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African Ways Again: More recollections of life in South Africa
This is the sequel to African Ways. It tells what happened next in Valerie Poore's life in South Africa's rural Kwa-Zulu Natal in the 1980s. More bittersweet than the first book, Val and her family move down the mountain from the farm where they spent the three happy years described in African Ways. In this second book, life changes dramatically for the author and her small daughters, but the anecdotes she shares are still filled with colour, humour and everything that she loves about Africa and its people.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 7, 2025
3.5, as I always enjoy reading about peoples' lives and experiences in other countries.
January 30, 2021
I have read a number of Val Poore’s books of her life on her beautiful barge in the Netherlands and was looking forward to hearing of her earlier life. (Yes, I often read backwards, a bad trait of mine). I was not disappointed.
This book is a vividly colourful account of Val’s years in Kwa-Zulu, Natal. Her descriptive powers are such that from a cold and rainy Europe I could imagine the sunshine, sights and scents of a South Africa Val obviously loves passionately.
African Ways Again narrates a time of upheaval in Val’s life, both personally and for her beloved country. At the beginning, Val and family are moving from the farm where they lived, without electric and 1500m up a mountain to a tiny cottage in a humid valley. This is a time of earthquakes in South Africa and struggles for an end to apartheid, and Val recounts these events with sadness and with love. But the book also exudes warmth and joy. There is the wonder of Val’s children growing up, the enjoyment of childish pursuits such as the cannonball run and bundy bashing (you will have to read on). There are beloved animals and new jobs. There is plum wine and lemonade, and there is the wonder of electricity at the touch of a switch.
Val worried this would not be a happy book, but it is. It is a book of changes and of losses but also of enduring love. I adored it and look forward to moving back further in time to Val’s beginnings in South Africa.
This book is a vividly colourful account of Val’s years in Kwa-Zulu, Natal. Her descriptive powers are such that from a cold and rainy Europe I could imagine the sunshine, sights and scents of a South Africa Val obviously loves passionately.
African Ways Again narrates a time of upheaval in Val’s life, both personally and for her beloved country. At the beginning, Val and family are moving from the farm where they lived, without electric and 1500m up a mountain to a tiny cottage in a humid valley. This is a time of earthquakes in South Africa and struggles for an end to apartheid, and Val recounts these events with sadness and with love. But the book also exudes warmth and joy. There is the wonder of Val’s children growing up, the enjoyment of childish pursuits such as the cannonball run and bundy bashing (you will have to read on). There are beloved animals and new jobs. There is plum wine and lemonade, and there is the wonder of electricity at the touch of a switch.
Val worried this would not be a happy book, but it is. It is a book of changes and of losses but also of enduring love. I adored it and look forward to moving back further in time to Val’s beginnings in South Africa.
March 12, 2020
Having enjoyed "African Ways", I looked forward to reading the next instalment of the author's time in South Africa. I was not disappointed.
She draws her readers in for a warm, comforting chat as she and her children adjust to life in a small cottage in Byrne, before moving to Richmond.
Although she left a large chunk of her heart on the mountainside farm in Kwa Zulu Natal, she endeavours to make the best of life, tackling ancient typewriters and fax machines in her new job as a legal secretary.
This is a well written and informative memoir. I particularly enjoyed learning more on the social history of South Africa, before political unrest forced the author to move back to the UK in 1987.
She draws her readers in for a warm, comforting chat as she and her children adjust to life in a small cottage in Byrne, before moving to Richmond.
Although she left a large chunk of her heart on the mountainside farm in Kwa Zulu Natal, she endeavours to make the best of life, tackling ancient typewriters and fax machines in her new job as a legal secretary.
This is a well written and informative memoir. I particularly enjoyed learning more on the social history of South Africa, before political unrest forced the author to move back to the UK in 1987.
March 14, 2018
I have to say I loved this book and it was interesting to learn ‘what happened next’ after Val and her family moved away from the mountain farm in KwaZulu Natal, not too far away, in Byrne When signing the papers to buy the cottage, much to her surprise she is also offered a job, so it’s all a big change in her life. Although she misses her friends from the farm Val settles in and makes the most of life in Byrne. After a short time there, changing circumstances mean a move to Richmond. As ever it’s so beautifully described and with such affection that you can feel her love of Africa and the people she meets and places she sees.
I particularly loved her anecdotes about her animals, the unforgettable Mitten the kitten snake slayer supreme, Foggy, Buster and Cindy and more. They made me gasp in surprise, laugh out loud and cry when tragedy struck. She has a marvellous ability to make you feel as if you are sitting in the room with her, enjoying a cup of coffee and listening to these wonderful stories. I think I may have even have had white knuckles reading about the famous ‘cannonball run’ which she and her daughters so loved. I particularly liked the way she captured the Scottish accent of her friend and neighbour Doris Browne. I could hear her speak!
