Journal Entry 1 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, March 31, 2004

David Lurie is a fifty-two year old professor of Communications living in Capetown, South Africa. Following the discovery of his affair with a 20-something year old student (she charges him with sexual harassment, which he denies), Lurie loses his job at the university and goes to visit his daughter, a lesbian farmer on an isolated farm on the Eastern Cape. For a time, Lurie lives peacefully with his daughter, then the novel takes an angry twist. This was an excellent book -- a multilayered story about politics, changing sexual mores and gender expectations in contemporary South Africa. Highly readable.

I read this book as part of my Booker Prize reading project -- it won the Booker in 1999. Disgrace also won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book in 2000. 

Journal Entry 2 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, April 01, 2004

I'm mailing this book to ruggergirl in New York City, as a swap for Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer. I really hope you'll enjoy this book -- it certainly gave me a sense of the social tensions still alive in contemporary, post-apartheid South Africa. Enjoy your trip!! 

Journal Entry 3 by ruggergirl on Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Part of the South African challenge; to be read and released. 

Journal Entry 4 by ruggergirl on Friday, April 23, 2004

Dark. And yet, something about it that makes me think of the nature of love.

A quick read...altogether too quick. 

Journal Entry 5 by ruggergirl on Friday, May 21, 2004

Off to Megi in trade for some more South African books. 

Journal Entry 6 by Megi53 from Danville, Virginia USA on Saturday, May 29, 2004

Received in trade, and I see it won the 1999 Booker Prize. Now I'm even more intrigued! 

Journal Entry 7 by Megi53 from Danville, Virginia USA on Saturday, September 11, 2004

The plot of *Disgrace* travelled a steady road from the quiet and ordinary disgrace of a middle-aged man hiring an escort to the devastating disgrace of an entire nation.

I seem to remember a real-life situation very similar to Lucy's happening years ago in the USA. I don't suppose Booker Prize winners have sequels, but it would be fascinating to see what happens to Lucy's family and neighbors in the future.

The description of failures and feelings associated with growing older has never been better expressed in anything I've read before. Lurie's description of himself as a scholar rather than a teacher was profound and accurate for a lot of us "scholar-teachers".

Mailed to a bookcrosser in Michigan. 

Journal Entry 8 by Frankie from Ypsilanti, Michigan USA on Monday, September 20, 2004

Received in trade from Megi53. I’ve spent some time in S. Africa, especially in the rural communities and smaller towns, so I was most interested in Lucy’s story. Her response to the situation (don’t want to give away any plot details) resonated with other real-life stories that I encountered while there. I’m fascinated by the duality of her personal anger contrasted by a complete understanding of the state of affairs and almost a justification of why it happens. I can’t wait to read more by this author.