and is a tour de force. Equally adept at Orange Prize. which leads in several cases to some uncharacteristic the Whites -threatening. As the world he knows vanishes conveying the squalid and the elegant, the hypocritical and behaviour. It is as if the whole town is suddenly convulsed Alfred has unthinkingly blamed every ill on blacks and for- the perverse, the cruel and the horrific,Waters also has a by a mid-life crisis which throws its values into relief. The eigners while his gentle wife, May, retreats into books. The delicate touch when it comes to longing, loss and youthful Orange Prize for Fiction -2002 -Long List main thrust of this fine novel is Oates's perennial concern awful and unforeseen consequences of his prejudices form love. This book would not have been an inappropriate (as in We were the Mulvaneys,2001)withconformityto the climax of the novel. winner ofthe Orange Prize, butthenthe actual winner, Bel Kitty Aldridge. Pop. the stereotypical roles assigned to one by society and the While Gee leaves us in no doubt that Alfred's views are Canto,presentsaquitediscreteandsterlingchallengeinits -Anita Rau Badami. The hero's walk. need to break the mould. destructive and wrong, she does not deal in stereotypes own way. Anna Burns. *No bones. Also concerned with notions of identityis Chloe Hooper and movingly portrays his finer side. Capable of nurturing Set in an unnamed South American country, Ann Patch- Jennifer Clement. A true story based on lies. in A child's book of true crime which is one of the four and tenderness, Alfred's work and his sound relationship ett's prize-winning novel, Bel Canto, was inspired by a real -Stevie Davies. * The element of water. remaining novels (along with The Siege and No bones dis- with May show him to be a man capable of decency but hostage-taking incident. One of its central characters is a -Helen Dunmore. The Siege. cussed above) shortlisted for the 2002 Orange Prize. overwhelmed by events. Gee's achievement here is her fictional opera singer, the beautiful Roxane Coss, who is Maggie Gee. *The White family. Kate Byrne has her firstteaching job in a small Tasmanian simultaneous expression of disgust with the faults of her also based onrealityinthe person ofthe American soprano -Lesley Glaister. Now you see me. ¨ town andis having an affair withthe father of a pupil. Asif it characters and compassionfor their all-too-humanfrailties. ReneeFleming. -Joanne Harris. Five quarters of the orange. were not complicated enough being sexually obsessed with The teeming,Victorian London of Sarah Waters's Finger- The situation and characters Patchettcreates outofthese Chloe Hooper. *A child's book of true crime. someone else's husband, she becomes fascinated by the smith could hardly be more different from Gee's modern reality-based beginnings are both convincing and exciting. -Elizabeth McCracken. Niagara Falls all over again. murder of the local vet 's mistress, presumably by the man's city. In a sprawling, three-tier simulation of the Victorian The story artfully integrates a musical theme into a highly wife. melodrama -reminiscent of Dickens and Wilkie Collins, dramatic context as the home of the vice-president is -Sue Monk Kidd. The secret life of bees. Kate feels there is a foreshadowing in this crime of her among others -Waters presents us with two heroines, invaded by a group of terrorists who are intent on taking -Joyce Carol Oates. Middle age. own death and tries to distance herself by retelling the both orphans. One, Maud, is rich and lives in a country the president hostage. Disappointed in this objective (since Kathy Page. The story of my face. murder story via a cast of Australian animals turned detec- house with her uncle (based on the real-life Henry Spencer the president has stayed home that evening to watch his -Ann Patchett. *Bel Canto. tive and intent on finding the murderer. This is quite an irri- Ashbee), while the other,SueTrinder, is poor and lives with favourite soapie!), the terrorists change tack: Nani Power. Crawling at night. tating though innovative ploy, but it augments rather than Mrs Sucksby (something like a female version of Fagan) who Having no chance to get what they came for, (they) decided Lily Prior. La Cucina. dissipates the book's psychosexual menace. `farms' babies, and Mr Ibbs, a receiver of stolen goods. As to take something else instead, something that they never in -Emma Richler. Sister Crazy. Muchmoreworthy,inmyopinion,ofaplaceontheshort soon as she is old enough, Sue is given the task of going their lives knew that they wanted until they crouched in the -Rachel Seiffert. The dark room. list is Maggie Gee's The White family about an eponymous `among the cradles with the bottle of gin and the silver low,dark shaftofthe air-conditioning vents: opera. -SarahWaters. *Fingersmith. clan whose name ironically defines its patriarch's racial spoon'to quiet the babies. She is taught many other tricks Settlingin for along siegethe captorslet allthe women go attitude. Alfred White (keeper of Albion Park, North as she growsup: except Roxane who they realise is a valuable bargaining chip. *Booksselectedfortheshortlistofsix. London, for the 50 years since his return from Palestine in Good coins we kept, ofcourse. Bad ones come up too bright, As the personification of the power of music Roxane -Titles available inlibrary service. 