Lansdowne dearest

My family’s story of forced removals

Bronwyn Davids

ISBN:

9780795709807

Epub ISBN:

9780795709814

Publisher:

Kwela

Date Released:

June 2020

Price (incl. VAT):

R 340.00

Format:

Soft cover, 208pp


About this book:

In the 1920s, Bronwyn Davids’ great-grandpa Joe McBain built their family home in Lansdowne. In this memoir, Davids vibrantly recreates life lived in this house for generations: There’s doekpoeding  for Christmas; helpful neighbours dropping by for advice and chommies playing kennetjie. 

But this is also an account of a gut-wrenching loss. Set against the background of apartheid forced removals, this is a charming and authentically South African family story that will stay with you.

 

 

 

Read extract

Readers say

‘A powerful story written with clarity, composure and compassion. . . Davids expresses herself with such fl uency and insight that the aromas and colours, the pains and the pleasures, the aspirations and the suppressions of Lansdowne Dearest feel near and real. This book is a must-read.’

– Jonathan Jansen


‘An affectionate, often pained family record and a vivid tile in the mosaic of South African stories.’

– Michele Magwood


RELATED BOOKS

In my vel

Azille Coetzee

Anton Goosen

Hanlie Retief

Putco Mafani: The Price and Prize of Greatness

Putco Mafani

Whitey: Sakereus van Shoprite

Niel Joubert

Witnessing

Pie-Pacifique Kabalira-Uwase

Derick Hougaard

Brenden Nel

Kwanele, Enough!

Andy Kawa

Jwara! Induna's Daughter

Joyce Piliso-Seroke

Whitey: The Rise and Rule of the Shoprite King

Niel Joubert

Life Lessons

Alan Knott-Craig

Andile Gaelesiwe: Remembering

Andile Gaelesiwe

Becoming a Doctor

Hloni Bookholane

Magenge, We Need to Talk

Melusi Tshabalala

Takka Takka Bom Bom

Al Venter

Meditating with Rhinos

Helena Kriel

Betting on a Darkie

Mteto Nyati

I am Ella

Joanne Jowell

Comrade Editor

Gwen Lister

Hooked

Melinda Ferguson

The Corporate Revolutionary

David Williams

Clare: The killing of a gentle activist

Christopher Clark

But He Speaks So Well

Ivan Johnson

The Girl Who Survived Her Mother

Moshitadi Lehlomela

Yellow and Confused

Ming-Cheau Lin

Love and Above

Sarah Bullen

Lucas Mangope

Oupa Segalwe

Now You Know How Mapetla Died

Zikhona Valela

Anton Rupert

Ebbe Dommisse

Smacked

Melinda Ferguson

Anton Rupert

Ebbe Dommisse

Out of Quatro

Luthando Dyasop

Kyk na my

Nataniël

Look At Me

Nataniël

Statues and Storms

Max Price

The Scholarship Kids

Robert Gentle

GiGi

GiGi

Robert

Robert Hamblin

Heart of a Strong Woman

Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, Fred Khumalo

Die kind se naam is Anneke

Juliana Coetzer

The Lockdown Collection

Melinda Ferguson

IMPOSSIBLE SKIES

Frans Meyer

A Childhood Made Up: Living with my mother's madness

Brent Meersman

The ANC Spy Bible

Moe Shaik

Robert McBride: The Struggle Continues

Bryan Rostron

Zephany (E)

Joanne Jowell

Zephany (A)

Joanne Jowell

How I Took Back My Power

Nompumelelo Runji

The Legend of Zola Mahobe and the Mamelodi Sundowns Story

Don Lepati, Nikolaos Kirkinis

Ghetto Ninja

Nikolaos Kirkinis, Junior Khanye

Into Dark Water: A Police Memoir

Jeremy Vearey