Classrooms in the Shade

Endorsements

It is good to read of a life that embodies a rich and intricate South African cultural landscape and we are all the richer for her efforts.

—Betty Govinden

It is my honour to recommend this book.

—Fatima Meer

From the opening Sanskrit mantra to the final act of casting her vote in South Africa’s first democratic elections, Shanthee Manjoo’s Classrooms in the Shade is a unique perspective on South Africa’s history. Teacher, mother, wife, sister and friend, Shanthee Manjoo defied the rules and roles of an underdocumented time and community, experiencing all of its painful, poignant, humorous and moving stories. Peopled with characters from a personal and national context, the book is a lyrical memoir that captures nuances of a particular and important time and place in South Africa.