It is some eleven years since the first Author's Note was written. The population of S. Africa today is estimated to be about 15, 000, 000, of whom 3,000,000 are white. 1 1/4 millions are colored people, nearly 1/2 million are Indians, the rest are Africans. I did not mention the Indians in the first Author's Note because I did not wish to confuse readers . . . but the existence of this minority is now much better known . . . because their position has become so desperate under apartheid legislation. . . .
Alan Paton
Natal, S. Africa.
Showing posts with label S. Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label S. Africa. Show all posts
Sunday, March 24, 2013
As Meikhtila burns in Burma - I remember this - Alan Paton, forward to 1987 edition of Cry the Beloved Country -
Alan Paton's introductions to reprints of his
novel "Cry the Beloved Country" about S. Africa -- a compilation - I
bought my copy in 1996 when the movie came out.
-- From 1987 edition: Cry the Beloved Country, though it is a story about S. Africa, was not written in that country at all. It was begun in Trondheim, Norway and finished in San Francisco on Christmas Eve . . . Maxwell Perkins, sr. editor of Scribners, accepted it at once --
Perkins said, one of the most important characters in the story is the land itself -- "
Paton said, this passage in the book is where the title comes from --
Cry, the beloved country for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.
Alan Paton, Natal S. Africa.
-- From 1987 edition: Cry the Beloved Country, though it is a story about S. Africa, was not written in that country at all. It was begun in Trondheim, Norway and finished in San Francisco on Christmas Eve . . . Maxwell Perkins, sr. editor of Scribners, accepted it at once --
Perkins said, one of the most important characters in the story is the land itself -- "
Paton said, this passage in the book is where the title comes from --
Cry, the beloved country for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.
Alan Paton, Natal S. Africa.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
S. African blade runner Pistorius murder case - judge denies bail -
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/20/world/africa/south-africa-pistorius-case/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Prosecutor says premeditated murder - CNN asks Marcia Clark - prosecutor in OJ Simpson case for her opinion. Marcia says not waking his partner in bed first was not credible./
Defense attorney that CNN asked (not Pistorius's actual defense lawyer) said it "might not have been in S. African culture to call 911 first" - instead of calling the gated community manager./ !!!!
Hope we don't see a repeat of OJ Simpson case -
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)