I have to admire Val’s ability to face up to whatever is thrown her way and to adapt and make the best of her situation. Having to move to Richmond and take up another new job and having to singlehandedly support her daughters must have been hard. However she was helped by the redoubtable Peggy and by Dlamini, he of the amazing language and accounting skills. Her daughters also kept her on her toes, especially with their breaking and entering skills. You will have to read the book to find out more. Unfortunately, it was a difficult time as the political landscape was changing too, bringing violence and upheaval to her beloved Africa. It was heartbreaking to learn about people being forced to leave their land. Another move is on the agenda, this time back to England to spend time with her family. Will it prove to be a good move?
This is a wonderful, if bittersweet, memoir of this period in her life. If you enjoy superb descriptions and gentle humour then read this book. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I particularly loved her anecdotes about her animals, the unforgettable Mitten the kitten snake slayer supreme, Foggy, Buster and Cindy and more. They made me gasp in surprise, laugh out loud and cry when tragedy struck. She has a marvellous ability to make you feel as if you are sitting in the room with her, enjoying a cup of coffee and listening to these wonderful stories. I think I may have even have had white knuckles reading about the famous ‘cannonball run’ which she and her daughters so loved. I particularly liked the way she captured the Scottish accent of her friend and neighbour Doris Browne. I could hear her speak!
I have to admire Val’s ability to face up to whatever is thrown her way and to adapt and make the best of her situation. Having to move to Richmond and take up another new job and having to singlehandedly support her daughters must have been hard. However she was helped by the redoubtable Peggy and by Dlamini, he of the amazing language and accounting skills. Her daughters also kept her on her toes, especially with their breaking and entering skills. You will have to read the book to find out more. Unfortunately, it was a difficult time as the political landscape was changing too, bringing violence and upheaval to her beloved Africa. It was heartbreaking to learn about people being forced to leave their land. Another move is on the agenda, this time back to England to spend time with her family. Will it prove to be a good move?
This is a wonderful, if bittersweet, memoir of this period in her life. If you enjoy superb descriptions and gentle humour then read this book. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
March 4, 2018
Val Poore takes us on another warm adventure of her South African years in the mid-80’s. Her family moves from the peace of the farm to Byrne and ultimately on to Richmond. Every word makes us feel the vibrations of everyday life on the countryside from the antics of using an antiquated phone to the break–down of old cars as she courageously transports her girls to place to place.
I could see the shopping sprees in the local village at Speedway and visualize the Zulu mothers balancing their sleeping child along with their groceries on top of their heads. I could feel Val’s anxiousness as she interviewed for her first full-time job in Richmond after becoming a single parent and I felt her embarrassment when her little girls decided to break and enter into a locked-away room to explore the landlady’s secret treasures.
There are so many astonishing pieces to this sequel to African Ways yet as in life, all good things must come to an end. There were signs that this cycle of peace was about to change and Val and her family read the warnings and moved on while they were still filled with many precious memories of South Africa!
I could see the shopping sprees in the local village at Speedway and visualize the Zulu mothers balancing their sleeping child along with their groceries on top of their heads. I could feel Val’s anxiousness as she interviewed for her first full-time job in Richmond after becoming a single parent and I felt her embarrassment when her little girls decided to break and enter into a locked-away room to explore the landlady’s secret treasures.
There are so many astonishing pieces to this sequel to African Ways yet as in life, all good things must come to an end. There were signs that this cycle of peace was about to change and Val and her family read the warnings and moved on while they were still filled with many precious memories of South Africa!
February 5, 2018
4.5 stars
Val Poore, the woman who can write a whole chapter about the weather, and make it interesting....
I adored the first African Ways book, about the three years in the early 1980s when Val and her family lived on a farm up a mountain in South Africa; in this she describes the time as possibly the happiest time in her life, and the book reflects its magic. Now, the family have moved down the mountain to the small town of Byrne, where they can enjoy such luxuries as electricity. And snakes. Don't forget the snakes. There was me thinking how much I wanted to live there, until I read about them.
When Val's children go to school, she is faced, for the first time, with apartheid; segregation is still in place. Aside from this, there are daily reminders about how hard life can be for the natives of South Africa at this time. She doesn't write about it by way of 'raising awareness', or anything so ghastly, though; it's all very matter of fact, just her observations. This book does not pretend to be a political or sociological comment, but maybe because it doesn't, it kind of is, in the best possible way. I definitely got the feeling, though, of, as Val says, the calm before the storm of the early-mid 1980s.
