The Persistence of Memory (novel)

The Persistence of Memory is a novel by Tony Eprile. It was published in 2004 by W. W. Norton & Company. The story portrays 1960s and 1970s South Africa through the experiences of Paul Sweetbread, a young Jewish South African with a photographic memory. The novel follows Paul from his experiences in school, through his service in the South African Defence Force during the wars in Namibia and Angola, to his participation in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The novel deals heavily with the question of white liberal guilt during the apartheid regime.

Reception

The New York Times described the book as "a fascinating picture of white South Africa, an anatomy of the liberal conscience -- both sympathetic and scathing -- that resonates far beyond its immediate setting".^[1]

Awards

The Persistence of Memory won the 2005 Koret Jewish Book Award for fiction.

References