Song of Be

The moving story of Be, a modern Bushman/San girl. Its opening sentence: “I have just killed myself” catches both the drama of the Bushman girl’s situation and the threat of extinction to her people – or at the very least, of their traditional way of life. A story of love, courage and dignity, Song of Be is one of the most significant youth novels to come out of South Africa. It is written with polished, poetic style and deep insight of the genuine people who live in this part of Africa. The poignancy of the struggle is captured with compassion: “The scent of sweetness on the air and the soft, grey dust before our footsteps were blown out.”

Song of Be

By Lesley Beake