Author brings book to Oudtshoorn

OUDTSHOORN NEWS - Barbara Townsend, author of Ida's Line visited Oudtshoorn last week to introduce the novel to readers.

She told the attendees that she chose Oudtshoorn as the background for the novel because her grandfather lived here and the book was sparked by events he told her about.

Ida's Line is a historical novel that portrays a young woman, Ida Joubert, coming of age in Oudtshoorn in the 1930s.

The book centres around Ida's relationship with a teacher, Reuben, who is a coloured man and when she introduces him to her parents the conflict increases. The book covers the period from 1930 to 1948 and captures the lives of several characters who are finely woven together.

Townsend says she spent ten years on the novel and much of that time was spent on research of which a large part was done in Oudtshoorn and in particular at the CP Nel Museum.

For more information about Ida's Line and where it is available contact Barbara Townsend on 083 315 9211.

Some of the people who attended the launch of Ida's Line are from the left: Clifford Coombe, Barbara Townsend (author), Lida Blignaut, Alta le Roux, Marion McCann, Benadette Lipschitz and Ilse Meyer. Photo: Hannes Visser