The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 19 June 2001
by Laurens van der Post
In the period of late colonial Africa, Francois Joubert is a boy coming of age on his father's much-loved ranch, Hunter's Drift. A progressive thinker, Francois' father, who he knows as Ouwa, has been rejected by his social group as being too much a friend to the natives. The ranch is a cooperative venture between Ouwa and the local population, and thus is a respected and cared-for institution. Within this magical world of the Bush, Francois is growing up with a powerful sensitivity to the natural world. The telling of his life is beautiful, touching, and full of the revelations of the mystery and power of the landscape. This world is fragile, though, and through many omens and foreshadowings, van der Post brings out the contradictions of Hunter's Drift and the world it occupies. The white settler culture rejects its progressive relationship to the native tribes, and violent revolutionaries see it as just another example of colonial exploitation. Prototypically, this attempt at co-existence is seen as a threat by both sides. It's fragile existence is mirrored in the constant give and take of the natural world Francois inhabits. The arrival of a rare Bushman, introduces a turbulent time of change. Francois, already fairly precocious, does a lot of growing up in the book. Most of the book is taken up with Francois' relationship to this troubled and incredibly beautiful world. There are moments of magic. There are moments of terror. There is always the recognition of the vibrant interplay of human and natural worlds. Highly recommended.