About the book
Beyond Gold and Diamonds demonstrates the importance of southern Africa to British literature from the 1880s to the 1920s, from the rise of the systematic exploitation of the region's mineral wealth to the aftermath of World War I. It focuses on fiction by the colonial-born Olive Schreiner, southern Africa's first literary celebrity, as well as by H. Rider Haggard, Gertrude Page, and John Buchan, its most influential authorial informants, British authors who spent significant time in the region and wrote about it as insiders. Tracing the ways in which generic innovation enabled these writers to negotiate cultural and political concerns through a uniquely British South African lens, Melissa Free argues that British South African literature constitutes a distinct field, one that overlaps with but also exists apart from both a national South African literary tradition and a tradition of South African literature in English. The various genres that British South African novelists introduced—the New Woman novel, the female colonial romance, the Rhodesian settler romance, and the modern spy thriller—anticipated metropolitan literary developments while consolidating Britain's sense of its own dominion in a time of increasing opposition.
Editions of Beyond Gold and Diamonds
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781438481531
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781438481524
- PDF
- ISBN 9781438481548
Read an Excerpt
Beyond Gold and Diamonds demonstrates the importance of southern Africa to British literature from the 1880s to the 1920s, from the rise of the systematic exploitation of the region's mineral wealth to the aftermath of World War I. It focuses on fiction by the colonial-born Olive Schreiner, southern Africa's first literary celebrity, as well as by H. Rider Haggard, Gertrude Page, and John Buchan, its most influential authorial informants, British authors who spent significant time in the region and wrote about it as insiders. Tracing the ways in which generic innovation enabled these writers to negotiate cultural and political concerns through a uniquely British South African lens, Melissa Free argues that British South African literature constitutes a distinct field, one that overlaps with but also exists apart from both a national South African literary tradition and a tradition of South African literature in English. The various genres that British South African novelists introduced—the New Woman novel, the female colonial romance, the Rhodesian settler romance, and the modern spy thriller—anticipated metropolitan literary developments while consolidating Britain's sense of its own dominion in a time of increasing opposition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beyond Gold and Diamonds about?
Beyond Gold and Diamonds demonstrates the importance of southern Africa to British literature from the 1880s to the 1920s, from the rise of the systematic exploitation of the region's mineral wealth to the aftermath of World War I. It focuses on fiction by the colonial-born Olive Schreiner, southern Africa's first literary celebrity, as well as by H. Rider Haggard, Gertrude Page, and John Buchan, its most influential authorial informants, British authors who spent significant time in the region and wrote about it as insiders. Tracing the ways in which generic innovation enabled these writers to negotiate cultural and political concerns through a uniquely British South African lens, Melissa Free argues that British South African literature constitutes a distinct field, one that overlaps with but also exists apart from both a national South African literary tradition and a tradition of South African literature in English. The various genres that British South African novelists introduced—the New Woman novel, the female colonial romance, the Rhodesian settler romance, and the modern spy thriller—anticipated metropolitan literary developments while consolidating Britain's sense of its own dominion in a time of increasing opposition.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Beyond Gold and Diamonds?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism
Where can I read a sample of Beyond Gold and Diamonds?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781438481531
How long is Beyond Gold and Diamonds and how many pages does it have?
Beyond Gold and Diamonds has 288 page(s)
Is Beyond Gold and Diamonds part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series SUNY series, Studies in the Long Nineteenth Century
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Beyond Gold and Diamonds?
Melissa Free
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Beyond Gold and Diamonds is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781438481531) and paperback(ISBN 9781438481524) and pdf(ISBN 9781438481548)
Where can I buy Beyond Gold and Diamonds online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Beyond Gold and Diamonds from below
Where can I buy Beyond Gold and Diamonds?