The Conservationist (Library Edition)

Nadine Gordimer

ISBN 10: 0786103426 ISBN 13: 9780786103423

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc., 1992

Synopsis

[This is the Audiobook CASSETTE Library Edition in vinyl case.]

Nadine Gordimer, winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, paints a fascinating portrait of a man both reckless and calculating, a ''conservationist'' left only with the possibility of self-preservation, in this subtle and detailed study of the forces and relationships that seethe in South Africa today.

Mehring, a rich, powerful and vital industrialist, has all the privileges and possessions that South Africa has to offer. But his possessions refuse to remain objects: his wife, son, and mistress leave him; his foreman and workers become increasingly indifferent to his stewardship; and even the land rises up, as drought, then flood, destroy his farm.

A joint winner of the Booker Prize.

About this title

About the Author

NADINE GORDIMER was born and lives in South Africa. She has received numerous international prizes for her writing, including the Modern Literature Association Award, the Bennet Award, and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991. She has been given honorary degrees by Yale, Harvard, and other universities and has been honored by the French government with the decoration Officier de l'Ordre des Arts des Lettres.

Reviews

Nadine Gordimer observes South Africa's decay largely through the internal monologues of a wealthy businessman disconnected from life. He cultivates empty affairs and the land he owns with an eye toward profit and loss. Perhaps Nadia May's straightforward narration reflects the flat, detached quality of this existence too well; her voice scarcely changes pace or emotional intensity. While this reading style suits the story's mood, it drags. Fortunately, May provides relief by skillfully adapting her mild British accent to the dialects of the various social classes. While not exciting, this presentation certainly seems true to Gordimer's vision. D.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786103426
• ISBN 13: 9780786103423
• Binding: Audio Cassette