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City Lovers
- GenresShort Stories
Unknown Binding
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About the author
Nadine Gordimer
328 books958 followersNadine Gordimer was a South African writer, political activist, and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was recognized as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity".
Gordimer's writing dealt with moral and racial issues, particularly apartheid in South Africa. Under that regime, works such as Burger's Daughter and July's People were banned. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement, joining the African National Congress during the days when the organization was banned. She was also active in HIV/AIDS causes.
Gordimer's writing dealt with moral and racial issues, particularly apartheid in South Africa. Under that regime, works such as Burger's Daughter and July's People were banned. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement, joining the African National Congress during the days when the organization was banned. She was also active in HIV/AIDS causes.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 24, 2018
It is an interesting story that is really nuanced in regard to race relations in South Africa. We see a white male gets in some sort of contact with a very young colored girl. We don't know their exact age but it is quite clear that the girl is far younger than the guy.
It seems to me that there is an afterthought as far as the age of the guy is concerned. In the beginning, when the cashier girl first sees him and wants to help him; as a reader, I thought that she is trying to help an old man. However, in the story, we are also told that though he is eligible, he hardly pay attention to women in his office. He might be engaged back home. In short, the white male character seems to grow backward in the story; I first thought that he is really old, but towards the end, he almost turns into a college lad.
I would also like to talk about how race works in the story. Even though he is quite a decent fellow, but he measures her when she first comes to his flat to give him his stuff. Very soon, they start sleeping together. We get to know him but we hardly know the girl. At least two times in the narrative, she is referred to as 'body.' He does not want that 'body' to go out in the dark in cold. He wants to keep her warm– the body. One would have understood this mindset better if he were a South-African. From where has he, being an Austrian learn, learned this behavior. In addition, while he is discreet toward white women in his office, he is quite forward with this young black girl. Or maybe being an educated guy he quickly learns that it is better to act like a South-African kind of white.
The girl is portrayed quite vaguely. Only once in the story, we see her dark side when she tells her mother false, made-up stories about her white ravisher. While she is fascinated by the White man's comfortable lifestyle and later also by him. He, on the other hand, analyses and fixes her in the way she cannot even fathom. Or maybe she can but we do not know her private thoughts.
When one thinks of race and how it affects human beings; there are aspects of it that makes it hilarious, and of course, also damaging. The white guy with all his privileges cannot fuck a girl in his own flat. The girl, on the other hand, is frisked by the colored men. How race runs the through racialized societies and harms people irrespective of their color.
It is quite shocking to see that such regulations and segregation are really practiced not so long ago. Even though I loved reading this excellent story, I also laughed that Gordimer could not use a black girl as her central character. She has to use a somewhat light skinned person to make the story work. That is a must for the story. Otherwise, it would not have worked and they would never have ended up in bed.
It seems to me that there is an afterthought as far as the age of the guy is concerned. In the beginning, when the cashier girl first sees him and wants to help him; as a reader, I thought that she is trying to help an old man. However, in the story, we are also told that though he is eligible, he hardly pay attention to women in his office. He might be engaged back home. In short, the white male character seems to grow backward in the story; I first thought that he is really old, but towards the end, he almost turns into a college lad.
I would also like to talk about how race works in the story. Even though he is quite a decent fellow, but he measures her when she first comes to his flat to give him his stuff. Very soon, they start sleeping together. We get to know him but we hardly know the girl. At least two times in the narrative, she is referred to as 'body.' He does not want that 'body' to go out in the dark in cold. He wants to keep her warm– the body. One would have understood this mindset better if he were a South-African. From where has he, being an Austrian learn, learned this behavior. In addition, while he is discreet toward white women in his office, he is quite forward with this young black girl. Or maybe being an educated guy he quickly learns that it is better to act like a South-African kind of white.
The girl is portrayed quite vaguely. Only once in the story, we see her dark side when she tells her mother false, made-up stories about her white ravisher. While she is fascinated by the White man's comfortable lifestyle and later also by him. He, on the other hand, analyses and fixes her in the way she cannot even fathom. Or maybe she can but we do not know her private thoughts.
When one thinks of race and how it affects human beings; there are aspects of it that makes it hilarious, and of course, also damaging. The white guy with all his privileges cannot fuck a girl in his own flat. The girl, on the other hand, is frisked by the colored men. How race runs the through racialized societies and harms people irrespective of their color.
