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Masquerade
"It was never my intention to write my own story at this stage. After the publication of Confessions of a Gambler, however, and all the hoopla and hype around it, especially as it pertained to the main character in the book and whether the story is a true one or not, I looked into my heart long and hard - who are you, Rayda Jacobs? - and thought it better to write it now."
317 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
26 people want to read
About the author
Rayda Jacobs
13 books23 followersRayda Jacobs was a South African writer and filmmaker.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 31, 2023
Am I paying the price and taking the risks for my dreams?
Am I creating nurturing environments for creativity for everyone in my company wherever I go?
These were the 2 key take away questions I had to ask myself after reading Rayda Jacob's incredibly unconventional story.
Her writing was easy, relatable and since most of her story is based in CT- very nostalgic.
Rayda's ambition was always to educate herself- she wanted to write books, create her own documentaries and even ended up making her own movie based on her book 'Confessions of a Gambler' (which I am super keen to read). Her motivation was never money but rather bringing her message across, telling her story of culture, a unique perspective &bringing that to the world.
She took risks, not blindly- she weighed things up meticulously. She took risks.Not something that was prevalent in her time for someone of her background. Because face it alot of us who were displaced during Apartheid or whose Parents were- that informed our main motivation which was to play it safe. Not to take risks.
Re the other take away- Rayda's first 18 years in CT shows how her creative talents were not nurtured. How she was dismissed as too imaginative and impractical. Her first 18 years were in SA. Thereafter she was exiled to Canada for over 20 years. And it's evident after zooming out and reflecting on her story- that her years in Canada brought her soul and talents (becoming a mother in the process) the nurturing and empowerment she needed to persevere to live her dreams and take the risks. Environment is important and that being said - we should always consider our impact on those around us.
I loved this book- for inspiring me to push boundaries and for making me feel like Rayda is an old friend. I need/want/would love to read more of her work. ❤️
Am I creating nurturing environments for creativity for everyone in my company wherever I go?
These were the 2 key take away questions I had to ask myself after reading Rayda Jacob's incredibly unconventional story.
Her writing was easy, relatable and since most of her story is based in CT- very nostalgic.
Rayda's ambition was always to educate herself- she wanted to write books, create her own documentaries and even ended up making her own movie based on her book 'Confessions of a Gambler' (which I am super keen to read). Her motivation was never money but rather bringing her message across, telling her story of culture, a unique perspective &bringing that to the world.
She took risks, not blindly- she weighed things up meticulously. She took risks.Not something that was prevalent in her time for someone of her background. Because face it alot of us who were displaced during Apartheid or whose Parents were- that informed our main motivation which was to play it safe. Not to take risks.
Re the other take away- Rayda's first 18 years in CT shows how her creative talents were not nurtured. How she was dismissed as too imaginative and impractical. Her first 18 years were in SA. Thereafter she was exiled to Canada for over 20 years. And it's evident after zooming out and reflecting on her story- that her years in Canada brought her soul and talents (becoming a mother in the process) the nurturing and empowerment she needed to persevere to live her dreams and take the risks. Environment is important and that being said - we should always consider our impact on those around us.
I loved this book- for inspiring me to push boundaries and for making me feel like Rayda is an old friend. I need/want/would love to read more of her work. ❤️
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August 8, 2019A fascinating story full of guts and determination to succeed as an independent woman and writer;, all while remaining faithful to her religion and dealing with the ties that bind (motherhood).
However, her work is clearly stilted by the fact that this is her real story, and not fictional and thus had to be sensitive to those that are still living on this earth. I suspect the reason the prose do not flow as beautifully as they have in her novels is due to this challenge. Which would also explain why it is the final third of the book that flows the best.
However, her work is clearly stilted by the fact that this is her real story, and not fictional and thus had to be sensitive to those that are still living on this earth. I suspect the reason the prose do not flow as beautifully as they have in her novels is due to this challenge. Which would also explain why it is the final third of the book that flows the best.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews