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Pleasure
The notion of pleasure in all its guises is one of the oldest and most enduring grand themes of literature, presented here through the eyes and thoughts of writer and dreamer Milton Mohlele. Thoughtful, eccentric and besieged by the erotic and the sensual, the profane and the redemptive, Milton thinks and writes on pleasure as it is both experienced and imagined.
Drawn against the canvas of wartime Europe and modern-day Cape Town, South Africa, Milton sacrifices all for glimpses into the secrets and deceptions of pleasure – and how powerless those apparent insights are in the vast scale of life in its glory and absurdity.
‘Meticulously crafted, comic and poignant; Nthikeng Mohlele is a refreshing, unclassifiable voice in contemporary South African fiction.’ – David Attwell
Drawn against the canvas of wartime Europe and modern-day Cape Town, South Africa, Milton sacrifices all for glimpses into the secrets and deceptions of pleasure – and how powerless those apparent insights are in the vast scale of life in its glory and absurdity.
‘Meticulously crafted, comic and poignant; Nthikeng Mohlele is a refreshing, unclassifiable voice in contemporary South African fiction.’ – David Attwell
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
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99 people want to read
About the author
Nthikeng Mohlele
13 books33 followersNthikeng Mohlele was partly raised in Limpopo and Tembisa Township, and attended the University of the Witwatersrand, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Art, Publishing Studies and African Literature. He is the author of four critically acclaimed novels: The Scent of Bliss (2008), Small Things (2013), Rusty Bell (2014) and Pleasure (2016). Pleasure won the 2016 University of Johannesburg Main Prize for South African Writing in English as well as the 2017 K. Sello Duiker Memorial Prize at the South African Literary Awards. It has also been longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Michael K is Mohlele’s fifth novel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 30, 2018
Pleasure is an extensive but not exhaustive text that seeks to explore and interrogate the phenomenon that is Pleasure. To identify it, analyze and measure it . The verb and or noun pleasure , as imagined , dreamed and experienced. The author seeks to get to the bottom of the mysterious pleasure by relating a historical novel that covers World War 2 , and by narrating on the contradictions of present day Cape town, South Africa.
Through following the intriguing journeys of two characters, Moremi , ( I resonated more with the name Moremi as opposed to Milton) , a writer and a professor residing in Cape Town; and Giovani Gomez, an imaginary American soldier captured in World War 2 by the Germans, Nthikeng seeks context , grasp, and understanding of the elusive and slippery pleasure. The lives of these two characters affords us numerous scenarios to ruminate, reflect, explore and dissect Pleasure in its varied forms.
In following Moremi's life, a good writer , living under his great author father’s shadow, we get to interrogate pleasure as experienced in Moremi’s various love encounters , in a state of wealth, in a state of poverty, in mental instability, homelessness, family , suicide and murder.
The book Pleasure is also a novel, a love story within love stories. We are let in on the platonic relationship between Giovani and Marie, wherein Giovani was subjected to experiencing Pleasure via observation and admiration of the woman form, amidst minimal communication. There is also the churchy and rigid relationship between Giovani and his wife Elisabeth.
Moremi , on the other hand. had relationships with four women, Orapeleng ,Masechaba, Abella, and Alexis . From varied experiences and personalities of these women Moremi mirrors his well-executed assertions and findings on pleasure .
Through experiences of twenty two year old Giovanni Gomez, his wife Elisabeth and his secret admirer, Marie Amsel, we are afforded the opportunity to further tackle Pleasure in a war zone. Gioviani epitomized that part of pleasure that we find amidst strife, solitude, fear, the mundane, longing, silence, uncertainty and death.
About sex and pleasure, Moremi opines on page 76
".... although carnal pleasure dominates human lives, it is by no means the only one. Yet it's powerful pull dictates this reality , that it is not the only one , thus reducing other pleasures to a small letter p"
The narration is multidimensional. It also incorporates insightful opinions on African literature, Christianity, love and history.
Nthikeng writes beautifully. He is academic, lyrical and sensual. He is accurately descriptive of the smallest of objects, inanimate and otherwise. For a male, he artistically and tastefully writes about women characters, their bodies , sexuality and disposition without butchering it. His writing is characterized by well punctuated long sentences; that required me as a reader, to lift myself up to his level. A well-researched project by all means.
What rings loud to me after reading the book is a response by Moremi to Achille on page 101
"No, you are not. If your counter view , and that of your Pan Africanist and nationalist for whom you have elected yourself spokesperson, is that Africans can only think and reflect on their own continent - in total isolation from world events - then you have lost your mind . I cannot accept Africans should not dream, or imagine themselves outside of only being Black and colonised and enslaved - as if the rest of the world is empty , and that everything that happen in it has nothing to do with them whatsoever ! That is demented scholarship , a very slippery ideological slope you are trying to climb..."
Through following the intriguing journeys of two characters, Moremi , ( I resonated more with the name Moremi as opposed to Milton) , a writer and a professor residing in Cape Town; and Giovani Gomez, an imaginary American soldier captured in World War 2 by the Germans, Nthikeng seeks context , grasp, and understanding of the elusive and slippery pleasure. The lives of these two characters affords us numerous scenarios to ruminate, reflect, explore and dissect Pleasure in its varied forms.
In following Moremi's life, a good writer , living under his great author father’s shadow, we get to interrogate pleasure as experienced in Moremi’s various love encounters , in a state of wealth, in a state of poverty, in mental instability, homelessness, family , suicide and murder.
The book Pleasure is also a novel, a love story within love stories. We are let in on the platonic relationship between Giovani and Marie, wherein Giovani was subjected to experiencing Pleasure via observation and admiration of the woman form, amidst minimal communication. There is also the churchy and rigid relationship between Giovani and his wife Elisabeth.
Moremi , on the other hand. had relationships with four women, Orapeleng ,Masechaba, Abella, and Alexis . From varied experiences and personalities of these women Moremi mirrors his well-executed assertions and findings on pleasure .
Through experiences of twenty two year old Giovanni Gomez, his wife Elisabeth and his secret admirer, Marie Amsel, we are afforded the opportunity to further tackle Pleasure in a war zone. Gioviani epitomized that part of pleasure that we find amidst strife, solitude, fear, the mundane, longing, silence, uncertainty and death.
About sex and pleasure, Moremi opines on page 76
".... although carnal pleasure dominates human lives, it is by no means the only one. Yet it's powerful pull dictates this reality , that it is not the only one , thus reducing other pleasures to a small letter p"
The narration is multidimensional. It also incorporates insightful opinions on African literature, Christianity, love and history.
Nthikeng writes beautifully. He is academic, lyrical and sensual. He is accurately descriptive of the smallest of objects, inanimate and otherwise. For a male, he artistically and tastefully writes about women characters, their bodies , sexuality and disposition without butchering it. His writing is characterized by well punctuated long sentences; that required me as a reader, to lift myself up to his level. A well-researched project by all means.
What rings loud to me after reading the book is a response by Moremi to Achille on page 101
"No, you are not. If your counter view , and that of your Pan Africanist and nationalist for whom you have elected yourself spokesperson, is that Africans can only think and reflect on their own continent - in total isolation from world events - then you have lost your mind . I cannot accept Africans should not dream, or imagine themselves outside of only being Black and colonised and enslaved - as if the rest of the world is empty , and that everything that happen in it has nothing to do with them whatsoever ! That is demented scholarship , a very slippery ideological slope you are trying to climb..."
July 29, 2016
This was my first Nthikeng Mohlele book.
The man writes with fluidity. Words in motion. The prose alone was so emotive. So captivatingly beautific that I had to remind myself that a black man authored this book.
The beginning of the book tantalised all my 5 senses and more. I was transported into Milton's life by his rendition of his life with the three women. I was then catapulted into another realm by his experiences on Omaha Beach and nearly wept at his experiences as a POW, Giovanni Gomez.
His relationship with his father and the Rimington, so complicated. Why do we have to complicate things with our parents? By nature, they should be the easiest people to get along with. But, we are forever looking for approval. Acceptance. Love. And more love. The symbolism of the Remington was so strong. Pulled everything towards and away from Milton. A writer who doubted his abilities. Lived in his father's shadow. Even in death, Milton Sr was a force to be reckoned with.
Milton eventually gives everything up. Crawls into the bowels of the earth. Curls up and waits for death. He performs one last heroic act. Rescues a woman he knows not from an abusive partner. Kills him. That act brings him pleasure.
Pleasure. So satisfying and not so satisfying at other times. Love is pleasure. Love is unpleasant. Needing and wanting to belong, not so pleasant at times. Acceptance, pleasurable at times. Pleasure, a fleeting emotion, feeling. A smokescreen to life's cruelties. Pleasure, a momentary respite.
"The truest and greatest of pleasures, therefore, exist not between people and things, but lurk in the tiniest fragments of a moment, the unlikeliest encounters and the most improbable of outcomes, entirely unrelated scenarios fusing into concoctions of meaning."
Highly recommended.
The man writes with fluidity. Words in motion. The prose alone was so emotive. So captivatingly beautific that I had to remind myself that a black man authored this book.
The beginning of the book tantalised all my 5 senses and more. I was transported into Milton's life by his rendition of his life with the three women. I was then catapulted into another realm by his experiences on Omaha Beach and nearly wept at his experiences as a POW, Giovanni Gomez.
His relationship with his father and the Rimington, so complicated. Why do we have to complicate things with our parents? By nature, they should be the easiest people to get along with. But, we are forever looking for approval. Acceptance. Love. And more love. The symbolism of the Remington was so strong. Pulled everything towards and away from Milton. A writer who doubted his abilities. Lived in his father's shadow. Even in death, Milton Sr was a force to be reckoned with.
Milton eventually gives everything up. Crawls into the bowels of the earth. Curls up and waits for death. He performs one last heroic act. Rescues a woman he knows not from an abusive partner. Kills him. That act brings him pleasure.
Pleasure. So satisfying and not so satisfying at other times. Love is pleasure. Love is unpleasant. Needing and wanting to belong, not so pleasant at times. Acceptance, pleasurable at times. Pleasure, a fleeting emotion, feeling. A smokescreen to life's cruelties. Pleasure, a momentary respite.
"The truest and greatest of pleasures, therefore, exist not between people and things, but lurk in the tiniest fragments of a moment, the unlikeliest encounters and the most improbable of outcomes, entirely unrelated scenarios fusing into concoctions of meaning."
Highly recommended.
June 20, 2018
I will admit it was hard to get into the book at first. But once I got into the rhythm of it it was easy to fall in love with Mohlele's prose. Absolutely captivating. His navigation of the subject matter is also so insane and leaves you with a lot to ponder.
August 21, 2022
PLEASURE, NTHIKENG MOHLELE
Mohlele writes with beauty and flair, his prose is like poetry. As a result of the beauty and flair of the book, I lost myself in the writing. I read the book for its writing than the story.
I struggled to write a review until I threw my hands in the air in surrender.
I am afraid you’ll have to go to the book itself to savour it, I guarantee you that you won't regret or put down the book at ease until the last page.
Get the book and share in the main character, Milton Mohlele’s exploration of pleasure, real and imagined.
Mohlele writes with beauty and flair, his prose is like poetry. As a result of the beauty and flair of the book, I lost myself in the writing. I read the book for its writing than the story.
I struggled to write a review until I threw my hands in the air in surrender.
I am afraid you’ll have to go to the book itself to savour it, I guarantee you that you won't regret or put down the book at ease until the last page.
Get the book and share in the main character, Milton Mohlele’s exploration of pleasure, real and imagined.
Read
March 21, 2018I just did not understand the content of it, one minute he is in Poland or Russia next with his ex wife . Honestly I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone
September 15, 2018
If there is one book you need to approach with an open mind, it is this one. Just read it for Pleasure.
March 5, 2019
Inspiring
May 6, 2020
Required reading .... naughty things beautiful things ... funny things .... imaginative history and fantasy ... all things nice
Read
May 10, 2019If you are into literary writing, this book will deliver on just that!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews