Daniel Pule Kunene

Defying all odds, this book accounts for the rise of Dr. Daniel Kunene from abject poverty in the tiny town of Edenville, South Africa, to full professor at the prestigious University of Wisconsin-Madison, and to becoming an internationally sought-after poet and lecturer. Through his vivid recollections, and love of story, in the opening chapters of this book, we gain insights into his parents' tenacious and passionate insistence that he and his three siblings get an education. Even if there were no school buildings. Even if it meant repeating a grade, he had passed with excellent scores, due to lack of money to pay the school fees for four children at the next level. Fees only blacks had to pay. Or riding a bike 15 miles through a rainstorm, then a flat tire to make it to his Matriculation exam. Or taking correspondence courses with University of Cape Town to complete his BA. Kunene's timely and genuine sense of humour prevents any of this from becoming morose and gloomy. There is so much hope and sincerity in these efforts we gladly travel with him. He survives it all.