Aside from this, I loved the reminders of the pre-internet life that has disappeared; her amazement at the wonder of fax machines, and the discovery of cheap LPs in her favourite shop (under 25s: ask your mum). When I read about the mountain dwellers being cleared from the land, I felt so sad. I feel nostalgic for that time on Val's behalf, and I've hardly even seen pictures of it. One of the reasons I love her books is that it is so clear that she cares more about people, experiences, living in the moment and simple joys than materialism and conforming to society's 'norms'; there aren't many of us about, at our age!
I'd definitely recommend this book if you're a dog person; I am massively not, but there is much animal stuff that will make the lovers of our four-legged friends smile.
Val deals with upheavals in her personal life in that far away country with two small children to care for, but by 1987, what with the 'gathering storm' of racial and political unrest, she decides it is time to go back to the UK. Can she return to 'normal' English life? You'll have to read this, and all her other books, to find out!
Val Poore, the woman who can write a whole chapter about the weather, and make it interesting....
I adored the first African Ways book, about the three years in the early 1980s when Val and her family lived on a farm up a mountain in South Africa; in this she describes the time as possibly the happiest time in her life, and the book reflects its magic. Now, the family have moved down the mountain to the small town of Byrne, where they can enjoy such luxuries as electricity. And snakes. Don't forget the snakes. There was me thinking how much I wanted to live there, until I read about them.
When Val's children go to school, she is faced, for the first time, with apartheid; segregation is still in place. Aside from this, there are daily reminders about how hard life can be for the natives of South Africa at this time. She doesn't write about it by way of 'raising awareness', or anything so ghastly, though; it's all very matter of fact, just her observations. This book does not pretend to be a political or sociological comment, but maybe because it doesn't, it kind of is, in the best possible way. I definitely got the feeling, though, of, as Val says, the calm before the storm of the early-mid 1980s.
Aside from this, I loved the reminders of the pre-internet life that has disappeared; her amazement at the wonder of fax machines, and the discovery of cheap LPs in her favourite shop (under 25s: ask your mum). When I read about the mountain dwellers being cleared from the land, I felt so sad. I feel nostalgic for that time on Val's behalf, and I've hardly even seen pictures of it. One of the reasons I love her books is that it is so clear that she cares more about people, experiences, living in the moment and simple joys than materialism and conforming to society's 'norms'; there aren't many of us about, at our age!
I'd definitely recommend this book if you're a dog person; I am massively not, but there is much animal stuff that will make the lovers of our four-legged friends smile.
Val deals with upheavals in her personal life in that far away country with two small children to care for, but by 1987, what with the 'gathering storm' of racial and political unrest, she decides it is time to go back to the UK. Can she return to 'normal' English life? You'll have to read this, and all her other books, to find out!
February 14, 2018
I absolutely loved this book, a sequel to the author's first African adventures. This time, in spite of a series of difficult situations in her life, Val brings her world to life with her usual wit and charm. What shines through the pages for me is her love of the country, her children and the numerous animals in the family. What an amazingly resilient and courageous woman she is.
The book is set before the real troubles in South Africa changed her rather idyllic world. How lucky she was to have lived there during such a time and to have so many good memories to share with us.
If you like memoirs I recommend any of Val Poore's books, for a gentle journey that is entertaining and makes the reader want to see the places that she writes about for themselves.
The book is set before the real troubles in South Africa changed her rather idyllic world. How lucky she was to have lived there during such a time and to have so many good memories to share with us.
If you like memoirs I recommend any of Val Poore's books, for a gentle journey that is entertaining and makes the reader want to see the places that she writes about for themselves.
August 24, 2018
I like that author Valerie Poore has a series of memoirs; she shows her life has taken her in various directions, compelling adventures, and thereby offers the readers fabulous vicarious pleasure. Not that everything was always great for Ms. Poore, but her pragmatic ways and good humour are lessons for us all. This is my third book by Val Poore. I'm not usually one who reads the same author over and over, given the huge line-up of books to be read, but with Valerie Poore you know you're going to have a wonderful reading experience, a reading break. Really, it 's like a holiday treat.
Her writing is beautiful, intelligent, relaxing and comforting, not to mention informative! I have such admiration for this woman, this writer, and if we didn't live across an ocean as strangers, I would love to be personal friends with her. Anyway, here's a small sample (early in the book - I marked so many!) which describes the occasion where her family was moving locations in South Africa:
'It didn't take us long to move the ten or so kilometres from the farm into Byrne; it was straight down the mountain, after all.We didn't have much in the way of possessions as the annex flat had already been furnished when we moved in, so apart from the fridge, the only appliance that belonged to us, it was just our clothes, our books, the children's toys and our two cats, Mitten and Foggy, that came too. The one thing I left behind was a piece of my heart. I would miss standing in the garden watching the folding foothills of the Drakensberg change from purple to gold depending on how the light hit them; I would miss seeing the snow caps on the peaks; and above all, I would miss Ouma, Bongi, and her father Khezwa, whose colour, wit and humour had enriched my life for the last three years. But sad as I was to leave, I knew it made sense. I had to make the best of the change and I initially channelled my energies into making our new house a home and getting used to having a job as well.'