It is quite shocking to see that such regulations and segregation are really practiced not so long ago. Even though I loved reading this excellent story, I also laughed that Gordimer could not use a black girl as her central character. She has to use a somewhat light skinned person to make the story work. That is a must for the story. Otherwise, it would not have worked and they would never have ended up in bed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2018
“City Lovers,” by Nadine Gordimer, published in the New Yorker in 1975, humanizes the love affair between a white man, (a PhD of Geology, grandson of a Baroness, Dutch, and cultured) and a black girl (a cashier at a shop) in Johannesburg, South Africa during the Apartheid. The story focuses on themes of intimacy intertwined with the illegality of the affair and the man’s own bias and racism. The story focuses more on the tragic love than a political rhetoric. Bodies, sex, flesh upon flesh, the darkness and bittersweet nature of passion play heavily in the story. It begins with the two lovers meeting. The girl and man fall into intimacy, through small kindnesses and simple connections, over coffee and sewing a button onto a pair of pants. Yet throughout the story, the man always sees her as “other,” and as a foreigner doesn’t understand the danger he puts her in. The girl imagines their life if they were married, but is always aware of how separate their lives must remain. Driving in a car together, making coffee the way he likes it and watching him read the paper bring her joy. He teaches her to use a typewriter and finds her a compatible partner. In the end of the story there is a banging on the door.The girl immediately knows they have been caught and begs the man to hide her in the closet. He refuses at first and she says if he doesn’t she will jump out the window. He agrees, yet, with little understanding of the gravity of the situation, though his knees and arms feel weak. He opens the door to three police officers who say a black woman has been living with him. They begin to search the apartment as the man says the girl is not there. Finally, they reach the closet, without the key the police officers use a screwdriver to open the closet. They find the girl and bring both of them to the police station separately. The girl is forced through a vaginal examination and finally driven home by the man’s lawyer. They are brought to court, but the state cannot prove that they had intercourse. The girl and man reject each other in court, and without ever seeing each other again they part ways.
The story focuses on an important time in South African history, which is both significant politically and socially, yet, focuses on this time through human experience. The story is told in the third person, moving in and out of both character’s minds, it creates a haunting dialogue of contrasting perspectives. The story is complex, but not complicated, as to allow any reader to be sucked into its depth. The intimacy between the two characters is both incredibly compelling and disheartening. It is not a story of good and evil, but of humanity, both with its flaws and incredible kindnesses. For me, a good story delves into all sides and becomes multifaceted, so that every reader catches different gleams of inference as they unfold. The story is not entirely bleak, yet is bleak, but from a narrative, personal, emotional view, you wouldn’t want them not to come together. Gordimer makes out that the outer life is horrendous and terrifying and what people snatch in this, is the secret life. Yet, we end with the knowledge that this secret life is over and we’re saddened by it, as much as, we are forced into understanding it.
The story focuses on an important time in South African history, which is both significant politically and socially, yet, focuses on this time through human experience. The story is told in the third person, moving in and out of both character’s minds, it creates a haunting dialogue of contrasting perspectives. The story is complex, but not complicated, as to allow any reader to be sucked into its depth. The intimacy between the two characters is both incredibly compelling and disheartening. It is not a story of good and evil, but of humanity, both with its flaws and incredible kindnesses. For me, a good story delves into all sides and becomes multifaceted, so that every reader catches different gleams of inference as they unfold. The story is not entirely bleak, yet is bleak, but from a narrative, personal, emotional view, you wouldn’t want them not to come together. Gordimer makes out that the outer life is horrendous and terrifying and what people snatch in this, is the secret life. Yet, we end with the knowledge that this secret life is over and we’re saddened by it, as much as, we are forced into understanding it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2016
This is particularly beautiful and well written. Nearly as well written as an old classic. Nearly as emotive as a beautiful novela. A story of people of different cultures and races that met and decided to stay together in a place like South Africa in the worst of the racial regime in there. I liked it. Felt it could be better if we found out the destiny of such a sad love. Alas we were left hanging on how things turned out. Perhaps bad for the young black woman. This is really a sad story. One of another era. And yet so sadly real. 3 stars.
February 10, 2014
Listened to a New Yorker podcast - read by Tessa Hadley... was slightly disappointed...
March 23, 2026
I think the story adresses some very important topics. The take it has on the apartheid and the "mixed-raced" relationships is very interesting. The story also portrayes the unfair power dynamic between the couple well, adding weight to the story. The uncomfrotable scene at the later part of the story when the cashier is being checked at the police station makes the story leave a bad after taste for the reader, but I think that's kinda the point. The story is not meant to be a happy one or a fairytale. It's inspired by real life, and real life can be ugly at times. I think Gordimer is very good at showing some light on this ugly side, but she is doing it to change things and share her opinions. Overall I liked the short story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2018
A man makes a request of a cashier at the supermarket. She helps him. Sparks happen and they have an affair. No big deal.
Except, this is South Africa. Under apartheid. And he is white, and she is a person of colour. Where will this go? More importantly, where do they want it to go?
A touching little tale. Definitely recommend.
A slightly longer review on my blog: https://adventuresofatraveller.wordpr...
Except, this is South Africa. Under apartheid. And he is white, and she is a person of colour. Where will this go? More importantly, where do they want it to go?
A touching little tale. Definitely recommend.
A slightly longer review on my blog: https://adventuresofatraveller.wordpr...
August 22, 2018
its so good
March 16, 2021
Listened to Tessa hadley in New Yorker Fiction Podcast. It was well-executed and I do love Gordimer's depth in her characters.
April 27, 2014
This story has so much. Identity, politics, power, privilege, sex. It always makes me cry- how often we normalize inhumane behaviour.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews