Ask the Author: Stephen Hayes
Answered Questions (9)
Stephen Hayes
You asked about my thoughts on Fr Seraphim Rose. Apologies for late reply.
I read his biography and several articles by him a long time ago.
I think he did good work in his time by helping to make English-speaking people aware of Orthodoxy at a time when there was little Orthodox literature in English, but in some ways his theology was a bit unbalanced by being too influenced by non-Orthodox people like René Guénon.
I read his biography and several articles by him a long time ago.
I think he did good work in his time by helping to make English-speaking people aware of Orthodoxy at a time when there was little Orthodox literature in English, but in some ways his theology was a bit unbalanced by being too influenced by non-Orthodox people like René Guénon.
Stephen Hayes
Several of the plots of my books are based on mysteries in my own life, or the lives of people I have met.
For example, I knew three rural leaders of the Liberal Party of South Africa who were banned in the 1960s -- Elliot Mngadi, Enock Mnguni and Mike Ndlovu. Some of their experiences are reflected in the story of Elijah Mdluli in Of Wheels and Witches. I also met a man living in Zwelitsha in the Eastern Cape who had been banished from the Northern Transvaal. In my story Elijah Mdluli's son was banished to the Northern Transvaal, for similar reasons.
For example, I knew three rural leaders of the Liberal Party of South Africa who were banned in the 1960s -- Elliot Mngadi, Enock Mnguni and Mike Ndlovu. Some of their experiences are reflected in the story of Elijah Mdluli in Of Wheels and Witches. I also met a man living in Zwelitsha in the Eastern Cape who had been banished from the Northern Transvaal. In my story Elijah Mdluli's son was banished to the Northern Transvaal, for similar reasons.
Stephen Hayes
Potentially, yes. But they have a habit of reappearing in different guises. As Paolo Freire, the Brazilian educationist, put it, the oppressed internalises the image of the oppressor and so becomes an oppressor in turn. So in Soweto in 1976 A.P. Treurnicht and Ferdi Hartzenberg were channelling Alfred Lord Milner, and by 2046, if not sooner, some Minister of Education will be channelling them.
Stephen Hayes
Yes, I think God is still at work. "The Year of the Dragon" was the result of a challenge to write a novel in the genre of Charles Williams, and one of the concepts developed by Williams and his friends (the Inklings) was the Arthurian distinction between Britain (this world) and Logres (Britain's better nature -- Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde applied to nations). I believe South Africa had its "Logres moment" between 1989 and 1999, and then the old bad nature resurfaced. And yes, someone needs to write about that, Same dragon returned? Different dragon? I don't know, but it needs to be someone more familiar with a different manifestations of evil.
Stephen Hayes
A sequel to my children's book Of Wheels and Witches.
Stephen Hayes
I read a book on writing.
Stephen Hayes
Yes, I've read some books by J.M. Coetzee, and have written reviews on them. I've seen some plays by Athol Fugard, and as far as I know he is still writing.
Sorry to have taken so long to respond to this, my navigational skills on Good Reads are not too good, and I've only seen this now.
Sorry to have taken so long to respond to this, my navigational skills on Good Reads are not too good, and I've only seen this now.
Stephen Hayes
I'm not sure how you do that on Good Reads. Perhaps there's a button on the profile for doing it. I have had some friend requests, so there must be something. When there are friend requests I useually run the book compatibility tests before accepting friends, and look for over about 70% compatibility and for people with more than 100 books listed on Good Reads.
Stephen Hayes
From travelling in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg in 1964-65.
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