The Story of an African Farm

by Olive Schreiner, Dan Jacobson (Introduction)

Overview

A searing indictment of the rigid Boer social conventions of the 19th century, the first great South African novel chronicles the adventures of three childhood friends who defy societal repression. The novel's unorthodox views on religion and marriage aroused widespread controversy upon its 1883 publication, and the work retains in power more than a century later.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140431841
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/24/1983
Series:	Classics Series
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Olive Schreiner (1855-1920) was a South African political activist and writer. Born to a family of Wesleyan missionaries, Schreiner was educated by her mother. Forced to move frequently due to her father’s inability to maintain a job, Schreiner became familiar with the landscape of South Africa and the cultural and political tensions holding together its diverse population. In 1881, she travelled to England in order to pursue her dream of becoming a medical professional, but her chronic asthma and limited finances prevented her from completing her training. In 1883, she published her debut novel, The Story of an African Farm, under a pseudonym, launching a career as one of South Africa’s leading writers. Throughout her life, she advocated for political equality for South Africa’s marginalized groups, including Afrikaners, indigenous Africans, Jews, and Indians. Combining a deep understanding of Christian morality with an active interest in socialism and the women’s suffrage movement, Schreiner is recognized as a pioneering feminist and political activist who wrote unflinchingly on such subjects as the Boer War, British imperialism, and intersectionality.