Swimming with Cobras

Rosemary Smith

Description

Swimming with Cobras is a memoir about a journey to find a foothold in a foreign land grappling with its own identity, offering rare and important insight into a corner of South Africa's past. Rosemary Smith�s life as an activist in the Eastern Cape began when she moved from England with her South African born husband in the mid-1960s. They made their home in Grahamstown where they raised four children. As a member of the Black Sash she participated in events spanning three decades in an intensely politicised and oppressed province. Through her involvement she made the transition to full integration in a country that at first struck her as alien and strange.

Sujets

• Autobiography
• Biography

Informations

• Publié par: Modjaji Books
• Date de parution: 25 mars 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781920590246
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 29 Mo

Extrait

Publication © Modjaji Books 2011 Copyright © Rosemary Smith 2011 First published in 2011 by Modjaji Books PTY Ltd P O Box 385, Athlone, 7760, South Africa [e-mail] http://modjaji.book.co.a www.modjajibooks.co.a

ISBN 978-1-920397-37-1

Book design: Natascha Mostert Cover artwork and lettering: Jesse Breytenbach Printed and bound by Mega Digital, Cape Town Set in Palatino

Acknowledgements This book has had a long gestation period, culled as it is from the diaries I kept since arriving in South Africa in 1966. Throughout this long period I have incurred many debts to friends both in Grahamstown and England, to the many Black Sashers who inspired and nurtured me, and to the mainly Eastern Cape people whom I met through my work who showed me a depth of humanity I did not know existed.

There are too many people to name and thank individually but as in my dedication I must name a few. Firstly I thank Colleen Higgs and Mojadji Books who had faith enough to publish the book. Secondly Karen Robertson who was the editor and made all the editing sessions interesting and fun! Without these two people the book would never have seen the light of day. William Barnes in London was a meticulous and kind encourager of early drafts. Sadly, he died shortly before the book was published. And to Lynette Paterson, who put in swathes of time prodding, pushing and suggesting, my debt is enormous.

Finally, the love and encouragement of my husband Malvern and children Matthew, Anna, Charlotte and Lucy has sustained me throughout and I am deeply grateful to them.

For William who began it all. For the family who lived it.

And for Lynette, without whom it would not have come to fruition.

“The pattern of women’s lives lies … locked in old diaries, stuffed away in old drawers.” –Virginia Woolf, 1929