Olive Schreiner: A Woman in South Africa 1855–1920 Author: Karel Schoeman (Translated by Henri Snijders)
Olive Schreiner: A Woman in South Africa 1855–1920 (Collectible Biography)
An Unrivaled, Definitive Biographical Portrait of South Africa’s Great Literary Pioneer
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Olive Schreiner: A Woman in South Africa 1855–1920
- Author: Karel Schoeman (Translated by Henri Snijders)
- Publisher: Human & Rousseau, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1991
- ISBN-10: 0947464379
- ISBN-13: 9780947464370
- Edition Details: First English Edition, First Printing.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium illustrated heavy-gauge card wrappers with gatefold structural detailing (French flaps).
- Physical Format: Large Octavo (8vo), 586 pages. Beautifully supplemented with historic portrait prints, family tree sheets, and meticulous source references.
- Language: English (Translated from the original Afrikaans masterwork).
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Wraps: The heavy illustrated card wrappers are straight, flat, and vivid. The edges show no curling, and the spine remains remarkably square, crisp, and unbroken with no reading creases.
- Interior: The thick text block is impeccably bound and tight. Pages are remarkably bright, white, and clean. Free from library stamps, gift dedications, ink underlining, or page folding.
- Provenance: Exceptionally well-preserved private library stock, free from conventional secondhand handling marks.
- The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)
Synopsis & Historical Value
Originally compiled by the master researcher Karel Schoeman, Olive Schreiner: A Woman in South Africa 1855–1920 is widely considered the absolute pinnacle of biographical writing on South Africa's first globally celebrated female novelist and socio-political visionary. Schoeman brilliantly reconstructs Schreiner's complex world—from her isolated childhood in the Karoo to her emergence as the radical author of The Story of an African Farm. The biography focuses deeply on her early life, formatting a spectacular tapestry of Victorian colonial life, early feminist awakening, and political free-thought. This scarce collectible copy is an irreplaceable acquisition for any advanced collector of South African literary history.
Author Profile: Karel Schoeman
Karel Schoeman (1939–2017) was an absolute giant of South African letters, legendary for his deeply atmospheric historical fiction and unparalleled achievements in archival research. A winner of the prestigious Hertzog Prize, Schoeman produced a monumental body of work that transformed the understanding of early Cape history and literary figures. His biographical works are celebrated by scholars worldwide for their incredible precision, reliance on rare private letters, and elegant biographical pacing.
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