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Langenhoven: 'n lewe
Uit die groot uitdaging wat Langenhoven se lewe aan die biograaf gebied het, het 'n grootse werk gekom waarvan die bekende navorser en skrywer Prof JC Steyn onder meer sê: "Kannemeyer het daarin geslaag om tienduisende brokke inligting te integreer tot 'n boek wat so interessant soos 'n goeie roman is. Die logiese struktuur is 'n Langenhoven waardig."
Die sensitiefste sake in Langehoven se lewe, nl. sy drankprobleem en die verhouding tussen hom en Sarah Goldblatt, behandel sy biograaf volledig, openhartig en met deernis. Van die skrynendste dele in die boek gaan hieroor.
Maar deur dit alles heen is die leser nooit te ver van wat die sentrale tema in Langehoven se lewe geword het nie: Sy toewyding aan die stryd om die erkenning van Afrikaans, wat hy met onvergelyklike finesse gevoer het, en sy onvermoeide, hoewel soms moedelose skryf, skryf en nogmaals skryf vir sy mense. Wat hy vir sy "pêrel van grote waarde" gedoen en wat hy daaroor gesê het, is in die hedendaagse "buitegewone omstandighede" (t.o.v. die stand van Afrikaans) weer so aktueel dat dit soms lees soos kommentaar op vandag se koerantberigte.
Die sensitiefste sake in Langehoven se lewe, nl. sy drankprobleem en die verhouding tussen hom en Sarah Goldblatt, behandel sy biograaf volledig, openhartig en met deernis. Van die skrynendste dele in die boek gaan hieroor.
Maar deur dit alles heen is die leser nooit te ver van wat die sentrale tema in Langehoven se lewe geword het nie: Sy toewyding aan die stryd om die erkenning van Afrikaans, wat hy met onvergelyklike finesse gevoer het, en sy onvermoeide, hoewel soms moedelose skryf, skryf en nogmaals skryf vir sy mense. Wat hy vir sy "pêrel van grote waarde" gedoen en wat hy daaroor gesê het, is in die hedendaagse "buitegewone omstandighede" (t.o.v. die stand van Afrikaans) weer so aktueel dat dit soms lees soos kommentaar op vandag se koerantberigte.
- GenresBiography
728 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
J.C. Kannemeyer
36 books3 followersHere is an authority on Afrikaans Literature who has published books on the history of Afrikaans literature and biographies of writers.
John Christoffel (J.C.) Kannemeyer grew up in and attended school in Robertson. He studied at Stellenbosch University where he obtained a DLit under the supervision of D.J. Opperman in 1964. His thesis was entitled Die stem in die literêre kunswerk.
In 1962 he joined the University of Cape Town as lecturer in Afrikaans and Dutch. Later he lectured at RAU (the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit) and Stellenbosch University.
During 1976 - 1983 Kannemeyer took care of the editor's secretariat of the literary magazine Standpunte. He was professor in Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1982-1987. He then worked as senior researcher at the H.S.R.C. in Pretoria.
In September 1992 Prof Kannemeyer returned to Stellenbosch as an independent researcher and author. He is a visiting lecturer and researcher at the universities of Nijmegen, Amsterdam and Leuven and is a member of the Dutch Literary Society (Maatschappij der Nederlandse letterkunde). Since 2004 he is Extraordinary Professor of Afrikaans and Dutch at Stellenbosch University.
Presently he is working on a revised and updated version of "Die Afrikaanse literatuur".
In 1993, John Kannemeyer, with Wium van Zyl, began to organise literary tours.
John Christoffel (J.C.) Kannemeyer grew up in and attended school in Robertson. He studied at Stellenbosch University where he obtained a DLit under the supervision of D.J. Opperman in 1964. His thesis was entitled Die stem in die literêre kunswerk.
In 1962 he joined the University of Cape Town as lecturer in Afrikaans and Dutch. Later he lectured at RAU (the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit) and Stellenbosch University.
During 1976 - 1983 Kannemeyer took care of the editor's secretariat of the literary magazine Standpunte. He was professor in Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1982-1987. He then worked as senior researcher at the H.S.R.C. in Pretoria.
In September 1992 Prof Kannemeyer returned to Stellenbosch as an independent researcher and author. He is a visiting lecturer and researcher at the universities of Nijmegen, Amsterdam and Leuven and is a member of the Dutch Literary Society (Maatschappij der Nederlandse letterkunde). Since 2004 he is Extraordinary Professor of Afrikaans and Dutch at Stellenbosch University.
Presently he is working on a revised and updated version of "Die Afrikaanse literatuur".
In 1993, John Kannemeyer, with Wium van Zyl, began to organise literary tours.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 6, 2024
What an incredible disappointment. This book is like a loaf of bread that's been baked without yeast. It contains most of the ingredients but it lacks that which gives it life and soul and lightness. So it's a brick that's simply indigestable. In fact, it gave me so much indigestion that I threw it right across the room, something I've never done in my five decades on this planet. (It is quite a tome and so it gave me quite a lot of pleasure to hurl it away from me).
But what was so offensive? Aside from the dead formulaic approach to the work(the author clearly had a recipe he followed in his several biographies) what irked me was his barely disguised bias against Sarah Goldblatt who was deeply loved by Langenhoven, who deeply loved Langenhoven and who was a friend to Langenhoven's wife. Anyone with half a brain can pick up on his characterization of her.
Who knows why? Was he an anti-semite, maybe deeply offended by the fact of the affair? I don't know, all I know, is it was not for him to judge. But he did and he couldn't conceal it so instead of reading about Langenhoven's life I have to read through the lenses of a short sighted biographer who understood some of the facts but few of the feelings that make up a complex life. In the end, a biography is meant to bring its subject to life—not just through their actions, but through their humanity, relationships, and emotional depth. This book failed spectacularly in that regard. If you’re looking for insight into Langenhoven’s remarkable life, this is not the book for you. But if you’re looking for a lifeless, biased account, by all means, pick up this brick. Just be prepared to hurl it.
But what was so offensive? Aside from the dead formulaic approach to the work(the author clearly had a recipe he followed in his several biographies) what irked me was his barely disguised bias against Sarah Goldblatt who was deeply loved by Langenhoven, who deeply loved Langenhoven and who was a friend to Langenhoven's wife. Anyone with half a brain can pick up on his characterization of her.
Who knows why? Was he an anti-semite, maybe deeply offended by the fact of the affair? I don't know, all I know, is it was not for him to judge. But he did and he couldn't conceal it so instead of reading about Langenhoven's life I have to read through the lenses of a short sighted biographer who understood some of the facts but few of the feelings that make up a complex life. In the end, a biography is meant to bring its subject to life—not just through their actions, but through their humanity, relationships, and emotional depth. This book failed spectacularly in that regard. If you’re looking for insight into Langenhoven’s remarkable life, this is not the book for you. But if you’re looking for a lifeless, biased account, by all means, pick up this brick. Just be prepared to hurl it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review