Closer to the end of this memoir:
' The creeping awareness that the peaceful world in which we'd lived for so many years was disintegrating disturbed me as well as many others, I know. There was a sense that we were all losing something precious; that our tranquil life was irrevocably slipping away. It was as if the two political giants, Inkatha and the ANC/UDF , were slowly awakening. And they were not only snarling at each other but lashing out too.'
Always a great read from Valerie Poore!
Her writing is beautiful, intelligent, relaxing and comforting, not to mention informative! I have such admiration for this woman, this writer, and if we didn't live across an ocean as strangers, I would love to be personal friends with her. Anyway, here's a small sample (early in the book - I marked so many!) which describes the occasion where her family was moving locations in South Africa:
'It didn't take us long to move the ten or so kilometres from the farm into Byrne; it was straight down the mountain, after all.We didn't have much in the way of possessions as the annex flat had already been furnished when we moved in, so apart from the fridge, the only appliance that belonged to us, it was just our clothes, our books, the children's toys and our two cats, Mitten and Foggy, that came too. The one thing I left behind was a piece of my heart. I would miss standing in the garden watching the folding foothills of the Drakensberg change from purple to gold depending on how the light hit them; I would miss seeing the snow caps on the peaks; and above all, I would miss Ouma, Bongi, and her father Khezwa, whose colour, wit and humour had enriched my life for the last three years. But sad as I was to leave, I knew it made sense. I had to make the best of the change and I initially channelled my energies into making our new house a home and getting used to having a job as well.'
Closer to the end of this memoir:
' The creeping awareness that the peaceful world in which we'd lived for so many years was disintegrating disturbed me as well as many others, I know. There was a sense that we were all losing something precious; that our tranquil life was irrevocably slipping away. It was as if the two political giants, Inkatha and the ANC/UDF , were slowly awakening. And they were not only snarling at each other but lashing out too.'
Always a great read from Valerie Poore!
May 15, 2025
AFRICAN WAYS AGAIN (More Recollections) by Valerie Poore
A Book Review by AZP
May 2025
'This book is bittersweet, it's about ‘constant change’ and resilience!'
The African Ways- Book Two is expressed in extreme weather of warmth and snow; the Byrne village landscape; snakes, animals and pets, orchards of oranges, plums, peaches, pomegranates, avocados; tree-shade gardens and pools, the houses/cottages rented and the valley against the mountains and hills ; the two, children daughters of the author – whom one of them shall start schooling, their neighbor playmates, their day-time caregivers who take care of them when the author is working, the village common diseases, the author’s neighbors such as the clergyman and her past neighbors in Natal, the market place and the shops; her full-time work- the officemates, her boss and the Lady Vet in Richmond and a glimpse of the author’s marital concerns and eventualities.
I appreciate the author’s awareness, respect, tolerance and thoughtfulness of others feelings – as manifested in how she treats her daughters concerning their attachment to their pets and their day-time caregivers who are local Africans and more so to the people surrounding her. However, patience and tolerance have its limits too as manifested by the author's anecdotes and its circumstances.
A splash of the socio-political context about Africa in the 80s.
The author never fails to see the positivity, kindness, compassion, the beauty of things, places, people and situations unfolding before her senses while acknowledging she needs to be aware of their reverses.
This book is bittersweet, it's about ‘constant change’ and resilience!
A Book Review by AZP
May 2025
'This book is bittersweet, it's about ‘constant change’ and resilience!'
The African Ways- Book Two is expressed in extreme weather of warmth and snow; the Byrne village landscape; snakes, animals and pets, orchards of oranges, plums, peaches, pomegranates, avocados; tree-shade gardens and pools, the houses/cottages rented and the valley against the mountains and hills ; the two, children daughters of the author – whom one of them shall start schooling, their neighbor playmates, their day-time caregivers who take care of them when the author is working, the village common diseases, the author’s neighbors such as the clergyman and her past neighbors in Natal, the market place and the shops; her full-time work- the officemates, her boss and the Lady Vet in Richmond and a glimpse of the author’s marital concerns and eventualities.
I appreciate the author’s awareness, respect, tolerance and thoughtfulness of others feelings – as manifested in how she treats her daughters concerning their attachment to their pets and their day-time caregivers who are local Africans and more so to the people surrounding her. However, patience and tolerance have its limits too as manifested by the author's anecdotes and its circumstances.
A splash of the socio-political context about Africa in the 80s.
The author never fails to see the positivity, kindness, compassion, the beauty of things, places, people and situations unfolding before her senses while acknowledging she needs to be aware of their reverses.
This book is bittersweet, it's about ‘constant change’ and resilience!
August 10, 2025
This sequel to African Ways is a vivid account of Val and her family’s life after they leave the beloved farm near the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu Natal. Val’s time at the farm is very dear to her. If you have not yet read African Ways I highly recommend reading it before you read this book.
Now there is a move into the humid valley to a cottage they buy, with electricity at the flick of a switch, in small town Byrne. Val shares wonderfully entertaining stories of her and her two young girls time there, making new friends and encountering a different way of life to that on the farm, but still very African. And yes cockroaches do have the run of the kitchen at night, scuttling all over. Later there’s another move due to necessity. This time Val rents in Richmond, and acquires the owner’s dog and maid for a year. Thankfully her youngest daughter’s nursery is just across the road. Val has a full-time job with all that entails. It’s a valuable experience, with key skills acquired for her future. She faces their changing circumstances with fortitude and resilience. This is a warm and colourful memoir of a time enjoyed by Val and her girls. Highly recommend.
Now there is a move into the humid valley to a cottage they buy, with electricity at the flick of a switch, in small town Byrne. Val shares wonderfully entertaining stories of her and her two young girls time there, making new friends and encountering a different way of life to that on the farm, but still very African. And yes cockroaches do have the run of the kitchen at night, scuttling all over. Later there’s another move due to necessity. This time Val rents in Richmond, and acquires the owner’s dog and maid for a year. Thankfully her youngest daughter’s nursery is just across the road. Val has a full-time job with all that entails. It’s a valuable experience, with key skills acquired for her future. She faces their changing circumstances with fortitude and resilience. This is a warm and colourful memoir of a time enjoyed by Val and her girls. Highly recommend.
May 23, 2018
A warm and bittersweet return to KwaZulu Natal
I absolutely adored African Ways so was very happy when the author wrote a follow up.
I often wondered what happened after Val, her husband and two daughters moved off the mountain down into the small town of Byrne.
I loved how easily the author eases you through the roller coaster of what happens in her life, and this part of Africa, after life on the mountain. You can't help but feel somewhat sad for Val, but she pulls herself up by the bootstraps and carries on through the ',muck' .
Told with warmth , charm and rich descriptions of the country.
It's been a dream of mine since I was a child to visit Africa and reading Val's love for KwaZulu, I can see why I have felt the yearning.
I absolutely adored African Ways so was very happy when the author wrote a follow up.
I often wondered what happened after Val, her husband and two daughters moved off the mountain down into the small town of Byrne.
I loved how easily the author eases you through the roller coaster of what happens in her life, and this part of Africa, after life on the mountain. You can't help but feel somewhat sad for Val, but she pulls herself up by the bootstraps and carries on through the ',muck' .
Told with warmth , charm and rich descriptions of the country.
It's been a dream of mine since I was a child to visit Africa and reading Val's love for KwaZulu, I can see why I have felt the yearning.
October 9, 2020
Valerie Poore’s ‘African Ways Again.’
The continued story of life in rural South Africa – a charming read
Leaving behind her beloved mountainside home, Val moves into a small one-bedroomed cottage and life continues on for this engaging and endearing author. Written with honesty and a perceptiveness about not only her own life and family, but also the rising unrest of apartheid, this is another charming read. Her job in a local estate agents, her girls growing up, family issues, and the harsh winter weather are all beautifully illustrated in this captivating memoir. I am enjoying every single one of Val’s books and can highly recommend them.
The continued story of life in rural South Africa – a charming read
Leaving behind her beloved mountainside home, Val moves into a small one-bedroomed cottage and life continues on for this engaging and endearing author. Written with honesty and a perceptiveness about not only her own life and family, but also the rising unrest of apartheid, this is another charming read. Her job in a local estate agents, her girls growing up, family issues, and the harsh winter weather are all beautifully illustrated in this captivating memoir. I am enjoying every single one of Val’s books and can highly recommend them.
December 3, 2023
I enjoyed the first book in this series so much as I was living in Natal during these same years, just outside Durban, so this was a wonderful trip down memory lane for me. I am familiar with so much of what is in these memoirs, it was a joy to relive those years but through Valerie's eye's. If anything I was frustrated that I was not able to sit down and chat over a cup of coffee (Koffiehuis not Frisco !!) and have a good old "lekker" chat. I may be a little biased in my 5 star review !!!!
July 14, 2018
Valerie Poore strikes again!
If you enjoyed African Ways, Ms. Poore’s first book about life in South Africa, you have probably been wishing you had an update on the people and places to which she introduced us. This is her update, and while it’s not as happy happy as the first book she wrote, it’s an honest look at a much loved place, and the people she loved when she was there.
If you enjoyed African Ways, Ms. Poore’s first book about life in South Africa, you have probably been wishing you had an update on the people and places to which she introduced us. This is her update, and while it’s not as happy happy as the first book she wrote, it’s an honest look at a much loved place, and the people she loved when she was there.
