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A Little Book of Words
Tales of love and loss, laughter and life.
This collection of short stories, memoirs and poetry introduces Erika Hauptmann as a storyteller of subtle power. Her compelling tales, rich in detail, are by turns heartbreaking, wise, surreal, tender, brutal, and above all unexpected.
Having lived a well-travelled life in USA, Tunisia, Gabon, Ghana and India before settling in South Africa, the author draws on a deep well of experiences to reveal her understated command of the storytelling art.
The stories of the familiar and the strange are at once moving and honest, humane and angry, warm hearted and magical, but always presented with a light touch and filled with insight, much like the author herself.
She casts an unflinching eye over emotions as diverse as grief, sexual obsession and the exquisite pleasure of first love. From the terror of childhood air-raids on Germany to an incantatory ritual in Equatorial Africa, from sibling rivalry on a Stellenbosch farm to Venetian masked mystery, these stories make vivid a world of wonder and possibility.
Wide in scope, intimate yet boundless, this collection of 46 beautifully crafted stories and 11 poems is the perfect companion for any fiction lover interested in life and all its limitless possibilities.
One of her characters says, 'Don't be afraid, tears are like ink, with time they fade.' But these stories will not fade, the lucky reader is destined to return to them again and again.
This collection of short stories, memoirs and poetry introduces Erika Hauptmann as a storyteller of subtle power. Her compelling tales, rich in detail, are by turns heartbreaking, wise, surreal, tender, brutal, and above all unexpected.
Having lived a well-travelled life in USA, Tunisia, Gabon, Ghana and India before settling in South Africa, the author draws on a deep well of experiences to reveal her understated command of the storytelling art.
The stories of the familiar and the strange are at once moving and honest, humane and angry, warm hearted and magical, but always presented with a light touch and filled with insight, much like the author herself.
She casts an unflinching eye over emotions as diverse as grief, sexual obsession and the exquisite pleasure of first love. From the terror of childhood air-raids on Germany to an incantatory ritual in Equatorial Africa, from sibling rivalry on a Stellenbosch farm to Venetian masked mystery, these stories make vivid a world of wonder and possibility.
Wide in scope, intimate yet boundless, this collection of 46 beautifully crafted stories and 11 poems is the perfect companion for any fiction lover interested in life and all its limitless possibilities.
One of her characters says, 'Don't be afraid, tears are like ink, with time they fade.' But these stories will not fade, the lucky reader is destined to return to them again and again.
227 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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July 6, 2020It is literally a little book - but with a big heart - big on wisdom and insight into the complexities of the human condition, and rich with experiences of a full life. The writer is clearly a woman of substance,and she remains elusive as to what is fact, and what is fiction. Despite requests from many sources, there is no photo of Erika on the book, so no conclusions can be drawn!
It is a gem of a book, with 46 stories and 11 poems set in countries as diverse as Italy and Pakistan, and locations as diverse as a cruise ship and the African bush. The book is divided into sections: Romance,Mama Africa, Minarets, Life and Other Stories and Poetry, and you can pick and choose as your mood dictates. My favourites are A Red Character from the Memoir section, and Not Yet from the Poetry.
The book is dedicated to "lovers of the word," and I love this extract from the foreword:"then you tie up the words once more like pearls on a string, tie them up until they become a string of music, creating beautiful chords. It is both thoughtfully writtenand thought provoking, so cast aside any prejudices towards short stories and read it.
It is a gem of a book, with 46 stories and 11 poems set in countries as diverse as Italy and Pakistan, and locations as diverse as a cruise ship and the African bush. The book is divided into sections: Romance,Mama Africa, Minarets, Life and Other Stories and Poetry, and you can pick and choose as your mood dictates. My favourites are A Red Character from the Memoir section, and Not Yet from the Poetry.
The book is dedicated to "lovers of the word," and I love this extract from the foreword:"then you tie up the words once more like pearls on a string, tie them up until they become a string of music, creating beautiful chords. It is both thoughtfully writtenand thought provoking, so cast aside any prejudices towards short stories and read it.
July 9, 2020
A Little Book of Words
In the beautiful collection, A Little Book of Words, Erika Hauptmann draws us into her heartfelt stories and poems, all presented with the lightest of touches.
A quiet wisdom threads through the texts, which are surreal at times, tender at others and even brutal when need be.
Hauptmann has lived all over the world and the USA, Tunisia, Ghana, Gabon, India and last but not least, South Africa, make an appearance in many of the tales,
The themes are varied and include an exploration of grief, rivalry, mystery and love. The author catapults us into the terror of childhood air-raids on Germany and then invites us to join an Equatorial African ritual.
