Die Sideboard

by Simon Bruinders

Die jaar 1939. Wêreldgeskiedenis sou onherroepelik verander. ’n Waterskeidingsjaar vir die Afrikaner.
By George onder die Outeniekwaberg, kom ’n ongeletterde Abraham tot die besef van die belangrikheid van boekgele­rentheid. Abraham droom van ’n familie met Stella, die jong onderwyseres. Om een dag kinders op sy eie grond groot te maak. Só begin sy lewensreis, deur Sentraal Afrika, tot by Egipte. En weer terug na George se vrugbare grond. Die swarthout en geelhout waaruit hy ’n sideboard vir Stella wil maak.
Deur sy lewenstryd word die sideboard ’n huisaltaar – ’n simbool van geloof. Voortdurend bedreig en byna deur die vuur vernietig.

262 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2014

Reviews

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ek wens ek kon meer as 5 sterre gee. Wat 'n ongelooflike boek! 'n Boek wat sonder om oordonderend te wees, die impak van die destydse grondverskuiwings, die hartseer, die onregverdigheid, die verskeurdheid, uitbeeld. Wat mens verstom laat voor die skade wat mense aan mekaar kan doen in die naam van geregtigheid. Wie se geregtigheid? Die sideboard word die versinnebeelding van die menswaardigheid van 'n hele bevolkingsgroep. Simon Bruinders MAG maar skryf.

[Johann Van Deventer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Sideboard het my die onreg en pyn van gedwonge verskuiwings laat beleef.Die leser voel saam die woede; die magteloosheid en onreg van die mense Wat as gevolg van die verkeerde velkleur nie as waardige landsburgers weekend is nie. Saam met Abraham beleef jy ook sy trots en veggees en Stella se vermoe om elke keer op te staan uit die as en uit niks weer iets te skep.Een van die baie min boeke wat my aan die end laat huil het.
As ek kon sou ek 10 sterre vir die boek gee .Simon Bruinders jy Mag maar skryf.

[Carolien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written in sparse language that keeps the plot moving along swiftly. It makes an important contribution to documenting the experiences of different people in various geographical locations during apartheid. In this case it focuses on the rarely told history of the Coloured community of George in the southern Cape and, through the life of Abraham de Bruyn and his family, illustrates how these families suffered a gradual erosion of rights over a period of 50 years.

At the same time, it highlights the often forgotten, or conveniently ignored, contribution of these communities to both World Wars on the side of the Allied forces. It also provides a sense of the overall loss to the broader society by excluding the different contributions of these groups to creating diverse communities with a specific sense of place and character.

More than anything, it serves to deepen the reader's understanding of the emotional importance and sensitivity of land ownership in South Africa. The family suffers the loss of well-loved and tended land at the hand of a racist government and its inhumane policies twice during the course of the tale with associated economic and emotional costs. The impact of these decisions are reflected in the on-going narrative on land ownership in South Africa.

Highly recommend it to anybody who wants to read a very well-written book that illustrates the complexity of the South African experience through the eyes of a lovely cast of characters. I read the English edition which I reviewed separately.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

'n Verhaal wat vertel van 'n gedeelte van die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis waaroor nog bittermin geskryf is.

[Wayne Jordaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My late cousin, Melinda, recommended this book to me, but I was a bit hesitant, because I was not really keen, not being in the mood for an autobiographical account of the actor's life at the time. And was I wrong? Historical fiction at its best, and South Africans, especially those on the sharp end of the "separate development" which underpinned Apartheid, should recognise their own families in the injustices perpetrated. A story that I could relate to, and made even more relevant to me because I worked in the land reform/ rural development field for most of my life, and lived for a short while at the Eiland, where I shared a place with my late colleague Eric Goodwin. A book that is especially relevant in the light of current scrutiny and expressed vigour to repair and address the injustices of the past. One can only hope that the fictionalised "restoration" of the sideboard is a prophetic pronouncement by the author, in spite of the adverse odds confronting justice in this regard.

[Sariethia · Rating 5 out of 5]

uitstekend

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verhaal over moedige families die volhouden ondanks alle onrecht dat ze wordt aangedaan. Dat je zonder goede reden steeds je huis uit wordt gezet, toont de onrechtvaardigheid van een systeem.