Bessie Head is one of the most celebrated female
writers in African history. Her novels and diverse short stories continue to
stand the test of time.
Born in South Africa, it was later on in Botswana
that she would make her mark as a writer in powerful fashion. Her mother was
white, whilst her father was black - a relationship frowned upon in SA during the
time.
A lot of myths have sprung up, surrounding Head, her
life, and works. How much of her creative works are autobiographical, for
example. Many considered her to be an orphan, but in fact she was taken care of
by a number of "mothers" in her youth.
But there is no doubt about her excellent literary
talent. Again though regarded as very poor during her lifetime, she in fact
travelled the world many times thanks to her writing prowess.
Maru
"People
were horrible to Maru as he could see into their thoughts and feelings, see
their very bloodstreams and hear the beating of their hearts".
A
bewitched Crossroad. "A special effort is needed to
perceive the different social and religious organisation of these people...the
scene setting is heavy going... I can only say that I welcomed a Bewitched
Crossroad on my desk with expectations of new discovery and insight, but closed
it with a sense of baffled frustration" - Barry Ronge.
"Bessie Head's short stories have an
extraordinary simplicity and breadth of vision, a tolerant acceptance of things
as they are, which if applied to an European writer inside the structure
of an European novel, would cause her to be hailed as a new humanist
saint, a Tolstoy, a Gorki," - Tribune (England).
Published Works
When
Rain Clouds Gather (1968)
Maru
(1971)
A
Question of Power (1973)
Looking
for a Rain God (1977)
The
Collector of Treasures and Other Botswana Village Tales (1977)
Serowe:
Village of the Rain Wind (1981)
A
Bewitched Crossroad (1984)
Tales
of Tenderness and Power (1989)
A
Woman Alone: Autobiographical Writings (1990)
(By Raphael Mokoena)
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