SA reads discussion

Our December group read starts Monday 2 December

Thanks Lisa. I'll be ready.

Our library lets us make recommendations of digital books they should acquire. I just made a recommendation for an ebook version of Jock of the Bushveld. Then I discovered that it was published in 1907. It probably is in the public domain and available online for the asking, but Amazon doesn't have a free version.

I hope that I can join in on this read! I was fortunate to get this on my Kindle a few months ago when it was free. I just have so many library books to read soon also; I am the poster child for "So many books, so little time"! :-)

Here are three different sites offering the full text online for free:

http://www.archive.org/stream/jockofb...

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36951

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL70029...

Buck, it was re- published in 2007- 100 year anniversary.
Thanks Sarah.

Sarah, hope you can join in!
Yes everyone, it has pictures, it's a children's story.

My library acquired this ebook at my request. I've just now started it.

Everyone seems to be familiar with this book, but until it became our group read, I had not heard of it.

It's a South African story, tales of Jock and how brave he was is one of those stories you grow up with. We read a chapter from the book at school when I was about nine, I think lots of us had this type of exposure.
Loads of people name their dogs Jock or Jess, even if they aren't Staffies. There's something about that kind of loyalty that's so appealing.
If you ever travel to Mpumalanga (which is what the eastern Transvaal is now called- means the home of the rising sun)there's all sorts of plaques all over(jock walked here), his birth place and burial place and marked. You can do walks where he walked.
I think we needed a hero so we found one.

Hi all
How do you, who are in a Jock adventure feel about a suggestion to read A Long Walk to freedom
1) In January
2) now and leave jock to Jan
3) in April
Please share thoughts, not keen on more polls!

All three moderators keen on ALWTF now and finish Jock after.
Waiting to hear from the rest of group

I'm keen!

I will go with the flow. I have finished 'Jock'. Do not have a copy of long Walk but not a problem!

Amazon! Would you join in Irene? I'm actually going to create a poll. Lots of different answers coming

Lisa,
After the emotion of today, and the prospect of so much more to come over the next two weeks, I am already drained.
I must tell you that I now have reservations about tackling such a monumental work as ALWTF at a time like this. I do not know if I could cope with this, and the intense outpouring of grief and reflection in our daily lives, at the same time. I responded impulsively, as I believe we all did, to your suggestion out of love for Madiba.
As such I reverse my position on the matter of changing the group read. I think it would be better to wait a month or two, and perhaps dedicate two months to review the autobiography of this great man when we are emotionally better prepared.
This is my opinion, and I will, of course, go with the groups decision on this.

Hi all
Thanks to all for their thoughts on our earlier question. John, you are echoing all the inbox messages that I have received thus far. Most people feel we should wait, either for January or April as we planned on something special for 20 years democracy. Perhaps the best plan for now is to continue as usual. And to wait until we as individuals have the emotional strength to do the words of our Tata justice.
Peace.

Hi Lisa I agree with John. I haven't read ALWTF and would prefer to give it all my attention when I do. I think over the next few weeks we're going to inundated with various opinions and stories about the life of Madiba, and this could distract us or make us prejudiced about what we read in the book. However if others feel differently I'll go along with it.

No worries Indeneri, we will give ALWTF a reads later, likely April.

it's one I'd like to read, but not right now - not for the emotion of the moment, but just because of other things I'm reading and Christmas preparation, etc.

I agree with completing Jock and reading about Mandela next year God willing.