DESCRIPTION/ SUMMARYAlive Again, a contemporary youth novel, written in a first person retrospective narrative style, has been awarded South Africa’s two most prestigious literary awards since the book was published – the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature and the equally prestigious M.E.R. Media 24 Award for Youth Fiction. It has recently also been shortlisted for the South African IBBY Award (International Board for Books for Young People).This engaging first person narrative takes the reader on an intense, intimate, personal journey depicting a young girl’s harrowing experience of rape and her eventual recovery. The theme of rape is sensitively handled, and even though the story reveals a disturbingly common South African social scourge (it is estimated that a girl/woman is raped every 4 minutes in South Africa), the messages conveyed are universal. Nandi Dube, 15 years old, lives in the rural township of KaNyamazane, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. She has a dream of studying law after school. She wants to qualify as a human rights lawyer in order to return home one day to help relieve the suffering in her home town. Nandi is beautiful (her mother says she looks like an African princess) and academically gifted. Her ambition is supported by her hard-working mother who works as a cook, and by her favourite teacher the inspiring Mr Khumalo, a true star in the book. When she falls in love with the disabled, sensitive, artistic Bheka, her life is complete. Nandi’s father, an abusive, violent alcoholic, sabotages his daughter, partly because she intimidates him and partly to get even with his wife who he believes does not ‘give him what he needs.’ He hangs out in shebeens (unlicensed drinking establishments) with the Bad Boys of KaNyamazane. From an early age, Nandi views this infamous gang of young boys as life-threateningly dangerous. During a period of great happiness and fulfillment, when she describes herself as an eagle, floating in a blue sun-kissed sky, her father masterminds his daughter’s ‘corrective’ rape by Scar, unscrupulous leader of the Bad Boys. Her father believes this act will teach Nandi to forego her elevated dreams and realize that a girl’s place is in the kitchen, her job is to raise a family and that a woman is subject to the will of her husband or father. What follows is Nandi’s courageous story of recovery after this violent assault on her dreams, her being, her humanity, her dignity. Intimate and honest, Nandi reveals her passage of growth to the reader. Brought to her knees initially, she meets an ‘earth angel’ who helps her rediscover her self-worth, albeit painfully. Her story builds up to a dramatic turning point which forces her to find her voice and speak out on behalf of other young survivors of rape. Woven in is a moving love story. Nandi’s romance with Bheka is seriously challenged by her belief that she is ‘dirty’ and undeserving of love. Ultimately, however, she regains belief in herself and her dignity is restored. Nandi and Bheka’s love story is a testament to the importance of trust and respect between the sexes.The book also explores the vital role of positive role models and the gifts such adults bring to adolescents. It also underscores the importance of mentoring and education. It offers a powerful message of support not only for rape survivors but for all young readers who have lost hope and given up on their dreams.Although Nandi’s story promotes several themes that contribute to positive transformation, they all combine into one, single, powerful message: All of us can step out of the dead darkness of despair into the brilliant sunshine of a new life by holding on to our dreams and reaching out for help.

Andre Eva Bosch083 400 7062

aebosch@telkomsa.net

NEW

ALIVE AGAINAndre Eva Bosch

Publisher : Tafelberg, an imprint of NB PublishersPublication date : 20/10/2014Price : R140.00*Age : 14-18Pages : 192ppBinding : Soft cover; Format: 213mm x 137mmISBN-13 : 978-0-624-06899-0E-PUB : 978-0-624-06900-3MOBI : 978-0-624-06901-0Edition : First; Impression: First* Price is subject to change

CHILDREN & YOUTH

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andre Eva Bosch went to school in White River, near Nelspruit. After university, she worked in Pretoria as a newspaper journalist, followed by a career as an author and freelance journalist. Her published work includes a children’s book illustrated by Leigh Voigt, ’n Blou Kameelperdjie vir Oupa (winner of the Old Mutual Prize) published by Human &Rousseau, a biography of her father, well-known ceramic artist Esias Bosch published by Struik Winchester and a memoir, One Woman Walking, Love Loss and Liberation, a journey through divorce which deals with her own healing process after divorce, published by Jacana.Andre Eva Bosch lives between White River in Mpumalanga and Cape Town. She works as a freelance language practitioner and a writer.Years of raising two daughters as a single mother has given this author a special interest in the world of the youth. Her own process of coming to terms with divorce gave her insight into the importance of support during emotional crisis periods. With this in mind, she wrote Alive Again with a keen spirit of sensitivity to the challenges which the main characters face.Bosch chooses to write books that contribute to positive change, promote conscious living and inspire psychological and spiritual transformation.