The Conservationist
by Nadine Gordimer
1974 / 270 pages
rating: 9 / 20th century

Mehring is a very rich, white,  South African man who has purchased a 400 acre cattle farm in rural South Africa. This is during the days of apartheid and it all makes him think that he is happy – he works in the city, flies to Japan, rests at his farm, plays with his mistress – life is good – except that he is increasingly isolated in an unfriendly world.

I suppose the title comes from the way in which Mehring wants to “conserve” his world – others, leftists, want to conserve the rhinoceros but Mehring is not concerned.  No one, it seems, wants to preserve the black people who live there.  >>>>MORE>>>>