Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Book of the Month May 2008


The War Diary of Johanna Brandt / edited by Jackie Grobler


Johanna Brandt, one of four children, was born in 1876. Her Dutch father and Afrikaner pioneer mother greatly influenced her worldview, which eventually made Johanna Brandt a household name.
Following the Anglo-Boer War, Johanna emerged as a prolific author, focussing mainly on the Boer War. In later life, however, her eccentric character came to the fore as she explored aspects of natural healing, mysticism and feminism.
Johanna died in 1964.
I am anxious to get this book filled and out of the way ... our friend the enemy will come and search our house for documents and then they will carry away this chronicle of my griefs and woes and - joys, lately. What agonies I would endure if this book were to fall into strange hands ! Johanna van Warmelo, 9 February 1902.
When Johanna wrote these words, she was 24 years old and had already experienced helpless anger at the horrors of a concentration camp, the anxiety of working undercover for the Boer Secret Service and the excitement of falling in love. Her diary, secret diary and love diary, combined in this publication, weaves her remarkable experiences during the war together with her everyday life as an ordinary young woman living in an extraordinary time.
The War Diary of Johanna Brandt is an accurate reproduction of Johanna's three diaries, two of which, the secret diary and the love diary, was originally written using lemon juice. Through these diaries, and with extensive research by Jackie Grobler, we are offered a unique insight into the war that did not allow indecision or disloyalty.

Something about the author:

Jackie Grobler is senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria, Department of Historical and Heritage Studies. He holds a Doctor Philosophiae in History and is the author of three books, co-author of a further ten chapters in books; co-editor of one book; author of 31 biographies in biographical dictionaries and author of many academic journal articles.
He lives in Pretoria with his wife Elize.
Source: The war diary of Johanna Brandt / edited by Jackie Grobler

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank taking time to preserving this information it is important and neccessary. especially because is a rare publication

Anonymous said...

kan 'n mens iewers die oorspronkilke dagboeke sien wat in suurlemoensap geskryf is? Eks besig met navorsing oor geheimeskrif uit die anglo boere oorlog, ek will graag na haar handskrif kyk - en ook hoe die suurlemoensap ontsyfer is later. Het johanna dit self gedoen?

vriendelike groete
Hannelie Coetzee

Katrien Malan said...

Ek beveel aan jy kontak Dr Jackie Grobler by die Departement Historiese en Erfenisstudie 420 2663

Groete
Katrien