Etienne Leroux
Encyclopedia
Etienne Leroux was an influential Afrikaans
author and a key member of the South African Sestigers
literary movement. He was born on June 13 as Stephanus Petrus Daniël le Roux, son of S.P. Le Roux, a South Africa
n Minister
of Agriculture
.
His works gained critical acclaim and were translated into many languages. His 1968 book, translated into English as One for the devil is titled Een vir Azazel (One for Azazel) in Afrikaans, and makes use of the Azazel
myth. He studied Law at Stellenbosch University
(BA, LLB) and worked for a short time at a solicitor's office in Bloemfontein. From 1946 he farmed and lived as a writer on his farm, Ja-Nee, in the Koffiefontein
district.
Etienne Leroux is known as one of the most important (and at the time controversial) writers of the avant garde group of the sixties.
He died on 30 December 1989, and was buried at the family church yard of Wamakersdrift, of which his farm formed part.
His audience will be the audience that only a good writer can merit, an audience which assembles slowly in ones and twos ... the rumour spreads that here an addition will be found to the literature of our time. -- Graham Greene
Awards:
List of works:
Etienne Leroux. Die eerste siklus. Die eerste lewe van Colet - Hilaria - Die mugu.
A biography
of Etienne Leroux, by the respected biographer of Afrikaans writers, John Christoffel Kannemeyer
, was published in July 2008.
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
author and a key member of the South African Sestigers
Sestigers
The Sestigers , also known as the Beweging van Sestig , were a group of influential Afrikaans-language writers in the 1960s started by André Brink and Breyten Breytenbach, which also included Etienne Leroux, Jan Rabie, Ingrid Jonker, Adam Small, Bartho Smit, Chris Barnard, Hennie Aucamp, Dolf van...
literary movement. He was born on June 13 as Stephanus Petrus Daniël le Roux, son of S.P. Le Roux, a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
.
His works gained critical acclaim and were translated into many languages. His 1968 book, translated into English as One for the devil is titled Een vir Azazel (One for Azazel) in Afrikaans, and makes use of the Azazel
Azazel
Azazel or Azazael or Azâzêl is a term used three times in the Hebrew scriptures, and later in Hebrew mythology as the enigmatic name of a character....
myth. He studied Law at Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
(BA, LLB) and worked for a short time at a solicitor's office in Bloemfontein. From 1946 he farmed and lived as a writer on his farm, Ja-Nee, in the Koffiefontein
Koffiefontein
Koffiefontein is a small farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. Farming in the district focuses on cattle and sheep farming with lucerne, potatoes and ground nuts being the main crops sown. There are also a cheese factory and vineyards in the town...
district.
Etienne Leroux is known as one of the most important (and at the time controversial) writers of the avant garde group of the sixties.
He died on 30 December 1989, and was buried at the family church yard of Wamakersdrift, of which his farm formed part.
His audience will be the audience that only a good writer can merit, an audience which assembles slowly in ones and twos ... the rumour spreads that here an addition will be found to the literature of our time. -- Graham Greene
Awards:
- Hertzog PrizeHertzog PrizeThe Hertzog Prize or is an annual award given to Afrikaans-language writers by the South African Academy for the Sciences and Arts , formerly the South African Academy for Language, Literature and Arts...
for prose for Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, 1964 - Hertzog Prize for Prose for Magersfontein, O Magersfontein!, 1979 and CNA Literary Award
- CNA Literary AwardCentral News Agency Literary AwardThe Central News Agency Literary Award was a major annual literary award in South Africa. It was named for the CNA chain of bookstores...
for Een vir Azazel
List of works:
- Die eerste lewe van Colet, 1955
- Hilaria, 1957
- Die mugu, 1959
- Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, 1962
- Een vir Azazel, 1964
- Die derde oog, 1966
- 1844, 1967
- Isis, Isis, Isis, 1969
- Na'va, 1972
- Magersfontein, o Magersfontein!, 1976
- Onse Hymie, 1982
- Die Silberstein-trilogie, 1984 (appeared at Penguin as: To a dubious salvation)
Etienne Leroux. Die eerste siklus. Die eerste lewe van Colet - Hilaria - Die mugu.
A biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Etienne Leroux, by the respected biographer of Afrikaans writers, John Christoffel Kannemeyer
John Christoffel Kannemeyer
J. C. Kannemeyer is an authority on Afrikaans literature and well-known biographer of Afrikaans writers, and has published numerous books on the history of Afrikaans literature.-External links:*...
, was published in July 2008.
Selected publications
- Seven days at the Silbersteins Translated by Charles Eglington. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1964.
- One for the devil Translated by Charles Eglington. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1968.
- The third eye Translated by Amy Starke. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1969.
- 18/44 Translated by Cassandra Perrey. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
- To a dubious salvation: a trilogy of fantastical novels Penguin, 1972.
External links
Misterie van die alchemis. 'n Inleiding tot Etienne Leroux se negedelige romansiklus. (By Charles Malan)- Digital Etienne Leroux Project
- Journal of South African Studies Paper on Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins - JSTOR
- SABC news footage of Leroux's funeral on Youtube