Introductions

[Lisa]

Tell us a bit about yourself

[Lisa]

Hi I am Lisa, I'm originally from Jo'burg but now live in Cape Town. Although I've been reading since I was 6, I feel that I have not read enough books from my own country.

[Sarah]

Hi, I'm Sarah. I hail from Ohio in the United States. I've always been a bibliophile and have lately been working on expanding my horizons as far as literature goes. Kudos to Lisa for starting this group! :-)

[Lisa]

Hi Sara, good to see you.

[James]

Thanks for the invite Lisa.
I'm James - also from the US. I really don't know of any SA titles, but I'm always interested in adding something good to my "to-read" shelf.

[Lisa]

Welcome James. Cool pic.

[Cecily]

Hi, I'm Cecily. Born and bred Capetonian. Love reading and collecting books. I have the same problem as Lisa - reading since forever, but not enough about my own (sometimes) fantastic country.

[Lisa]

Yay Cecily!

[Dave]

Thanks for the invitation, Lisa. I'm Dave from Pennsylvania. I've traveled a good bit in the US, but, aside from a few brief excursions to Mexican border towns, I have never left my own country. Now that I'm retired and interested in learning about other places and times SA sounds like a good place to start.

[Adele]

Hello! I am Adele Mey. I am a 35 year old anesthetist from Stellenbosch in South Africa. Close to Cape Town, but more countryside. I'm Afrikaans and have read lots of South African books, but all Afrikaans authors. Some of these have been translated into Afrikaans, which means they must be excellent otherwise they wouldn't have gone to the trouble. Unfortunately I cannot vouch for any translations because I have never seen the use of reading them, but I assume they would be ok and I would like to see some of them read for the sake of our friends abroad. I love horses, horse riding, music, nature, cooking, wine and favourite books are fantasy, fiction, turn of the century novels, anything really except autobiographies.

[Lisa]

Welcome Dave
Howzit Adele

[Adele]

Oh and not crazy about political inspired reads. We've had so much of that pushed down our throats...

[Leon]

Hello all. I've recently come home after 11 years in the UK. Africa - once in your blood, always in your blood. Now I can start trying to cram the next 150 years of living into my already ancient lifetime.

[Lisa]

Welcome Leon, it's great to have you- in the group and the country!

[Wanda]

Hello all. I tried to add my book to the book shelf. I am excited to be here and to meet you all and get to know you. Have fun.

[Lisa]

Welcome Wanda. Under General, there is a section called SA writes. Please tell us more about your book there.

[Lisa]

Would love to here more

[Lisa]

Welcome Ken.

[Adrienne]

Hallo Almal, hi all.

I'm proudly South African and I live in Joburg, East rand. My Fantasy series is going to be published in the USA through GMTA Publishing. I'm so excited. It's a pity we don't have a market for fantasy, believe me I've tried to published my novel here. It comes out in November 20th of this year, and is the first of the Dragonian Series, just wanted to share with you all. Thanks Lisa for starting this group. I was wondering where all of you hide. hehe.

[Lisa]

Hi Adrienne,
That's awesome news. Welcome to the group, make yourself at home here.

[Adrienne]

Thanks Lisa

[Sue]

Hi, I'm Sue. I'm from Maryland but have done a bunch of travel in Africa - Cote d'Ivoire, Namibia and Mozambique. Jo'burg has often been my transfer point but I've not done any travel in SA beyond that (yet). Love reading just about anything pertaining to Africa.

[Lisa]

Welcome Sue

[Sophie]

Hello! I am Sophie! I am a Janeite from England but I have been to SA for three weeks on a holiday (that was 4 years ago now though... wow!) Anyway, hello! :D

[Lisa]

Hey Sophie, hope you will join in. Bet you will find some Austenites lurking in SA too.

[Sophie]

I am going to explore the group ASAP! :)

[Lisa]

FYI all members, if there is suddenly a file called South Africans like Jane Austen- I have NO idea who made it!

