- Etienne Leroux
Etienne Leroux (1922-1989) was an influential
Afrikaans author and a key member of the South AfricanSestigers literary movement. He was born onJune 13 as Stephanus Petrus Daniël le Roux, son of S.P. Le Roux, aSouth Africa n Minister ofAgriculture .His works gained critical acclaim and were translated into many languages. His 1968 book, translated into English as "One for the devil" is titled "Een vir Azazel" ("One for Azazel") in Afrikaans, and makes use of the
Azazel myth. He studied Law at Stellenbosch University (BA, LLB)and worked for a short time at a solicitor's office in Bloemfontein. From 1946 he farmed and lived as a writer on his farm, Ja-Nee, in the Koffiefontein district. Etienne Leroux is known as one of the most important (and at the time controversial) writers of the avant garde group of the sixties.He died on 30 December, 1989, and was buried at the family church yard of Wamakersdrift, of which his farm formed part.His audience will be the audience that only a good writer can merit, an audience which assembles slowly in one and twos … the rumour spreads that here an addition will be found to the literature of our time.Graham GreeneAwards:Hertzog Prize for prose for Sewe dae by die Silbersteins 1964Hertzog Prize for Prose for Magersfontein, O Magersfontein! 1979 and CNA Literary AwardCNA Literary Award for Een vir Azazel
List of works:Die eerste lewe van Colet, 1955 Hilaria, 1957 Die mugu, 1959Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, 1962 Een vir Azazel, 1964 Die derde oog, 1966 1844, 1967 Isis, Isis, Isis, 1969 Na'va, 1972 Magersfontein, o Magersfontein! 1976 Onse Hymie, 1982 Die Silberstein-trilogie, 1984 (appeared at Penguin as: To a dubious salvation)
A
biography of Etienne Leroux, by the highly respected biographer of Afrikaans writers,John Christoffel Kannemeyer , is due to appear in July 2008.Selected Publications
*"Seven days at the Silbersteins" Translated by Charles Eglington. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1964.
*"One for the devil" Translated by Charles Eglington. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1968.
*"The third eye" Translated by Amy Starke. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1969.
*"18/44" Translated by Cassandra Perrey. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
*"To a dubious salvation: a trilogy of fantastical novels" Penguin, 1972.External links
* [http://www.leroux.afrikaans.be/index.php?title=Tuisblad Digital Etienne Leroux Project]
* Journal of South African Studies Paper on "Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins" - [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0305-7070(198204)8%3A2%3C173%3AELSDBD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y JSTOR]
*SABC news footage of Leroux's funeral on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am7yKJcYrRo Youtube]
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