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Cold Stone Jug
Herman Charles Bosman's unique account of the term he served as a young man in Pretoria Central Prison, convicted of murder, and initially condemned to hang on death row, he had his sentence commuted to be a regular convict through the 1920s and into the 30s.By turns gruesome and humorous, and bravely wrenched out of his tortured memory, when it was first published in 1949 - fifty years ago - Cold Stone Jug was greeted as too grim and dubious for polite literary circles, although it proved a reliable seller. Its rise to classic status has been unstoppable, and it is now widely considered the founding text of all South African prison writings. As readable as ever, it is now hailed as Bosman's masterpiece of irony as well, vivid and unforgettable.
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First published January 1, 1949
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 4, 2013
From an early age Bosman started writing short stories for local newspapers. As a freshly graduated young man Bosman was appointed to a teaching post in the Groot Marico district of South Africa. A most fruitful year, for the place and the people enthralled him - they provided him with the background for his best-known works, the Oom Schalk Lourens and Voorkamer sketches.
On his return to Johannesburg for the June holidays, his visit ended in catastrophy in the house of his mother and stepfather when he fired a hunting rifle at his stepbrother and killed him. Bosman was sentenced to death, but later a reprieve was granted and at the age of 21 he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour. He relates his prison experience in "Cold Stone Jug"
Herein he paints a vivid picture of his life in jail during the 1920's and the hardships & realities inter-weaved with a bits of humour, irony and a glimpse into insanity. This novel is certainly worth reading!
On his return to Johannesburg for the June holidays, his visit ended in catastrophy in the house of his mother and stepfather when he fired a hunting rifle at his stepbrother and killed him. Bosman was sentenced to death, but later a reprieve was granted and at the age of 21 he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour. He relates his prison experience in "Cold Stone Jug"
Herein he paints a vivid picture of his life in jail during the 1920's and the hardships & realities inter-weaved with a bits of humour, irony and a glimpse into insanity. This novel is certainly worth reading!
October 18, 2013
I just loved Bosman's delivery in describing the events of prison life. His personality and humour come across in his writing, treating the quite heavy subject of prison in a way that is not at all as depressing as you might think. There are some beautifully poignant moments in the book and at one point he builds the tension and claustrophobia to a point which had me squirming. The stories borrowed/retold from other prisoners were a highlight. He has a way with conveying the personality of the speaker which is quite captivating. All up, this was a really enjoyable read and I'll be reading it again in the future I'm sure.
December 9, 2013
utterly delightful "dark" read...I enjoyed his grim sense of humor about death and everyday experiences in prison...he made a strong exploration of real human suffering without falling into some kind of predictable resolution...I want to gather a shelf for students beginning with this selection, Day in the Life of Ivan..., and Faulkner's "Old Man" just for starters...I'm sure there are other worthy studies of convicts...perhaps I should actually READ Shawshank Redemption...
July 28, 2011
The best prison memoir I've ever read - Bosman was imprisoned for murder and sentenced to death. I can't remember now why that was commuted... I'd really like to read this again.
June 29, 2017
Cold Stone Jug stands out in so many ways - its irony, its humor in the shadow of the gallows, its understated emotion, its feel for people and their language, its accessible style. It's a classic of prison writing. When I think of other writers who've tackled this genre like Henri Charriere, Breyten Breytenbach, Solzhenitsyn, Donald Woods etc., they're all memorable, but Cold Stone Jug can stand with the best of them.
April 3, 2026
'I had learnt one thing. And that was that I was mad, stone mad. And that all the other people in the world were mad, also. And I learnt that what I had to do was to play-act sane.
And I am still doing that same thing. I am still play-acting sane: it has come easy to me, with the years. And I have learnt now how not to see these horrid figures etched in black lines on the paper, as I write.'
And I am still doing that same thing. I am still play-acting sane: it has come easy to me, with the years. And I have learnt now how not to see these horrid figures etched in black lines on the paper, as I write.'
February 25, 2019
Literal gallows humor
January 14, 2021
The story of the authors time in prison. You can picture the events he writes about.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews