Notes from the Middle World

by Breyten Breytenbach

An acclaimed South African writer, freedom fighter, and artist illuminates the labyrinth of our political present.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, South Africa

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Breyten Breytenbach was a South African writer, poet, and painter. He became internationally well-known as a dissident poet and vocal critic of South Africa under apartheid, and as a political prisoner of the National Party-led South African Government. He is also known as a founding member of the Sestigers, a dissident literary movement, and was one of the most important living poets in Afrikaans literature.

Reviews

[Dana]

I have no idea what to think of this book. I liked parts of it, but other stuff went over my head/wasn’t able to capture my attention. I can tell that the author put a lot of thought into what he wrote and because of that I feel as though I’m missing out by not ‘getting it.’ But at the same time, all books aren’t for everyone + he said some stuff that was kinda weird in his second to last essay that I’m not sure if I interpreted right- but if I did, it was 'problematic' at best. Like, I read it a bit quick since I wanted to be done with the book but I felt like he was saying he didn’t identify with whiteness because he’s African? Which… there’s a lot wrong with that for a lot of reasons. I felt like it would have been more accurate for him to say that he didn’t identify with the concept of Western whiteness. Not nearly as questionable haha.