A Walk in the Night - Paperback

by Alex La Guma (Author)

In this previously banned collection of seven short stories, Alex La Guma vividly reveals the plight of the poor and oppressed in apartheid South Africa.

Characterised by his striking style and colourful dialogue, La Guma's stories explore experiences of racism and social inequality in various settings, from an overcrowded prison to a Portuguese restaurant. In the title story, 'A Walk in the Night', a factory worker loses his job after an argument with a white supervisor. His subsequent descent into helpless rage is played out in rich detail, illuminating the toxic effects of poverty, police brutality, and gang violence.

Each story in the collection lays bare the struggles of those living in 1960s South Africa, offering poignant moments of hope and cementing Alex La Guma as one of the most important writers of his time.

'The greatest South African novelist of the 20th century.' The Times
'Achieved in 90 pages what other African writers had tried to achieve in the course of many years.' Wole Soyinka
'A central figure alongside Chinua Achebe.' Ngugi wa Thiong'o

Author Biography

Alex La Guma was born in 1924 in District Six, Cape Town, and is revered as one of South Africa's leading activists and writers. La Guma was involved in political activism from a young age, having joined the Plant Workers Union of the Metal Box Company during his first job at a factory. He was subsequently fired for his role in organising a strike for better working conditions. He later became a founding member of the South African Coloured People's Organisation (SACPO) in 1953 and was repeatedly imprisoned by the South African government due to his anti-apartheid and communist activities.
Despite a total ban being issued on all his speeches and writings, his work is internationally renowned. His most famous works include A Walk in the Night (1962), In the Fog of the Seasons' End (1972), and Time of the Butcherbird (1979), all of which challenge the social systems of colonialism in South Africa.
After his release from prison in 1966, he and his family were exiled from South Africa. They relocated to London and later Cuba where La Guma served as the representative of the African National Congress.
La Guma died in 1985.