TELLINGTIMESCL

NeverbeforehasGordimer,awardedtheNobelPrizeforLiteraturein1991,publishedsuchacomprehensivecollectionofhernonfiction.TellingTalesrepresentsthefullspanofherworksinthatfieldfromthetwilightofwhiteruleinSouthAfricatothefighttooverthrowtheapartheidregime,andmostrecently,herroleoverthepastsevenyearsinconfrontingthecontemporaryphenomenaofviolenceandthedangersofHIV.Therangeofthisbookisstaggering,andtheworkintotalitycelebratesthelivelyperseveranceofthelife-lovingindividualinthefaceofpoliticaltumult,thentheonslaughtofaglobalizedworld.TheabidingpassionatespiritthatinformsASouthAfricanChildhood,ayouthfulautobiographicalpiecepublishedinTheNewYorkerin1954,canbefoundineachofthebooksninety-onepiecesthatspanaperiodoffifty-fiveyears.ReturningtoalifetimeofnonfictionworkhasbecomeanextraordinaryexperienceforGordimer.Shetakesfromoneofherreveredgreatwriters,AlbertCamus,theconvictionthatthewriterisaresponsiblehumanbeingattunednotalonetodedicationtothecreationoffictionbuttothepoliticalvortexthatinevitablyencompassestwentieth-andtwenty-first-centurylife.Bornin1923,Gordimer,whoasachildwasambitioustobecomeaballetdancer,wasrecognizedatfifteenasawritingprodigy.Hersensibilitywasasmuchshapedbywidereadingasitwastoeye-openingsight,passingonherwaytoschoolthegrimlaborcompoundswhereblackgoldminerslived.Thesetwindecisivesliteratureandpoliticsinfusethebook,whichincludeshistoricaccountsofthepoliticalatmosphere,firsthand,aftertheSharpevilleMassacreof1960andtheSowetouprisingof1976,aswellasincisiveclose-upportraitsofNelsonMandelaandDesmondTutu,amongothers.GordimerrevisitstheeternallyrelevantlegaciesofTolstoy,Proust,andFlaubert,andengagesvigorouslywithcontemporarieslikeSusanSontag,OctavioPaz,andEdwardSaid.Butsomeofhermostsensuouswritingcomesinhertravelogues,wherethepoliticsofAfricablendseamlesslywithitsawe-inspiringnatureincludingspectacularrecollectionsofchildhoodholidaysbesideSouthAfricascoastoftheIndianOceanandarivetingaccountofherjourneythelengthoftheCongoRiverinthewakeofConrad.Gordimersbodyofworkisanextraordinaryvisionoftheworldthatharksbacktothesensibilitiespolitical,moral,andsocialofDickensandTolstoy,butwithadecidedlyvividcontemporaryconsciousness.TellingTimesbecomesbothaliteraryexplorationandextraordinarydocumentofsocialandpoliticalhistoryinourtimes.