Kringe in 'n bos (Circles in a Forest) Author: Dalene Matthee
Kringe in 'n Bos (Collectible Secondhand Edition)
An Epic Masterpiece of the Knysna Forest and South African Literary History
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Kringe in 'n bos (Circles in a Forest)
- Author: Dalene Matthee
- Publisher: Tafelberg Publishers Ltd, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1984 (First Edition Release Period)
- ISBN-10: 062402178X (As Provided / Associated Series Variant)
- Edition Details: Standard Edition, Early Printing. Highly sought-after collectible copy of an iconic Afrikaans classic.
- Binding: Original publisher’s illustrated softcover wrappers.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), approx. 306 pages.
- Language: Afrikaans text.
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Wraps: The cover wrappers retain high colour vibrancy and structural integrity. Light, natural age-appropriate shelf friction along the extremities, entirely customary for a vintage used collectible book of this era. The spine is square, tight, and robustly intact with minimal reading creasing.
- Interior: The text block is soundly bound and complete. Internal pages are stable, crisp, and exceptionally clean, presenting mild, uniform paper toning typical of mid-1980s South African printings. Entirely free from modern ink annotations, institutional stamps, or dealer markings.
- The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued in Softcover Format)
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in 1984, Kringe in 'n bos is the legendary masterpiece that established Dalene Matthee as an international literary phenomenon. Set within the majestic, misty expanses of the 19th-century Knysna forest, the narrative tracks the profound journey of Saul Barnard, a woodcutter with a restless soul who rebels against the brutal economic exploitation of his people and the systematic destruction of the indigenous wilderness. Paralleling Saul’s struggle is his mystical, deeply symbolic relationship with Oupoot, a magnificent, elusive elephant bull fleeing ruthless colonial trophy hunters. Rich in historical detail, environmental consciousness, and cultural depth, this poignant novel brilliantly captures the clash between pristine nature and human greed during the historic forest gold rush. It remains permanently enshrined in the exclusive list of essential global literature.
Author Profile: Dalene Matthee
Dalene Matthee (1938–2005) is one of South Africa’s most revered and commercially successful novelists. Born in Riversdale, she initially pursued formal music studies before pivoting to creative writing. Her profound, immersive research into the historical archives and ecology of the Southern Cape culminated in her world-famous Knysna Forest Trilogy, of which Kringe in 'n bos was the pioneering debut. Translated into 14 global languages and adapted into an acclaimed feature film, her works received numerous prestigious literary awards, including the four-time honour of the ATKV Prose Prize. Matthee’s unique voice gave an enduring historical agency to the forgotten forest dwellers of South Africa.
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