White Lies

Roy Freeman, a suburban Jewish teenager, is troubled by the injustices of apartheid South Africa in the 1960s. Prejudice is not, however, confined to the oppression of 'non-whites'; it permeates the diverse ethnic and religious groups in a nation founded on the ideology of racial superiority. Perplexed, often angry, he is a witness to the bigotry of his own family and friends. This captivating novel traces Roy's rite of passage from schoolboy to army conscript, from sexual ingénue to politicized university student. A succession of uproarious episodes and an assortment of unforgettable characters highlight the absurdities of everyday South African life. By turns comic and poignant, White Lies is an enthralling portrait of life in the 1960s in a country that still strives to overcome its iniquitous past, and achieve justice and equality.