February 4, 2023
Accurate description of life in rural South Africa in the 1980s.
Another thoroughly enjoyable memoir by Valerie Poore. Her description of her life in KwaZulu Natal is accurate and candid. I identified frequently and smiled often. An easy charming read also extremely well written.
Another thoroughly enjoyable memoir by Valerie Poore. Her description of her life in KwaZulu Natal is accurate and candid. I identified frequently and smiled often. An easy charming read also extremely well written.
July 22, 2018
My kind of book
I really enjoyed African Ways and was very happy to see more titles by Valerie that I look forward to. Such a reminder of my youth and my children's youth growing up in Rhodesia
I really enjoyed African Ways and was very happy to see more titles by Valerie that I look forward to. Such a reminder of my youth and my children's youth growing up in Rhodesia
December 2, 2018
An excellent read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this follow up to African Ways. The writer draws the reader in immediately, and I was transported back to South Africa in the 1980s for the continued story of Val and her family. So well written, informative and entertaining.
I thoroughly enjoyed this follow up to African Ways. The writer draws the reader in immediately, and I was transported back to South Africa in the 1980s for the continued story of Val and her family. So well written, informative and entertaining.
July 18, 2018
Incredible memories.
Your way of describing all your experiences kept me spellbound. I can remember all those times so well. Thank you.
Your way of describing all your experiences kept me spellbound. I can remember all those times so well. Thank you.
April 28, 2019
Great follow up to African Ways
Love reading people’s stories about their lives in Africa. Especially when I can picture where they live and the places they visit.
Love reading people’s stories about their lives in Africa. Especially when I can picture where they live and the places they visit.
August 5, 2025
I’m sure all fellow readers will agree, this second book about Valerie’s life in South Africa is a much desired follow up to the first book in the series African Ways. It may shock some, but this book is the most education I have ever had of albeit what was an outsider’s life in South Africa and from a rural to small perspective at that. As such, the three books in this series are rare gems.
I have always appreciated her excellent writing, and none the less here, but perhaps even more than ever this volume reveals her heart as she navigates life both as a mother and as a witness to a land in a time of deep cultural and political transition that looks more like upheaval every day.
I must add that I scoured Google maps and photos to find places she lived and referred to in this volume, looking for the street where they lived, where they walked, the drive to work and beyond. I suppose this series really got under my skin, helping to fill more gaps in my exposure to yet another country, people, and culture, unknown to me yet in a world parallel to the decades of my own life.
I have always appreciated her excellent writing, and none the less here, but perhaps even more than ever this volume reveals her heart as she navigates life both as a mother and as a witness to a land in a time of deep cultural and political transition that looks more like upheaval every day.
I must add that I scoured Google maps and photos to find places she lived and referred to in this volume, looking for the street where they lived, where they walked, the drive to work and beyond. I suppose this series really got under my skin, helping to fill more gaps in my exposure to yet another country, people, and culture, unknown to me yet in a world parallel to the decades of my own life.
April 2, 2021
Bittersweet moments
This memoir recalls the three years following the wonderful experiences in African Ways, when the author’s family had lived in the Drakensberg mountains. In this well-written sequel, circumstances were noticeably different, with the family having moved to the urban areas of Byrne and then Richmond.
Gone were the days of joy and freedom from the countryside. Life became harder for many reasons. The author had to find full-time work to survive and look after her two young girls as they started their educational journey. In Natal, apartheid had not been an issue, but in the towns and cities its insidious influence was more obvious. South Africa was changing, and this book documents the transition from innocence to unrest and violence.
Val Poore delayed writing this book for over ten years after publishing the first. She felt after the happy times her family experienced in the mountains, that her more bittersweet moments during this period would not interest readers. I am so glad that friends persuaded her to write this book. It was both fascinating and educational.
This memoir recalls the three years following the wonderful experiences in African Ways, when the author’s family had lived in the Drakensberg mountains. In this well-written sequel, circumstances were noticeably different, with the family having moved to the urban areas of Byrne and then Richmond.
Gone were the days of joy and freedom from the countryside. Life became harder for many reasons. The author had to find full-time work to survive and look after her two young girls as they started their educational journey. In Natal, apartheid had not been an issue, but in the towns and cities its insidious influence was more obvious. South Africa was changing, and this book documents the transition from innocence to unrest and violence.
Val Poore delayed writing this book for over ten years after publishing the first. She felt after the happy times her family experienced in the mountains, that her more bittersweet moments during this period would not interest readers. I am so glad that friends persuaded her to write this book. It was both fascinating and educational.
August 28, 2020
A beautiful sequel to African Ways
These memoirs set in South Africa in a time before troubles and the ending of Apartheid.
