by bayside » Thu May 19, 2011 10:23 pm
A reply to a year-old Posting from someone who only recently stumbled on this marvelous discussion group: For those of you who would like to find an outstanding author who also writes about South African history -- and also writes historical fiction, I would highly recommend Sir Laurens Van der Post. He, too, is a native-born South African, predading WS by some 20 years. His insights into the bushmen of the Kalahari are unequaled. In his works of fiction, in my opinion, he is even more accurate in portraying conditions on the sub-continent as they truly are. One thing in particular I have noticed, is WS rarely makes mention of snakes in his books, and in particular, never of the copper cobra -- only a couple of mambas and one or two adders. Van der Post always has a lot of snakes -- more snakes than sex, for goodness sake -- perhaps that's why he isn't as well known. Living in the Southwestern United States, and spending most of my life in the wilds, I have always been concerned with where I camped, and always made sure it was free of (obvious) rattlesnakes before I spread out my sleeping bag under the stars. I have read all of WS's book and have never read of any of his characters making sure they weren't about to pitch their tent on a snake den. All minor points, though, and not enough to detract from his great writing. Give LVdP a try.