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hannahbananali's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like I know Johannesburg and all its depth, secrets, and value.
I guess I need to visit it now...
Gevisser is a well-known, critically acclaimed writer here in South Africa, yet I struggled with his memoir. Most parts I had to force myself through, while a small portion were enjoyable and informative. I feel that me being an American with all my ignorance, I couldn't quite appreciate its mastery as much as a South African could. My favorite part was most definitely the recall of the armed invasion and its ramifications for both the victims and the culprits - my hands were shaking by the end of it and I had tears in my eyes.
Really great commentary and navigation of the tricky waters of race, class, sexuality, and privilege in this challenging and beautiful country.
I guess I need to visit it now...
Gevisser is a well-known, critically acclaimed writer here in South Africa, yet I struggled with his memoir. Most parts I had to force myself through, while a small portion were enjoyable and informative. I feel that me being an American with all my ignorance, I couldn't quite appreciate its mastery as much as a South African could. My favorite part was most definitely the recall of the armed invasion and its ramifications for both the victims and the culprits - my hands were shaking by the end of it and I had tears in my eyes.
Really great commentary and navigation of the tricky waters of race, class, sexuality, and privilege in this challenging and beautiful country.
hairypoppins's review against another edition
2.0
There are a lot of unspoken things that contribute to the “voice” of this book, and, since it is a memoir, the voice of its author by extension. Unspoken privilege. Unspoken resentment. Unspoken condescension.
The author does try to address issues of his privilege, but this often happens in a “woe is me for being so rich” kind of way: lamenting trips to London after the Soweto uprising, being angry at his parents for “forcing” him to study at Yale. These are not the “relatable” experiences the author seems to think they are.
Then there are the discussions around apartheid, and life thereafter. The author tries to present himself as progressive, yet he clearly is just as poorly adjusted to a post-apartheid South Africa as the majority of his white peers. Black people’s levels of education are judged by their accents, their languages described in disdainful and even disrespectful ways, their ability to do their various jobs is constantly scrutinised, and black people he knows personally are often infantilised and patronised. He calls the adult daughter of his childhood nanny by an odd baby-version of her real name even though he clearly doesn’t know her all that well. He attends a choral performance by said nanny’s grandchild, which she cannot attend herself because she is too busy preparing roast lamb for his dinner, and he sees absolutely nothing wrong with this.
I had a lot of issues with this book, obviously. Its entire demeanour made me angry in some places, while at others I could do nothing but roll my eyes. The pretentiousness of it all was an intensely draining experience, and one I do not recommend.
The author does try to address issues of his privilege, but this often happens in a “woe is me for being so rich” kind of way: lamenting trips to London after the Soweto uprising, being angry at his parents for “forcing” him to study at Yale. These are not the “relatable” experiences the author seems to think they are.
Then there are the discussions around apartheid, and life thereafter. The author tries to present himself as progressive, yet he clearly is just as poorly adjusted to a post-apartheid South Africa as the majority of his white peers. Black people’s levels of education are judged by their accents, their languages described in disdainful and even disrespectful ways, their ability to do their various jobs is constantly scrutinised, and black people he knows personally are often infantilised and patronised. He calls the adult daughter of his childhood nanny by an odd baby-version of her real name even though he clearly doesn’t know her all that well. He attends a choral performance by said nanny’s grandchild, which she cannot attend herself because she is too busy preparing roast lamb for his dinner, and he sees absolutely nothing wrong with this.
I had a lot of issues with this book, obviously. Its entire demeanour made me angry in some places, while at others I could do nothing but roll my eyes. The pretentiousness of it all was an intensely draining experience, and one I do not recommend.
lezannemaree's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't actually finish the book. But unfortunately Goodreads doesn't have a "waste of time" category.
It was boring. I found the narrator (and author) to be nothing more than a privileged white boy, so caught up in his own ego he doesn't realize no one cares. At least if it was well written, I could complement that but in all honesty it was lacking any form of spark.
I am impressed that I could actually find a book I was willing to not finish, even if my OCD never allows me to do that.
I want my 200 bucks back.
It was boring. I found the narrator (and author) to be nothing more than a privileged white boy, so caught up in his own ego he doesn't realize no one cares. At least if it was well written, I could complement that but in all honesty it was lacking any form of spark.
I am impressed that I could actually find a book I was willing to not finish, even if my OCD never allows me to do that.
I want my 200 bucks back.
matthew_p's review against another edition
3.0
There may have been too much history to allow Gevisser free rein to share his story, because this memoir often drifted far from the personal. I also found the cartophilic moments somewhat distracting, but I think it was a necessary abstraction that allowed Gevisser the emotional distance to share as much of his city as he did. Interesting and poignant, yet not great.
estherd1's review against another edition
3.0
The information and knowledge I gained made me push onward. But there is no plot line, no order and a lot of repetitive information.
alexbond3's review against another edition
3.0
A very intimate book with details of this man’s life, past and present, which was at times moving to read but unfortunately did not add up to much for me. It was great to learn about Johannesburg, especially from the view of a white, middle-class, gay Jew growing up in the time of Apartheid. It was interesting to read about him growing up and learning about racism and how it shaped the world around him, discovering his sexuality and the world available to him at that time, and traveling away to the United States and Paris before coming back to rediscover his home and trauma he experienced there.
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