Good

Very Entertaining. Held your attention thru all three books in the series. It was most like watching a movie in your mind. ( )

Van der Post has written a masterpiece that captures the magic and beauty of Africa, including its highly complex social structure and the tension among the native tribes and the European settlers. His vivid descriptions of the landscape, both flora and fauna, make readers feel they are there and serve as a living testament of his deep, abiding love for the place. His characters are wonderfully developed, ranging from the Joubert family to the Matabele tribe to the Bushmen, and even the animals, especially Hintzsa. The education of the protagonist (Francois) in this coming of age story shows how time spent in the wilds complement his more traditional home schooling. The human bonds across class and race are quite remarkable, especially given the period in which the author was raised. Sadly, the plot is often too slow and the endless churning of Francois's thoughts and feelings, making reading it a chore, instead of a delight. 2.5 stars rounded up. ( )

First, just to be clear, this is not a book. It is half of a book, the other half being the sequel. For any other fictional work, this would be the first few chapters setting the stage for the meat of the tale. The author has the main character start out with an extraordinary dog. Then he has the main character meet a key character...and then pushes that character into the background with only periodic references. Next a new key character is introduced with clear indications that something very significant will develop. In the meantime, the main character's family is dealt with in a rather odd arms-length way. Ultimately, it all comes together in the last few pages, only with the obvious follow-up adventure left totally hanging. Luckily, we know the author did indeed write a follow-up. At it's best, the writing is both very instructive on the land and mixed cultures of Africa, where the tale takes place. Also, when the narrative is concentrating on events, especially ones involving interactions between characters, the writing is remarkably engaging, almost rushing the reader along both intellectually and emotionally. Other times, the writing is intensely reflective on the situation and unnecessarily redundant in doing so. Throughout, there's a certain level of formality to everything. If a straightforward narrative was like a quick wedding with a justice of the peace, this book often verges into a queen's coronation ceremony on a regular basis. Despite it's flaws, the books ultimately offers the reader a true adventure story set in a fascinating background. It just could have been done in about half the space. ( )

A Story Like the Wind by Laurens van der Post is a coming of age tale about a young boy, Francois, raised on a remote farm in South Africa. This story is centered around the death of his father and his coming to terms with his loss and having to mature rather quickly.

While his mother and father leave to consult doctors, Francois and his faithful companion, his dog Hin, spent their days together. We learn of his life and experience some of his adventures. From rescuing a bushman from a lion trap to consulting a witch doctor about his father, we are given insight into how this boy thinks and feels.

Set in the late 1930’s and based on his recollections, the author is able to paint a vivid picture about growing up in Africa. Francois’ relations with the native people on the farm allow us to witness the rich oral traditions of these people. I did, however, find some of the descriptions were long winded and could become rather mind numbing, and at times, I felt the author wandered from his plot. Overall, I enjoyed this book, beautifully written but patience is definitely required. ( )