Criticism > Short Story Criticism > Gordimer, Nadine (Vol. 17) - John Barkham (essay date 1952)

Gordimer, Nadine (Vol. 17) - John Barkham (essay date 1952)

John Barkham (essay date 1952)

SOURCE: "African Smiles," in The Saturday Review, New York, Vol. XXXV, No. 21, May 24, 1952, p. 22.

[In the following review of The Soft Voice of the Serpent, Barkham praises the subtlety and sensitivity of Gordimer's narrative voice.]

To the chorus of eloquent voices emerging from South Africa, add a new one, that of Nadine Gordimer. It is a fast growing chorus. Paton, Lessing, Rooke, Van der Post, and now Gordimer—until a few years ago none of these names was known here; but they have begun to speak and their voice is heard in the land. They will be heard from again, especially Nadine Gordimer.

This flowering of talent in a remote outpost of civilization is, of course, no accident. South African literature, both English and Afrikaans, is reacting impressively to two tremendous stimuli. Afrikaans writing (unknown outside South Africa) proudly and poetically reflects the Afrikaner's...

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