A Story Like the Wind

Laurens Van Der Post

Laurens van der Post's incomparable knowledge of Africa illuminates this splendid epic novel, set in a remote region bordering the great Kalahari Desert. It is the story of François Joubert, a teenage boy about to become a man, his experiences with the wonder and mystery of a still-primitive land, and his secret friendship with Xhabbo, the little Bushman whose life he saves. Xhabbo teaches François how the living spirit needs "a story" for its survival and, in turn, saves François's life when the idyllic world at Hunter's Drift is overtaken by the political violence of contemporary Africa, and François, with Xhabbo's help, must chart his own course. Africa and her secrets resonate in this story and its sequel, A Far Off Place.