Hugh LewinRezensionen

A little boy living in an African village describes his mother and the love he feels for her.

An African boy describes the week-long village festival in celebration of his sister's wedding.

I finished this book in a day. It was so amazing and very well written. Go.And.Buy.It.Now!

Stones Against the Mirror is written by Hugh Lewin, a South African anti-Apartheid activist who spent seven years in gaol for crimes of sabotage against the state. Hugh was sent to gaol by his best friend Adrian, also an anti-Apartheid activist. This is a story of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness.

The book begins at a train station where Lewin will travel to meet with Adrian Leftwich for the first time since Adrian’s betrayal. The story weaves in and out of Lewin’s early years in South Africa and his time spent as a member of ARM blowing up electrical pylons with Adrian and other activists – an almost forgotten part of the South African struggle against Apartheid.

It is not an easy story for Lewin. And his writing reminds me of a famous quote from German painter Otto Dix, “all art is exorcism.” This is extremely poignant for his lost friend Adrian, who also penned a short story entitled, I Gave the Names, where he chronicled his betrayal and guilt.

Lewin writes, “Give us back the bones, so that we can know.” And this not only resonates with his own personal story, but for South African History in general. Give the reasons for how Apartheid began and was policed and we can move on. Give the motivations so that there can be forgiveness.

This book has some pretty heartbreaking descriptions, especially from Lewin’s time on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, TRC. And the matter-of-fact way things like hangings are recounted are haunting and overwhelming at times.

I have not had a lot exposure to South African literature outside of the big names like J.M. Coetzee, but I am hoping to change this one book at a time. If you are looking for a truly amazing read then I would suggest Stones Against the Mirror. And if you can find it, you should also read Leftwich’s I Gave the Names.

This is a great book about a young boy named, Jafta, and his adventures. This book has some nice illustrations and would be used in my classroom as a recreational book. The grades that this book would be suitable for would be 1 and 2 and the theme could be Africa.

Jafta was a little boy who relates his emotions and feelings to animals.It has pictures of many animals with onomatopoeias. It encourages children to think and compare. K-3.

Jafta is about a little boy who has a big imagination and wants to do and be everything.

I like this book because again it is different than what I've read before and I would use it to teach culture in my classroom.

This book would work for 1st-3rd grade and the theme is to have fun with life and have a good imagination.

"Jafta" is a book about a boy who relates his emotions and feelings to animals. It teaches children that they can compare themselves to animals and objects by using similes. This book is an old book, but it is a great way to teach children what a simile is. It is appropriate for children aged K-3.

"Jafta" is about a boy who relates his emotions to the behaviors of specific animals. (Ex. when he gets angry he stomps his feet like an elephant)

I would use this in my classroom just as a fun way to talk about emotions and learn about animals at the same time.

Recommended age group: 4-7 years

Jafta is about a young boy who is very aware of his own feelings, and expresses how he wants to be like the african animals. The book is simple-good for very young elementary. Jafta teaches us about self awareness and our emotions.

This story seems to take place in Africa. The reason being is that this young boy describes himself by using animals as an example. Great little pictures for young children. It was a good quick read. This would be great to use in the classroom when talking about ourselves.

Jafta is about a young boy who is very aware of his own feelings as he tells about how he wants to be like certain animals when he is in each positive mood. This book is very simple - most fitting for very young elementary. Jafta is great for teaching self awareness through moods and emotions relating to animals in a fun way!

This is a wonderful story about a little boy in S. Africa. It is a Realistic Fiction and is filled with beautiful illustrations in sepia tones that actually show the character’s emotions as he compares himself with various African animals. Students may recognize some of the animals, but will probably be introduced to animals they have never heard of before as well. The book is filled with different similes, “I want to be tall as a Giraffe…”, “When I’m happy I purr like a lion cub…skip like a spider…laugh like a hyena” and so would be a perfect introduction to similes and metaphors. In addition the story helps children recognize and name various emotions, “When I get cross I stamp like an elephant…” This book would be a wonderful independent read, as the pictures provide clues for beginning readers, or a great Read Aloud for the whole class.

EP, Africa, animals, pretending,

There are a number of memoirs of political imprisonment that came out of South Africa during the apartheid era. Interestingly, relatively few of these have been written by African convicts who were at Robben Island. For reasons I find hard to articulate, Lewin's is my favorite. Perhaps it's the simplicity and ordinariness of his perspective: he isn't trying to defend a literary reputation or cast about for grand meanings. It's a very straightforward memoir, but with great power in its reserved tone and the stark images of South Africa's prisons that it offers.½

Lewin, the son of an Anglican priest, clashed with the authorities in South Africa from his student days onward. When he was 21 his passport was withdrawn, and when he was 24 he was arrested under the 90-day Law, he served seven years in prison. Whilst inside he gained two more degrees, and eventually when he was released he left South Africa for exile in the UK. These memoirs serve as a valuable historical document of those times. They are written in a simple style, without self-pity or rancour. They are not a cheerful read.