The End Of South African Literary Culture

South Africa may have produced two Nobel laureates in literature

, but it appears unlikely there will be another one, not if the South African newspapers have anything to do with it. There was widespread press criticism of supposed pro-Afrikaner attitudes in the novel Disgrace, this led to an ANC complaint of racism to the Human Rights Commission, which was directly instrumental in J.M Coetzees decision to immigrate to Australia. Double Booker Prize winner and Nobel laureate J.M Coetzee, was known to slam the phone down on South African journalists, for the local press can be rather cavalier toward writers. Media24 is South Africa's largest media company, it owns most of the country's magazines and major newspaper titles, earlier this year they closed down the iconic Boekehuis (Afrikaans for "book house"). This famous bookshop became another victim of what Media24 describe as "the poor reading culture," then came the announcement that Media24 would discard the books editors of their national dailies, and contract a super editor for books who would create an identical book page for all their newspaper. This means that fewer opinions and analysis will be expressed about fewer books, which is not likely to improve "the poor reading culture," the University of Stellenbosch Literary Project (SLP) views the state of South African literature as:

Many literatures, few readers: The end of SA literary culture?

This decline in South African literature and the role of the press in its downfall, are accurately portrayed in the Pat Stevens novels, which sketch a very different scenario to the rosy picture force-fed by the liberal media. Pat Stevens was born in Johannesburg in the same month Alan Paton completed Cry, the Beloved Country, December 1946 was coincidentally also the month that Steve Bantu Biko was born, so some characters in the early Pat Stevens novels derive from both. The four books in The Greatest Game series, cover events leading to the 1994 South African transition to democracy, detailing the scepticism of the liberal press that almost derailed the process. Unfortunately these purveyors of doubt are still around today, a fifth novel titled Hero of the Struggle is set against the rise to power of Jacob Zuma, it describes the complicity of the press in his persecution and the long struggle to effect dropping of charges. The entire planet were entranced at the 1994 miracle election, as today they marvel over the miraculous rise to power of Jacob Zuma, the Pat Stevens books explain how these miracles are arranged in South Africa. The keenly awaited novel Zulu Vampire has now being posted, and an anthology of short pieces titled Parables and Poems is available, the Parables can also be viewed on the patstevens.net website. Certainly worth a read is the semi-autobiographical book, titled White Bird Under the Sun, a beautifully written African coming-of-age book.

White Bird Under the Sun is the charming story of an idyllic African boyhood, the author takes you on a journey through Africa that will warm your heart, as you share with him the joy and travails of childhood. Although based on the authors own upbringing, the book is not pitched as an autobiography but rather a passage, where the author shares with you the wonder of Africa as seen through the eyes of a young boy. The story starts right in the womb, recounts the early years in Johannesburg, then the family travel to cowboy country Northern Rhodesia. There is gritty realism in the story, as the white bird matches himself against his formidable sisters, yet through his journey he is supported always by loyal Twiny. This is not a tale of high adventure or romantic love, but rather the lifetime memories that are engendered, when your first Tiger Fish kicks at your line or your first buck lies dead at your feet. This book describes the deep wonder you feel when you first set eyes on the magnificent Victoria Falls, or watch a fish eagle swoop down on the mighty Zambezi river, fly with the white bird and share the African memories that can never be felt again. Read the Pat Stevens novels and experience a literary culture that is fast disappearing in South Africa, when journalists write both the newspapers and the books, then truth takes a distant second place to the more pressing necessity of political expedience.

by: Pat

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