Herman Charles Bosman is one of South Africa’s best-known authors and story-tellers, and his creation Oom Schalk Lourens, an old Boer farmer, is undoubtedly one of the best-loved characters in South African literature. This very handy reference work on all aspects of Bosman’s life and work consists of short, informative, alphabetically arranged entries. Entries on his life (childhood, studies, the murder of his step-brother, prison, family, lovers, wives, friends, work associates, etc.) are interleaved with entries on his work (characters in stories, short plot summaries of each story, explanations to non-Afrikaans readers of all Afrikaans terms, etc) and on prominent critics and dramatists of Bosman’s work.The book includes photographs, maps, illustrations from the magazines in which his stories appeared, a chronology (with major events in SA history and key events in Bosman’s life and work), a classified contents list, and a bibliography of all Bosman’s works (first publications).Also included is an 8 page colour section of Bosman’s paintings and drawings. Discovered by Craig MacKenzie while doing research on Bosman at the Harry Ransom Research Center, University of Texas, Austin, Bosman’s art has never been published before and is one of the least-known aspects of his life and work.
