On 8 May, Afrikaans will officially turn 100 years old. It’s a big milestone for a language that grew out of everyday conversations and went on to create a rich tradition of books, poetry, and storytelling.
As someone who grew up Afrikaans, this milestone feels close to home for me.
Part of the reason I founded The Story Station was a growing awareness that many Afrikaans and also other South African works were slipping out of circulation, going out of print, being discarded, and slowly being lost to future readers.
Through secondhand books, we’re able to help preserve these voices, but it’s your curiosity, your love of reading, and your support for local authors that truly keep them alive.
Every time you choose a local book, whether new or secondhand, you are helping to protect South Africa’s literary heritage and giving important stories a new life for future generations.
If you’ve been searching for harder-to-find Afrikaans or South African books, we’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@thestorystation.co.za and let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll do our best to keep an eye out for you. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Thank you for being part of this story.
The Story Station