Johannesburg Portraits by Mike Alfred

Johannesburg Portraits - Mike Alfred (Jacana, 2003)
The author has chosen an unusual selection of well-known Johannesburgers to illustrate different shades of the city. In the 10 sketches the reader will learn about the quickly-changing scene of turn-of-the-century Joburg with Randlord Lionel and Florrie Phillips; or architect Hermann Kallenbach's association with Mahatma Gandhi (with the editors having some trouble deciding on the spelling of "Gandhi"); or lawyer Bram Fischer's brave struggle with the apartheid monster. The book also looks at contemporary Joburgers: ANC stalwarts Walter and Albertina Sisulu, palaeontologist and scientist Phillip Tobias, photographer Peter Magubane, ornithologist Geoff Lockwood, author and literary critic Lionel Abrahams, and diva Sibongile Khumalo. The pieces are of varying quality but they give some idea of the variety of personalities that have made up and do make up the vibrant melting pot that is Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Portraits - Mike Alfred (Jacana, 2003)

The author has chosen an unusual selection of well-known Johannesburgers to illustrate different shades of the city. In the 10 sketches the reader will learn about the quickly-changing scene of turn-of-the-century Joburg with Randlord Lionel and Florrie Phillips; or architect Hermann Kallenbach's association with Mahatma Gandhi (with the editors having some trouble deciding on the spelling of "Gandhi"); or lawyer Bram Fischer's brave struggle with the apartheid monster. The book also looks at contemporary Joburgers: ANC stalwarts Walter and Albertina Sisulu, palaeontologist and scientist Phillip Tobias, photographer Peter Magubane, ornithologist Geoff Lockwood, author and literary critic Lionel Abrahams, and diva Sibongile Khumalo. The pieces are of varying quality but they give some idea of the variety of personalities that have made up and do make up the vibrant melting pot that is Johannesburg.