Es'kia Mphahlele bol prozaik, esejista a učiteľ, ktorého tvorba prenikavo kritizovala podmienky, ktoré apartheid uvalil na čiernych Juhoafričanov. Jeho autobiografia je juhoafrickou klasikou, ktorá kombinuje príbeh dospievania s prenikavou sociálnou kritikou. Mphahlele odmietol reštriktívny vzdelávací zákon a bol nútený do exilu, kde pôsobil na akademických a kultúrnych pozíciách v Afrike, Európe a USA. Jeho kritické spisy sa zaoberali mentalitou čiernych Afričanov, nacionalizmom a literárnym obrazom Afriky.
Učiteľ Chirundu šťastne žije s Tirenje, svojou zákonitou ženou a s deťmi na vidieku. No zrazu urobí závratnú kariéru - stane sa ministrom. Odchádza do mesta je presvedčený, že k nemu, k členovi vlády, lepšie pristane elegantná žena, preto sa rozhodne žiť s reprezentatívnou Monde. Vedomý sivlastného postavenia a moci, poruší zákony a ožení sa s ňou...
The collection showcases Es'kia Mphahlele's journey as a prominent South African writer, reflecting on his exile in the 1950s and his experiences across Africa, Europe, and the U.S. His storytelling captures the nuances of apartheid's tragedy and complexity. Through plays, novels, and essays, Mphahlele not only shares his own coming-of-age narrative but also highlights the importance of nurturing new African talent. The opening and closing essays provide insight into his motivations for returning to South Africa, contributing to its post-apartheid cultural landscape.
Es’kia Mphahlele’s seminal memoir of life in apartheid South Africa—available for the first time in Penguin Classics Nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1969, Es’kia Mphahlele is considered the Dean of African Letters and the father of black South African writing. Down Second Avenue is a landmark book that describes Mphahlele’s experience growing up in segregated South Africa. Vivid, graceful, and unapologetic, it details a daily life of severe poverty and brutal police surveillance under the subjugation of an apartheid regime. Banned in South Africa after its original 1959 publication for its protest against apartheid, Down Second Avenue is a foundational work of literature that continues to inspire activists today. For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.