Op die toneel: Stories, reise, stemme

by Dana Snyman

’n Veertigtal stories deur een van ons gewildste skrywers. Stories met humor én met droefheid, van dinge wat verander het en dinge wat dieselfde bly, oor families en oor vreemdelinge. “Die mens is die storie, die storie is die mens,” het Dana, self-erkende storiesmous, by geleentheid gesê. En soos by sy eerste twee bundels, Uit die binneland en Anderkant die scrap, gee sy jongste versameling stories weer ’n deernisvolle blik op mé gewone mense en al hul dinge, mense in dorpe en stede en afgeleë streke. Dít is baasverteller en veelbekroonde joernalis Dana Snyman se geheim, sy respek vir en simpatie met mense. En die gevoel van hoop waarmee sy stories die leser laat.

Genres: Short Stories

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Dana Snyman is an award-winning South African journalist, writer and playwright.

Snyman was born in Stellenbosch and matriculated from Nylstroom High School. He later followed a journalism course at the Pretoria Technikon before joining the Afrikaans newspaper Beeld as a crime reporter.

Three years later he became a journalist at Huisgenoot magazine, where he worked for ten years. As of 2007, Snyman is the travel editor of Weg! magazine.

His first book, Uit die binneland (From the interior) was published in 2005 and his second, Anderkant die scrap (The other side of the scrap), in 2006. Both are collected short-short stories and schetches.

Snyman's first play, the one-man comedy Die Uwe, Pottie Potgieter (Yours Truly, Pottie Potgieter), was first performed in 2006 and was the runner-up for the AngloGold Ashanti/Aardklop-Smeltkroes Award for new texts in the same year.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suid-Afrika is 'n vreemde en wonderlike plek. Die boek handel oor al die snaakse karakters wat mens in jou omswerwinge in SA raakloop en is briljant snaaks. Baie van die boek speel ook af in Ventersdorp, wat net 'n klipgooi is van waar ek bly, so 'n mens kan jouself lekker vereenselwig met die boek!

[De Wet · Rating 3 out of 5]

'n Ietwat wisselvallige versameling met nie al die stories wat noodwendig 'n impak lewer nie, maar daar is aangrypende skrywes hier, soos Klara Majola, Soebatsfontein, Nat Nakasa en Spore. Ek het dié een as 'n geheel minder geniet as die uitstekende "Op die Agterpaaie", maar steeds goeie leesstof met stories en probleme en hunkeringe eie aan ons land.

[Deirdré Louw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly morbid, but overall an enjoyable read.

[H.L. Balcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is truly a fantastic read! As a teacher and social scientist, if I could create a curriculum around this book, I would also include the short stories of Herman Charles Bosman. The two books complement each other seamlessly in unearthing the Afrikaner identity within a time span of 70 years. My only reservation about Synman's book is how well it would translate into English? I think many of funniest parts of his stories would be lost! My favorite story was "Operasie Smokeshell," especially the beginning part which spoke about the 'Dankie-Tannies' and the 'pislelies.' I thought the most reflection chapter was 'Vorderingsverslag.' As stated in my opening, a great read and Synman, in my humble opinion, remains one of the best authors of short stories! Baie dankie Mnr. Dana Synman - dit was tops gewees!

[Yvette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die reisverhale het n melankoliese gevoel. Daar word vertel van n Suid Afrika wat is en was. Mense sonder n verlede is nie mense nie.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scarily close to South-African home

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baie mooi! Kort stories in afrikaans.