Burger's Daughter
Burger's Daughter is an historical novel by the South African writer Nadine Gordimer, originally published in the United Kingdom in 1979 by Jonathan Cape. It was not published in South Africa because Gordimer expected the book to be banned in that country, and it was, although the restriction was lifted six months later.
Burger's Daughter is about white anti-apartheid activists in South Africa seeking to overthrow the South African government. Written in the wake of the 1976 Soweto uprising, it follows the life of Rosa, the title character, as she comes to terms with her father Lionel's legacy as an activist in the South African Communist Party (SACP) over the course of 30 years. The perspective shifts between Rosa's internal monologue (often directed towards her father or her semi-lover Conrad), and the omniscient narrator. The novel is routed in the history of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa with references to actual events and people from that period.
Gordimer described the novel as "a coded homage" to Bram Fischer, Nelson Mandela's treason trial defence lawyer.
Her writing has long dealt with moral and racial issues, particularly apartheid in South Africa. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement, joining the African National Congress during the days when the organization was banned. She has recently been active in HIV/AIDS causes.
Burger's Daughter is about white anti-apartheid activists in South Africa seeking to overthrow the South African government. Written in the wake of the 1976 Soweto uprising, it follows the life of Rosa, the title character, as she comes to terms with her father Lionel's legacy as an activist in the South African Communist Party (SACP) over the course of 30 years. The perspective shifts between Rosa's internal monologue (often directed towards her father or her semi-lover Conrad), and the omniscient narrator. The novel is routed in the history of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa with references to actual events and people from that period.
Gordimer described the novel as "a coded homage" to Bram Fischer, Nelson Mandela's treason trial defence lawyer.
About the Author
Nadine Gordimer (born 20 November 1923) is a South African writer and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature when she was recognised as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity".Her writing has long dealt with moral and racial issues, particularly apartheid in South Africa. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement, joining the African National Congress during the days when the organization was banned. She has recently been active in HIV/AIDS causes.
