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Hilarious Insights from the Township
Dr. Orville Boyd Jenkins
A review of the book by Chris Van Wyk
Shirley, Goodness and Mercy:  A Childhood Memoir (Johannesburg:  Picador Africa, 2005.  313p.)

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This author is a South African poet, novelist and short story writer.  Here he writes autobiographically about the situation in the Coloured Community of South Africa as he grew up.  I bought this in December 2006 in Bedfordview, South Africa, as part of my reading plan on cultures in South Africa, and read it a few months later.

Van Wyk's specific focus is autobigoraphical, telling stories from his experiences of growing up in the township of Riverlea, near Johannesburg.  The book includes several of his original poems, relating them to the context in which he wrote them.

He tells about the liberation struggle against Apartheid, and his part in it.  Though this is a serious and reflective book, it is humourous.  Van Wyk does not hold himself exempt from his own satire.

For instance, his title arises from a childhood memory.  His mother was named Shirley.  He tells that as a young child he would quote the Bible verse "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me …" as "Shirley, goodness and mercy…"  He envisioned his mother being involved in that hope for care in his life.

He tells some hilarious stories of events with his family.  Some of these humourous stories also help bring out the pathos of the hemmed-in life of people under Apartheid.  Likewise his thoughtful portraits introduce us to some thoughtful people of various races in his childhood and youth.

It was interesting to hear Van Wyk's thoughts about the variety of people lumped all together as Coloured by the previous Apartheid government, English-speaking, Afrikaans-speaking, Christian Muslim, and his mosaic of ethnic life in the township.

See related reviews and articles on this site:
[Text] The Couloureds of Southern Africa
[Review] Self-Concepts of Race in South Africa
[review] South African Spirituality
[review] Venda Homeland under Apartheid
[review] A View of Africa
[review] White Man in a Cape Town Township
[review] Worldview, Ethnicity and Social Dynamics in African Politics

This book is not available on Amazon
Find it on Barnes and Noble
See my book reviews on Amazon.com
See menu of all book reviews on this site
See my reading lists
Many other books have review notes with the reading list entry

OBJ

Initial review posted on Barnes and Noble 14 February 2009
This version posted on OJTR 16 February 2009
Reviewed on Amazon 31 January 2012
Last edited here 31 January 2012

Orville Boyd Jenkins, EdD, PhD
Copyright © 2009 Orville Boyd Jenkins
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Please give credit and link back.  Other rights reserved.

Email:  orville@jenkins.nu
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