1949) is married to May and has a daughter,Shirley and two and must be slummed, with blacking and grease, before you Coss is the inducement that brought Japanese business sons,Dirk and Darren. pass them on. I learned that, too. Silks and linens there are tycoon, Mr Hosokawa, to the scene. He is known to be an 3 The bookopenswith Alfredcollapsingin a fitof anger and ways of washing and pressing, to make them seem new. Gems opera buff and a potential investor, and it is to celebrate his being taken to hospital. Once there he reflects on his chil- I would shine, with ordinary vinegar. Silver plate we ate our sup- birthday that the party has been arranged and the famous
% Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 15 16 DOCUMENTARY FOCUS BOOKWORLD CONTENTS / INHOUD Patricia Pinnock Notice to quit (the lion never sleeps): a Cecily van Gend chats to this portrait of South Africa in pictures, words talented author 18 and music/directors,RobertLemkinand Literary Awards Stephen Cleary. An annual update of literary awards by the On the road with Duke Ellington. Patricia Pinnock book selectors 20 One night with Blue Note preserved / Moerland - 'nleeskringbespreking director,John Jopson. `Tomethetest ofatrulygoodbookis 'n Interessante bespreking van Barnard se Ray Charles: the genius of soul/director, boekdeur 'nonbekende korrespondent 25 Yv o n n e S mit h . whetheritcanbereadandre-read-it Teenagers - a selection of titles Stephane Grappelli live in San Francisco/ doesn't matter if you already know the story' Some thoughts up close and personal on directors,Carlos NBroullon and Raymond this topic by Mary-Ann Maurice 27 Z GPoirier. Booklist- Adoption Z Texas tenor: the Illinois Jacquet story/ CECILY VAN GEND lot-in English, and I grew up reading classic Book selector Denise Harris provides a director, Arthur Elgort. Z A Correspondent stories like A tree grows in Brooklyn and selected list oftitles 29 JAZ A Thelonious Monk: straight no chaser/ How green was my valley.Theseinflu- D Z director,Charlotte Zwerin. he sign outside the neat, suburban ences, African and European',she says, DS PIZ blem, she began creating her own stories, `Til the butcher cuts him down/director, house on the slopes of Table `have distilled themselvesinto a rich syrup, poems and songs, based in Africa, with T Mountain reads African Sun Press, inspiring mostly poetry but also short Philip Spalding. stories and novellas.' central characters who were either black TootsThielemans in New Orleans/ so Iknow I am atthe right house. Inthe Compiled by JANINE DE VILLIERS Count Basie and friends1943-1951. As a child, she always thoughtof herself or women. They proved popular, and she director,John Beyer. front garden are lemon trees laden with Promotions and Publications Duke Ellington and his orchestra/director, fruit, and a path ofterra cottatileslaidin a as a writer. Her first poetry was published started sharing them with other schools. This was the beginning of the African Sun Bernard Rubin. Enough variety to tempt even conserva- neat, precise pattern. Inside, the house has when she was sixteen. `Very emotional, azz is notfor the faintof heart, but Press. George Lee Larnyoh: without borders/ tive music lovers. The fact remains that you a distinctly African feel. The study is filled adolescentoutpourings',she recalls, but for adventurous music lovers who In1997 her short story Love at His director,David Jammy. will either love jazz or have a life-long aver- with books and pictures. A worn Bokhara she was extremely lucky to meet mentors J love syncopated rhythms, interest- Majesty's,wontheMaskewMillerYoung sion to it but prepare yourself to love it after rug hangs above the desk, onthe only area who encouraged her to keep writing. She Glenn Miller: America's musical hero/ Africa Award, and was publishedintheir ing original improvisation and the harmo- watching a few of these jazz gems! of wall not lined with bookshelves. Patricia always kept a diary,and wrote a greatdeal director,Don McGlynn. anthology, Keys. Later, her first novel, nies so typical of jazz. This musicalgenre is Pinnock sits atherdesk. Sheis smalland of poetry. Note:FreddyOgteropistheFilm/Videoand Skyline, was also shortlisted for a Maskew made even more interesting by the musi- A great day in Harlem. dark, attractive in a very neat, precise way. She met her husband,Don, a journalist, DVD Selector ofthe Library Service. Miller Longman Award, andit was sug- cians who, eachintheir unique style contri- Hommage a Charlie Parker/director, She gives the impressionthat she knows while working in a bookshop in Harare, gested that she rewrite the story,originally bute to add variety to the jazz genre. There Frank Cassenti. exactly where she is going, and she ex- and came to live with him, firstin