Description

Book Synopsis

Wearily, I take the path to the river, there in the cool to fill my being with the sounds of my sister-being, to refresh myself in the modest scents of pigeonwood and mitzeerie, to let my gaze end in a tangle of monkey ropes and fern arches and the slowly descending leaves, and to find rest, all day long, all night long.

A young slave girl accompanies her owner on an expedition into the African interior in search of a mythical city. In unfamiliar terrain, the party gets lost. One by one, our narrator''s companions disappear, leaving her to take refuge in the hollow of a baobab tree. There, she finds the space and will to reflect upon her life''s journey, telling her story to the boabab itself. This powerful fable, translated from Wilma Stockenström''s original Afrikaans by Nobel Prize-winner J. M. Coetzee, is a remarkable portrait of dislocation and empowerment. It is also a brilliant insight into Coetzee''s craft as a writer.

The Expedition to the Baobab Tree

    Product form

    £7.59

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £7.99 – you save £0.40 (5%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Thu 9 Jul 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Wilma Stockenstrom, J.M. Coetzee

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of The Expedition to the Baobab Tree by Wilma Stockenstrom

      Publisher: Faber & Faber
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 07/03/2019
      ISBN13: 9780571347742, 978-0571347742
      ISBN10: 0571347746
      Also in:
      Contemporary Fiction

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Wearily, I take the path to the river, there in the cool to fill my being with the sounds of my sister-being, to refresh myself in the modest scents of pigeonwood and mitzeerie, to let my gaze end in a tangle of monkey ropes and fern arches and the slowly descending leaves, and to find rest, all day long, all night long.

      A young slave girl accompanies her owner on an expedition into the African interior in search of a mythical city. In unfamiliar terrain, the party gets lost. One by one, our narrator''s companions disappear, leaving her to take refuge in the hollow of a baobab tree. There, she finds the space and will to reflect upon her life''s journey, telling her story to the boabab itself. This powerful fable, translated from Wilma Stockenström''s original Afrikaans by Nobel Prize-winner J. M. Coetzee, is a remarkable portrait of dislocation and empowerment. It is also a brilliant insight into Coetzee''s craft as a writer.

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account