Hauptmann presents us with life lived on a global level and all the textures that brings to the experience. I found myself dipping into one or two every evening, before I finally switched off the bedside light. Readers will be on the lookout for her next offering. I’ll be the first in the queue!
Review by Gail Gilbride
In the beautiful collection, A Little Book of Words, Erika Hauptmann draws us into her heartfelt stories and poems, all presented with the lightest of touches.
A quiet wisdom threads through the texts, which are surreal at times, tender at others and even brutal when need be.
Hauptmann has lived all over the world and the USA, Tunisia, Ghana, Gabon, India and last but not least, South Africa, make an appearance in many of the tales,
The themes are varied and include an exploration of grief, rivalry, mystery and love. The author catapults us into the terror of childhood air-raids on Germany and then invites us to join an Equatorial African ritual.
Hauptmann presents us with life lived on a global level and all the textures that brings to the experience. I found myself dipping into one or two every evening, before I finally switched off the bedside light. Readers will be on the lookout for her next offering. I’ll be the first in the queue!
Review by Gail Gilbride
May 26, 2020
I throughly enjoyed the atmosphere of mystery and suspense that pervades this smart little book. There's a feeling of the tales crossing the line between dreams and real life, using words like 'beautiful chords' to suggest timeless mysterious experiences. In one story, 'Rather another dream than Linda. It's time to get my own place,' captures the unsentimental revisionary voice that underlies the whole. The short stories (none of them longer than a few pages) leave tantalising questions behind with their underlying erotic charge, flashes of dark humour and unexpected twists. The author is an elusive background presence. A few of the stories really stood out and some felt like they could be turned into a novella, if not a novel. I look forward to reading longer works from Hauptmann's talented pen!
June 28, 2020
“A Little Book of Words” puts its author in the league of master story tellers. Hauptmann’s stories are ensconced in a fascinating framework of cultural diversity and reflect her own well traveled life, a life lived in various cities on different continents.
In each of her stories ,whether in the court of “Suleiman the Magnificent“ or “Behind the Picket Fence”, a scene is skillfully set, an ambience created and a stage prepared for her characters who are vibrant and endowed with the complexity and subtlety of human nature itself.
Hauptmann’s style of narrative possesses an intricate quality, one which invariably captures her reader’s attention and leads into a world of mystery and drama. All in all a commendable read by a most talented writer..
In each of her stories ,whether in the court of “Suleiman the Magnificent“ or “Behind the Picket Fence”, a scene is skillfully set, an ambience created and a stage prepared for her characters who are vibrant and endowed with the complexity and subtlety of human nature itself.
Hauptmann’s style of narrative possesses an intricate quality, one which invariably captures her reader’s attention and leads into a world of mystery and drama. All in all a commendable read by a most talented writer..
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July 4, 2020'A Little Book of Words' by Erika Hauptmann is a fascinating dip into a very interesting life. Erika has lived in many countries and traveled extensively - and it shows in each of her delightful stories. Each story is a gem, full of enchanting tales of diverse people and places, a labyrinth of delightful language and a tribute to a compulsive traveler and story teller. I particularly liked 'Romance and Illusion' and 'Great Expectations' and my all- time favorite is 'Give and Take'... a mysterious, complex little twister that stays with you for a long time.
Erika's 'Little Book of Words' sits permanently on my bedside table, to dip into time and again.
Priscilla Holmes
Erika's 'Little Book of Words' sits permanently on my bedside table, to dip into time and again.
Priscilla Holmes
July 4, 2020
A LITTLE BOOK OF WORDS by Erika Hauptmann perfectly reflects the restless and sensitive nature of the author.
Having lived extensively on four continents before she settled down (?) in South Africa, Erika has captured the indefatigable spirit of India, the brashness of New York and the mysticism of Tunisia. While in Ghana and Gabon she experienced the diverse cultures of Africa.
Her poetry reflects the deeper emotions of her soul.
A most enjoyable read that keeps one turning the pages and wonder about the things one could have done.
Peter Kuhnert
Having lived extensively on four continents before she settled down (?) in South Africa, Erika has captured the indefatigable spirit of India, the brashness of New York and the mysticism of Tunisia. While in Ghana and Gabon she experienced the diverse cultures of Africa.
Her poetry reflects the deeper emotions of her soul.
A most enjoyable read that keeps one turning the pages and wonder about the things one could have done.
Peter Kuhnert
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews