The Inn at Helsvlakte

The Inn at Helsvlakte

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2020-03-01

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 1485904498

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In the Karoo-like landscape of a mythical country beset with civil war, tarot cards are brandished and bones swiftly turn to dust. Against the backdrop of this arid place, Kitty Cloete, the inkeeper’s wife, survives on her inner resources. Strong and self-willed, Kitty is a skilled equestrienne, wheelwright, blacksmith and talented harpist – none of which could shield her from an arranged marriage after an ill-fated romance. And now, devastation at Helsvlakte. After State soldiers are ambushed by Separatist guerillas, a critically injured captain arrives at the inn. For the haunted man, whose face has been disfigured in combat, the soulful music of Kitty’s harp becomes the elixir that brings him back to life. But drama awaits offstage. A young man who witnessed the slaying of his family and the torching of their farm hears of the captain’s residence at the inn. He holds the captain responsible for the tragedy that befell his loved ones, and sets out to find him. The Inn at Helsvlakte is present-day troubadour Patricia Schonstein’s bewitching tale of love and betrayal, family, human foibles and the theatre of war.


Banquet at Brabazan

Banquet at Brabazan

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher: Jacana Media

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 1770098070

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"In Banquet at Brabazan, Patricia Schonstein takes us to the heart of Cape Town's violent inner city, creating a cornucopia of baroque magic realism featuring an angel, drug-money, a muti murder, superb food, romance, a cappella, a miracle or two, librettos, reflections on South Africa's war in Angola, visions of the Afterlife, poetry, Shakespearean drama and various works of fine art, with flashbacks to her wondrous A Time of Angels."--P. [4] of cover.


The Apothecary's Daughter

The Apothecary's Daughter

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2006-04-03

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0552771678

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A nobleman and his wife, an apothecary nun, an astronomer-mathematician, an inquisitor, a poet who is both lover and villain, a portraitist, a Queen and loyal servants deftly act out a beautiful drama of tantalizing relationships. They take up their roles in castle and convent, some surrounded by ornate interiors, garbed in velvets and silks, garlanded with precious jewels; while others abide in simple space devoid of art or representation, and dressed in plain linens and dull calicos. This is a wondrous tale, rendered in beautiful and erotic prose and poetry, stitched through with rich imagery, humour and tenderness. It is also a story of trade and exotic travel, both across the surface of the earth and among the stars.


A Time of Angels

A Time of Angels

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2010-09-14

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0062031422

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Primo Verona is born with a gift of clairvoyance so strong that he is able to predict his own mother's death while still in her womb. Brought up on a rich diet of astronomy, philosophy, and storytelling, Primo accurately reads the futures of the local community who pay him in honey cake, tiramisu, and other delicacies. Pasquale Benvenuto is the owner of a beloved wine bar and delicatessen whose culinary reputation rests on recipes for the fruited breads and salamis his father taught him to make. Together Primo and Pasquale form an easy friendship triangle with the beautiful Beatrice, Primo's wife and Pasquale's former girlfriend. But when Beatrice leaves her husband for her old love, Primo is devastated. He casts spells to spoil Pasquale's creations and to win back Beatrice -- but inadvertently conjures up an unexpected visitor.


A Quilt of Dreams

A Quilt of Dreams

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2010-09-07

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 0062030299

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Set in Grahamstown, South Africa, during the 1990s at the height of political unrest and opposition to apartheid, this is the bittersweet story of two people whose lives intertwine with-out them knowing each other-one a heavy-drinking white man and the other the young daughter of a black activist. Reuben Cohen van Tonder's battle with unresolved grief and his search for hidden peace and Vita Mbuli's innocent resolve to remove the bad luck that has troubled her family for generations climax together in a wondrous resolution of personal and national triumph. In this captivating and heartfelt novel, Patricia Schonstein captures the harsh and brutal realities of South Africa's past with its raw and sore racism, interlacing them with enchantment, tenderness, forgiveness . . . and hope.


Skyline

Skyline

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 9781874915133

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Skyline is a vibrant novel set in contemporary times in a run-down block of flats in Long Street, central Cape Town. Through this novel, narrated by an adolescent girl, the book explores the lives of African refugees who come to South Africa seeking a new life and better place, having fled wars and poverty in their own countries. The narrator and her sister befriend a warm and caring refugee from Mozambique called Bernard. They help him battle the terrible sadness and loneliness his country's civil war has inflicted upon him. He in turn, along with others from Zimbabwe, Sudan and Congo, introduces the sisters to the music, wisdom and energy of Africa. There is sadness in this story, for it gives a hard look at the emotional carnage caused by war. But there is also hope and humour and friendship.


Xhosa

Xhosa

Author: Patricia Schonstein

Publisher:

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13:

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The Complete South African Cookbook

The Complete South African Cookbook

Author: Magdaleen van Wyk

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2018-08-01

Total Pages: 567

ISBN-13: 1432309927

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Simply written and presented, The Complete South African Cookbook is a compact yet comprehensive guide to cooking in South Africa. Indispensable for the beginner, it caters for the more experienced cook too and offers over 650 numbered recipes along with many variations – from the most basic to the exotic – all compiled for South African conditions. The directions for each dish are presented in a clear format and each recipe is accompanied by such useful facts as the number of portions, preparation and cooking time, kilojoule count per portion and whether or not the dish is suitable for freezing. Crammed with handy hints, The Complete South African Cookbook is an invaluable reference for anyone who enjoys cooking. Now with a new cover, this classic best seller has been in print for almost 40 years.