Val, Bill and the girl´s African adventures continue. I loved African Ways described by Val as possibly the happiest time of her life so I could not wait to get stuck into African Ways Again. Having already ready Highveld Ways I was missing a few years of South African life.
They move from the farm in the mountainside of Kwa Zulu Natal, Val had left a piece of her heart here, they now live in a one bed-roomed cottage in Bryne As they are settling into village life it is as if Val is drawing the reader into her story, transporting you to South Africa to life her life with her, the children and various pets.
Settling in the little cottage in Bryne life was good and they had electricity which fascinated the girls. For her 30th birthday Bill bought her a cute Suzuki minibus known affectionately as 'Half a Loaf'. When they had bought the cottage she was also unexpectedly interviewed for and offered a job in the Estate office. Just three mornings a week and it fit in nicely with her life.
In Bryne they experience their first real cold winter, one particularly cold weekend Bill (who is now working in Johannesburg) comes down with pneumonia and took his bed. However once recovered he hightailed it back to Johannesburg leaving Val to cope with the children and with pneumonia. A friend Doris looks after the children till she recovers.
One day on the school run home, the children bickering in the back, Val has had enough....after continuously asking them to stop it and shut up to no avail she pulls up, they get out as ordered and stand by the roadside as Val drives off leaving them huddled together and crying. (I had to chuckle as I did this with my boys on the way home from a lovely day out a Brimham Rocks...they had a friend with them and I made them all get out and drove off...I can still hear Jono saying 'No Mummy, No Mummy...sorry')
Things on the home front in Bryne get worse, to the extent that Bill is more absent than present and debts are rising, Val needs more full time work. After a while of scouring the ads she comes across one working for a local attorney, the pay of which is nearly double her existing salary. Without much hope she applies and much to her surprise she is offered the job and they agreed a start date in January after the holidays.
In the process of losing her home Val managed to obtain a rental agreement in the house of an elderly lady. Luck was for once on her side as this was close to both her new place of employment and the nursery school. Life plods on for her and the children and learning the ropes of her new job leaves her a bit bewildered at times. Her typing skills are not the best and when her boss buys a new electronic typewriter Val is in heaven, no more retypes as it had spell check and delete facilities.
Things were changing and after six years of living in South Africa Val decided that she and the children were going to go and live in England where she would be able to see her Father, sister and brother.
Once again I thank you Val for sharing your memories, This book was gifted to me by the author, thank you Val
These memoirs set in South Africa in a time before troubles and the ending of Apartheid.
Val, Bill and the girl´s African adventures continue. I loved African Ways described by Val as possibly the happiest time of her life so I could not wait to get stuck into African Ways Again. Having already ready Highveld Ways I was missing a few years of South African life.
They move from the farm in the mountainside of Kwa Zulu Natal, Val had left a piece of her heart here, they now live in a one bed-roomed cottage in Bryne As they are settling into village life it is as if Val is drawing the reader into her story, transporting you to South Africa to life her life with her, the children and various pets.
Settling in the little cottage in Bryne life was good and they had electricity which fascinated the girls. For her 30th birthday Bill bought her a cute Suzuki minibus known affectionately as 'Half a Loaf'. When they had bought the cottage she was also unexpectedly interviewed for and offered a job in the Estate office. Just three mornings a week and it fit in nicely with her life.
In Bryne they experience their first real cold winter, one particularly cold weekend Bill (who is now working in Johannesburg) comes down with pneumonia and took his bed. However once recovered he hightailed it back to Johannesburg leaving Val to cope with the children and with pneumonia. A friend Doris looks after the children till she recovers.
One day on the school run home, the children bickering in the back, Val has had enough....after continuously asking them to stop it and shut up to no avail she pulls up, they get out as ordered and stand by the roadside as Val drives off leaving them huddled together and crying. (I had to chuckle as I did this with my boys on the way home from a lovely day out a Brimham Rocks...they had a friend with them and I made them all get out and drove off...I can still hear Jono saying 'No Mummy, No Mummy...sorry')
Things on the home front in Bryne get worse, to the extent that Bill is more absent than present and debts are rising, Val needs more full time work. After a while of scouring the ads she comes across one working for a local attorney, the pay of which is nearly double her existing salary. Without much hope she applies and much to her surprise she is offered the job and they agreed a start date in January after the holidays.
In the process of losing her home Val managed to obtain a rental agreement in the house of an elderly lady. Luck was for once on her side as this was close to both her new place of employment and the nursery school. Life plods on for her and the children and learning the ropes of her new job leaves her a bit bewildered at times. Her typing skills are not the best and when her boss buys a new electronic typewriter Val is in heaven, no more retypes as it had spell check and delete facilities.
Things were changing and after six years of living in South Africa Val decided that she and the children were going to go and live in England where she would be able to see her Father, sister and brother.
