Bessie Head: An introduction

by Craig MacKenzie

Concise overview of Head's essays, novels, and autobiographical writings. Known for recording stories of everyday people in remote areas of Africa.

52 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Raphael Mokoena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this work has published many books, studies, on Bessie Head, the writer. This one (book) is the most accessible and shows how much Mackenzie appreciated Head as a creative writer. He focuses on all the major works of Head - from When rain clouds gather, to A bewitched Crossroads. His critical voice is intelligent but always fair and restrained. Two samples here. He points out that Head wrote engaging stories on Botswana rural, village life which were essentially enjoyed by a "detached, removed" literate audience elsewhere. He also explains that her novel Maru is like a "fairy" story, as in real life it is very unlikely that two very powerful,illustrious men in one small society would be pulling out all the stops to win the hand of a woman who is more or less a social
outcast...