[Lisa]

At Sue, that's I lot of traveling in Africa. What compelled you to do that?

[Sophie]

The thread has magical appeared... Wonder why? ;)

[Lisa]

Must be imps!

[Sophie]

There's your answer ;)

[Sue]

Mozambique - church mission trip (2). Cote d'Ivoire - family vacation while my brother was stationed there with State Dept. Namibia (4) first when brother was volunteering, then for his wedding to a Namibian, then 2 trips to visit extended family.

[Lisa]

Sounds incredible Sue.

[Marren]

Hey all.

I am Marren from St.Lucia, I love History and I am eager to learn more about South Africa (I know very little).

I will try to take part in as much group reads and discussion as I can.

[Lisa]

Hi Marren, it's great to see you. Join in as you see fit, there's always so many books out there.

[Marren]

Thank you.

[Adele]

Hello everybody! Welcome welcome welcome!!

[[deleted user]]

Hi
I'm Gary Morris from Cape Town (Gary A.M.Morris to avoid confusion with the other author Gary Morris). I am the author of two recently released books on Kindle: 'The Journals of The Guardian' Book1 'Dawn of a Hero' . and 'Miao Shan' 'The Awakening'.
Both books are the first of a series. Both are YA, paranormal fantasy, and the Guardian is also sci fi.
I am currently trying to organise a massive give way of both books, via Amazon. So if you would like a free Kindle copy, please contact me so I can organise a way of letting you know when to download the books .

[Lisa]

Welcome Gary

[[deleted user]]

Thank you Lisa, and thank you very much for inviting me to the group. I am only too delighted such a group exists :-).

[John]

I've been a member of Goodreads since 2011, but haven't joined a group 'til now. Although I posted and reviewed books, all my time was swallowed up in the process of writing my first novel.
Now that the novel is in its final stages of editing, I decided to stick my toe in the water - and what better way than with a proudly South African group!
I live in Cape Town, am semi-retired, and spend much of my free time writing, reading and movie-ing. I enjoy Twitter @johnmountford and also have a website and blog at www.johnmountford.com
Please let me know if I can contribute to the group in any particular way. This is the only group I will be joining - I have already started writing the sequel to my first book and this restricts my reading time.

[Lisa]

Welcome John. Hopefully with your knowledge of South African literature you will be able to join in with book discussions.

[Chahrazad]

Well from the extreme south of Africa to the extreme north :) I am from Algeria.
Arabic is my mother tongue, French is my second language and English is a passion.

I have to admit that I haven't read a lot of books from our vast continent, since I've majored in Anglo-Saxon literature. However, it's never too late to catch up, and this group is an excellent opportunity, thanks for the invite Lisa :)

[Buck]

Hello. I'm Buck, a photographer in Florida, USA. I joined the group on Lisa'a invitation. As far as I know, the only South African book I've read is The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I quite liked it and learned a tiny bit about Boers, my prior knowledge having been nil.

[Lisa]

Welcome Chahrazad and Buck.
Chahrazad, I didn't realize you were trilingual! That's so incredible. Welcome to the far South of Africa!
Buck, thanks for joining. Read the Power of One when I was about 13. I remember it portrays the conflict between the English and Afrikaaners and the racial tension of our country.

[Lisa]

To all our new members, our October read is The Day the Swallows spoke by Dalene Matthee. We'll be on the last part next week.
Our November read is the formerly controversial & banned A Dry White Season by Andre Brink.

[Justin]

Hi all,

My name is Justin Muller, and I am a fifteen year old author living in Durban, South Africa. Since I'm an author, reading is a very tricky business for me. When I'm writing, I find it torture to read a good book, but I always find a way!

[Lisa]

Welcome Justin, what have you written?

[Lisa]

Justin, please feel free to post a link to your book(which looks cool) under SA writes in the exploring SA section.

[Justin]

Thanks, I love it when I'm part of a good group - but maybe its just human nature.
This is my Kindle book: The Glass Forest.
Its a book set in wonderful SA, and delves deep into divides between two societies.