Once again I thank you Val for sharing your memories, This book was gifted to me by the author, thank you Val
November 11, 2019
Having loved the author’s first memoir about Africa, African Ways, I really wanted to know what happened next in her story, so I was delighted to discover that there was a sequel.
African Ways Again, is equally as well written, just as captivating and full of delightful and evocative descriptions as African Ways. However, it is harder hitting as it moves on through the inevitable development of culture shock, from the honeymoon period, and the joy of discovery of life in rural Africa, despite the difficulties, to the second stage of frustration. To be fair, much of the frustration is due to moving to a different area, with significantly hotter weather, plus the antics of a not very nice husband, which leads to severe financial problems and other issues.
In addition to the excellent descriptions, and the bringing to life of the challenges of being a single mother in a developing country, one cannot help but admire the author for her sheer strength of character in coping with everyday life, and especially for her measured intelligence when she realized that the time to leave had come, given the political events which were rapidly encroaching.
It is always difficult writing a sequel to a memoir, without boring those who have read the first one. Often there is constant repetition, which becomes boring after a while, but in African Ways Again, it follows seamlessly on from African Ways with memory jogging about what happened previously, only when necessary.
Highly recommended, and now, as with African Ways, I really want to know what happened next!
African Ways Again, is equally as well written, just as captivating and full of delightful and evocative descriptions as African Ways. However, it is harder hitting as it moves on through the inevitable development of culture shock, from the honeymoon period, and the joy of discovery of life in rural Africa, despite the difficulties, to the second stage of frustration. To be fair, much of the frustration is due to moving to a different area, with significantly hotter weather, plus the antics of a not very nice husband, which leads to severe financial problems and other issues.
In addition to the excellent descriptions, and the bringing to life of the challenges of being a single mother in a developing country, one cannot help but admire the author for her sheer strength of character in coping with everyday life, and especially for her measured intelligence when she realized that the time to leave had come, given the political events which were rapidly encroaching.
It is always difficult writing a sequel to a memoir, without boring those who have read the first one. Often there is constant repetition, which becomes boring after a while, but in African Ways Again, it follows seamlessly on from African Ways with memory jogging about what happened previously, only when necessary.
Highly recommended, and now, as with African Ways, I really want to know what happened next!
June 9, 2019
A beautifully written memoir
When Val Poore releases a new book, I put it on top of my huge pile of to be reads. This book touched me in so many ways. Val has a talent of writing words that become a painting in my mind's eye. The way she describes her life in South Africa during apartheid and then the aftermath is part happy and part heartbreaking. That said, I have my favorite stories. I love how she calls herself a plum pimp. I laughed at her methods of trying to give away the abundance of plums from her fruit tree to any and all who also had their own flourishing tree. Another favorite story was when her pre school daughters would bicker in the backseat of their van. This time it hit home with me as I laughed with my own memories when I did exactly the same thing she did to stop her children from bickering. And, Val, if you are reading this, many times my two children were told to sit on their hands when mommy was driving. I also learn something new from her books. But, I also while reading them, I feel like a friend visiting a friend in her kitchen, sipping tea or coffee, and enjoying a nice visit.
When Val Poore releases a new book, I put it on top of my huge pile of to be reads. This book touched me in so many ways. Val has a talent of writing words that become a painting in my mind's eye. The way she describes her life in South Africa during apartheid and then the aftermath is part happy and part heartbreaking. That said, I have my favorite stories. I love how she calls herself a plum pimp. I laughed at her methods of trying to give away the abundance of plums from her fruit tree to any and all who also had their own flourishing tree. Another favorite story was when her pre school daughters would bicker in the backseat of their van. This time it hit home with me as I laughed with my own memories when I did exactly the same thing she did to stop her children from bickering. And, Val, if you are reading this, many times my two children were told to sit on their hands when mommy was driving. I also learn something new from her books. But, I also while reading them, I feel like a friend visiting a friend in her kitchen, sipping tea or coffee, and enjoying a nice visit.
June 28, 2018
Another entertaining read by Valerie
I loved this sequel. Like all her books, Valerie doesn't lose focus on the subject matter which is the place or travel experience. We get an inside view peppered with colorful selections from her life.
Some travel memoirs completely focus on the author's emotional state which is usually some type of running anxiety sharing every worrying thought. Valerie is quite different. She might mention her feelings at times but it is only to give context and understand better what she was experiencing. This balance is what distinguishes her from the pact.
I loved this sequel. Like all her books, Valerie doesn't lose focus on the subject matter which is the place or travel experience. We get an inside view peppered with colorful selections from her life.
Some travel memoirs completely focus on the author's emotional state which is usually some type of running anxiety sharing every worrying thought. Valerie is quite different. She might mention her feelings at times but it is only to give context and understand better what she was experiencing. This balance is what distinguishes her from the pact.
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