Daily Archives: June 21, 2011

Somehow Tenderness Survives ~ Stories of Southern Africa  Selected by Hazel Rochman

These are stories of Southern Africa. Not about the vast continent with the ranging sky, mesmerizing wildlife, beauty that defies the imagination. These are stories of a sad history, of remembrances of human sorrow, unkindness, hate. Apartheid. Somehow Tenderness Survives is a collection of 10 stories,  on the experience of apartheid in Southern Africa. Through the  words of the writers these stories,  memoirs, give an awareness, understanding of what it means to live as an oppressed person, because of your skin color. With brutal honesty stories are told. The writers include Doris Lessing, Peter Abrahams, Nadine Gordimer and others whose words share the sadness and horror of hate.

Aimed at the YA reader this book is not for younger readers and is really better read by high school students. Unlike the imaginative writers of horror books these are stories of reality which makes it worse.

This book is hard to read. Some of the stories are too painful, yet somehow you have to read on. Much like witnessing a car accident – you know what is going to  happen yet you can’t turn away. Each story is different with reflections and messages sometimes subtle, sometimes in your face. Quietly this book makes you uncomfortable and wonder how people can be so filled with hate, and others so silent. This is a powerful book and deserves to be read, even if only one or two stories.