Frieda And Min by Pamela Jooste (1-Jan-2000) Paperback

by Pamela Jooste

Story based on friendships between two different races and cultures. 'Immensley moving and readable." (The Times)

Genres: Historical Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Pamela Jooste is a South African novelist. Her first novel, Dance with a Poor Man's Daughter, won the 1998 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, best first book, Africa, and the Sanlam Prize for Fiction. She worked for Howard Timmins publishers, and BP Southern Africa. She is married and lives in Cape Town.

Reviews

[Jillian Goldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard of this book before I came across it on a bookshelf in Australia, of all places. It is a quick, easy read but it nevertheless quite haunting. The language is simple and clear, unpretentious and yet succinct and meaningful. The prose is very well crafted. The author captures the mannerisms of language and intonation used by a very specific group in Johannesburg in the midcentury; the voices of the characters bring to life a time and place that I recognized with a pang of nostalgia. The story, similarly, belongs to a specific time and place, and although this was known to me personally, I think that the tragedy and conflict that the political situation brings to the lives of the characters can be appreciated by any sensitive reader. The quality in this work that I admire is that the author maintains a small, quiet, modest tone to convey the effect of those times on ordinary people caught up in events over which they have little control. This is a universal experience.
I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot. It's a great read for a long weekend. It is a subject matter close to my heart. Want to read her other books - and she's a fellow South African as well. :)

[Annette McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book.

Please read this book. At least once a year. Love, friendship, relationships, politics and everything inbetween. I wish I'd written this book.

[Alien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Südafrika: Mias Mutter heiratete einen idealistischen Arzt, der dann in einer Klink am Arsch der Welt eine Stelle annahm (wo es ihr gar nicht gefiel). Dann starb der Bruder, später auch der Vater. Die junge Mia ist traumatisiert und redet lange nichts mehr, die Mutter sieht es als Opposition, sie kann keine Beziehung zu ihrer Tochter aufbauen.
Dann lädt sie Mia für einen Sommer bei einer Freundin ab, die stark in die jüdische Gemeinschaft in Johannisburg eingebunden ist. Mia und deren Tochter Frieda werden Freundinnen, obwohl sie sehr unterschiedlich sind.
Als sie älter werden, macht sich Frieda vor allem Gedanken um ihren Mangel an heiratswilligen Männern, während Mia sich politisch engagiert, was sie bald mit dem rassistischen Rechtssystem in Konflikt bringt. Das kann nicht gut enden.

Soweit ich mich erinnere, habe ich noch kein südafrikanisches Buch gelesen, das nicht von der Apartheid handelte. Das scheint sozusagen "Pflicht" für jeden südafrikanischen Autoren zu sein.
Ausserdem geht es in dem Roman um Familien- und Freundschaftsbeziehungen. Das entspricht nun gar nicht meinem Beuteschema. Aber ab und zu enden meine sporadischen Ausflüge in die Mainstream-Literatur doch mit einem Erfolg.

Das Buch ist anrührend und die Handlung, die ziemlich lange eher planlos in der Gegend herumzumachen scheint, entwickelt überraschend eine Folgerichtigkeit, die dann auch einen guten, befriedigenden Abschluss findet.

[Lesley Moorhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about friendship between two girls with no obvious similarities to bind them: Min, brought up by a rejecting mother and loving, liberal doctor father in 'the bush' of Kwazulu Natal and Frieda, reared as a good Jewish girl in urban Johannesburg. The girls remain close throughout their lives, their friendship played out against the backdrop of apartheid, security police and cheating husbands.
I enjoyed this book both for its simplicity but also for the nostalgia it evoked, for the familiar places discussed and sense of love and family that rose so clearly from the pages.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frieda and Min are best friends who though from different backgrounds and different goals are there for each there. I loved reading this book because of the friendship that is evident in Frieda and Min-and especially in times when there's racial prejudice.Min loves everyone regardless of their skin color and sets out to South Africa, to her Father's Clinic to help out Father Ignatius, and is jailed for having refused to write a doctor's report for a black man she knows was killed.

[Clarissa Surek-Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great surprise to find a new South African fiction writer that I enjoy. Loved this story although I would have liked more details on Min's life later on in the book (no spoilers here!). Jooste has great explanations of Southern African customs as practiced by the various groups that live here - plus the two characters alternate in the narrative and are quite different from one another. A must read.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend suggested that I read this author, and I am so glad that she did. This is a lovely book about two girls from very different backgrounds who become life-long friends. Frieda is Jewish and lives in Jo'burg, Min is the daughter of a doctor who treats people in the bush of South Africa. It is the time of Apartheid. A great story of clashing cultures: Jewish with other whites and whites with blacks , expectations, traditions, and the importance of family. Wonderful book!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet book, a bit YA for me. I think if I'd read it as a teenager, it would have rocked my world a bit but not now. For anyone who wants kind of an easy read intro to life in South Africa in the 1960s and 70s, this might be a good one.

I did like Frieda very very much - I could really hear her voice.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful stories ever written.

[Teryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It put so many things into context for me. Highly recommended for anybody who grew up during those years.

[Sharon Reuben · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read about a deep and enduring friendship.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those unforgettable stories. I love her books

[Kathryne Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy flowing read

Easy flowing read about a wonderful friendship in a troubled south Africa. Describes the Jewish way and manner in such a positive light.

[Goretti · Rating 4 out of 5]

touching story of a life-long friendship. Enjoyable!