Cape are, however, the uninitiated who outright 3 presses her views articulately and suc- Town, then for tenyearsin Grahamstown aimed atteenagers, with a more adult Hotep Galeta: heading home after 30 years audience in mind. refuse to understandjazz or find a specific cinctly. before moving back to CapeTown. /director,WayneRobins. The novelis setin a run-down blockof style that appeals to their taste in music. It IbeginbyexplainingthatIhadstayedup It was while livingin Grahamstownthat Hugh Masekela in concert: vukani. flatsin Long Street,CapeTown, whichis might just be the display or promotion in the previousnight, re-reading Skyline.Itell shereally felt shewasborn as awriter. The home to the teenage girl who is the yourlibrary thatcould turn a few staunch Jazz on a summer's day/director,Bert herthatIweptforthesecondtime.`Yes', time was the turbulent eighties -a time full narrator.Virtually abandoned by her par- jazz sceptics into jazz fans. Stern. she says,`itis a very sad book. When Iwas of violence and brutality,particularlyinthe ents, she is responsible for her younger You would expectto find many musical Jazz is our religion/director,JohnJeremy. writingit,I got so close to Bernard that, Eastern Cape. Their house in Grahams- sister, who does not speak. The pair recordingsin Library Service stock, butto when Ifinishedit Ifeltthat Ihadlosta town overlookedthe township, and they Jazz sounds from Africa. become partofthe family of illegal immi- make the music even more exciting is the friend.' The character of Bernard was had a ringside view ofthe activities ofthe Lady Day: the many faces of Billie Holiday/ grants, drug dealers, transvestites and number of videorecordings featuring jazz based on a man whom she had known as a police and the movements of the Casspirs director,Matthew Seig. others on the margins of society, who musicians and their music. The following child -someone who had worked for her in and out of the area. Patricia founded a embrace them and draw them into their titles are availablefromthe Central Filmand The last of the Blue Devils/ director,Bruce motherin what was then Southern school as a haven for the children of the colourful, vibrant, oftentragic world. This Video Collection: Ricker. Rhodesia. `His name was Gideon, and he township: a place where they could escape is a very sad book -it is full of heartbeaking Art Pepper: notes from a jazz survivor/ Let's get lost / director,Bruce Weber. was a boxer. He was a very strong man, but the harsh realities of everyday life and find stories. But it also has humour, and is full of director, Don McGlynn. verygentle. One day he wasinvolvedin a peace. Its founding principles were non- The lion in the stones / director,Edwin hope. The positive message that comes Basil Manenberg Coetzee: keeping the brawl and my mother felt that she had to violence, non-racialism, and care ofthe Angless. through clearly is that love and compassion home fires burning... / director, Erald Felix. payhimoff. Mybrother and Iwere deva- earth, and children were steepedin art, Louis Armstrong. can flourish in the most adverse situations. stated, butlooking back Irealise that my music and ecology. Born to swing/ director,John Jeremy. Patricia remembers the circumstances The Louis Armstrong All Stars/director, mother was put in an impossible situation. During this time she discovered two whichgaverisetothenovel:`Welivedin A brother with perfect timing/director, Bernard Rubin. When Iwas creating Bernard,I visualised things: firstly, that there were almost no Long Streetin1975/76, in a condemned Chris Austin. Mingus / director,Thomas Reichman. Gideon -the archetypal carer: gentle but books available with which South African children couldidentify,and secondly,that building nextto the Lutheran Church. (It Carmen McRae live/director,Hiroshi Musicians in exile / director,Jacques strong.' the vast majority of her pupils came from has since been demolished). The building Fukumoto. Holender. Bornin Rhodesia of an Italian mother and a Czechoslovakian father, her child- homes where there were no books. `This houseda numberofsmallcraftsmen andwe Celebrating bird: the triumph of Charlie The musical legend of Jonas Gwangwa/ rented andlivedin rooms onthe roof. From hoodwas filled with Africanimages, tex- was a revelation for me,'she recalls. `I had Parker/ directors,Gary Giddins and director,H van der Merwe. here we couldlookdown onto Long Street Kendrick Simmons. tures and sounds, but also with an started buying books for my children A night in Havana: Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba/ enormous heritage of Europeanliterature almost before they were even born.' There and also look acrossinto windows and Claude Bolling's concerto for classical verandahs. We experienced the colourful director,John Holland. and culture. She grew up in a household was anurgentneed for suitable materialfor guitar and jazz piano/ director,Bruce comings and goings of gays, prostitutes, surrounded by books. `My parents read a the schoolchildren, and to rectify the pro- Gowers.
Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 Cape Libr., May/June 2003 17 18 BOEKWEêRELD
theirclients, dealers and also allthetraders and shopkeepers. Much ofthe description of Long Street in Skyline comes from those days although I have incorporated more recent happenings.' In writing this novel, her aim was, firstly, to highlightthe effectof civilwar and destabilisationin Africa on ordinary people. `There willnever be an African Renaissance aslong as wars rage through this continent. I also wanted to focus on refugees. They speak to me of a broken Africa, an Africa splintered by war, dicta- torships, cruelty and poverty.Theyconvey a picture of a torn canvas, a ruined masterpiece. Thirdly,Iwanted to illustrate the plightof child soldiers forced to fight adult war. Ihave dedicated the book to all child victims of war. I wantthis book to againtakes the form of a novel. `Iam speakontheir behalf. They are forced to very much concerned withthe ques- carryarms,tomurder,torob,lootand tion of good and evil,'she says. `Why maim. They do not know whatchildhoodis. isitthatevil so often seems to prevail And because theirchildhoods are ruined, over good?' Like Skyline,thenew so too are their adulthoods.' novelis set in Long Street, in the We discuss Bernard'srole inthe story, present, and portrays a fictitious and the central place of his paintings. `Of communityof Italians and Jews, course, the paintings don'texist', she tells who run little shops. Again, it me,`only in my imagination.' Although they looksatwar,and,whileitexamines are clearlyinspired by Western art, and the problem of good and evil, it also based on actualpaintings, theircolours and has humour. the vibrancy they are meantto portray are Patricia writes every day. `I am very dis- of Getaway magazine. `We are all very distinctly African. They are the voice of ciplined,'she tells me. `I can stop writing, go close',she says,`andhave awonderfulfamily Bernard speaking tothe narrator,and off and do something else, and then come life.' through her, to us. back and carry on where Ileftoff. Inter- As Ileave, she autographs herlatest In her review of the novelin the Cape ruptions are not a problem, because when I publication to give to me -a volume of Times,Jennifer Crocker callsit`a magnifi- amworking I enterinto the story comple- poems: A gathering of Madonnas,pub- centbookaboutthehumanspirit...vibrant, tely.' lishedby African Sun. Here, too, thetheme warm, sometimes funny and sometimes This is fortunate, as she runs a busy is war, capturing the plightrefugees and heartbreakinglysad...itreaffirmsresilience household, with her two children stillliving displacedpersons. Iopenitto a poemcalled borneofloveandremindsusoftheinter- at home. The eldest son is studying archi- Love Song, Mozambique 1975. `This is Ber- dependence of those who would survive tectureatuniversity,thedaughterisgoing nard's song', she tells me,`a continuation of despite adversity.' into matric. Husband Don is deputy editor the one he sings in the novel.' I read: I ask her aboutliteraryinfluences on her work. She names the classics from her childhood -Betty Smith,Richard Llewellyn, Carson McCullers,Harper Lee'sTo kill a This is how I will love you, mockingbird. `Tomethetestof atrulygood As though you be a leaf-laden baobab and I the wind; bookis whetheritcan be read and re-read -itdoesn'tmatterif you alreadyknow the As though you be a pool of mountain waterand I story. Atpresent Iamreading Primo Levi -I A rippling murmur across you. feel very drawn to him as a person. I am deeply moved by everything he writes. He I willlove you from afaras though I be near isverydifficult, but Iamabsolutelyinawe of For how can I be gone from you him. Heinspiresme. And Ihavejust fin- ished reading Jill PatonWalsh's Knowledge When even in death I am the whistling ofdreams, of angels -a very powerful novel.' When even from this place I am cloud ribbons in the sky. She is busy working on a master's degree increativewritingatthe Universityof Cape Itepitomises the message of hope whichthe novel conveys. Town with Professor JM Coetzee, another Note: This interview was done in November 2001. strong influence in her writing. This work
% Kaapse Bibl., Mei/Junie 2003 19