An Illustrated Social History of South Africa

(Cape Town: A. A. Balkema, 1973). 4to; original cherry-red cloth, lettered in gilt on spine, and with gilt publisher's monogram to upper cover; dustwrapper; pp. x + 261, incl. index; reproductions of contemporary artwork, including full-colour plates. Dustwrapper very slightly creased, and tanned on spine panel; earlier owner's name signed on front free endpaper; tape marks to endpapers; sporadic, light foxing; spotting to edges; the Melton Prior illustrations between pages 190 and 191 have worked loose, but are present; a little pencilled underlining and annotation. Good to very good condition. "How did people really live in the South Africa of the past? Professor A. F. Hattersley offers a brilliant answer by describing the entire social scene as it developed through the ages: The Netherlands period (1652-1795); What the author calls the Age of Immaturity (1795-1849); and the Age of Maturity (1849-1910). The result is a book that is an essential complement to the conventional accounts of South African history. For each of the three periods the author describes public life, the social scene, sport, houses and domestic life, religion, government, schools, artistic and literary activity, settlers and their problems, village life, and social trends. The story is rich and warm. Its emphasis is on personal and domestic life rather than on parliament and councils ... The book is illustrated in an unique way. To start with, there are 13 colour plates by fine artists of the past, such as Burchell, Bell, Bowler, and others; a specially fine colour plate by Langschmidt, of Wale Street, Cape Town, in the 1850's, folds out of the book. ... This book gives a new dimension to the story of our past: a picture of ordinary people in their daily life. It is an essential background and an invaluable reference tool to all concerned with the study of South African history." .