The Pickup A Novel
The Pickup by Nadine Gordimer, published by Picador on February 5, 2013, is a novel that explores the complexities of human connection against the backdrop of post-apartheid South Africa. The story begins when Julie Summers’s car breaks down in Cape Town, leading her to meet Abdu, a young Arab mechanic. Their immediate attraction sets off a chain of events that challenges their perceptions of each other and their respective backgrounds, as Julie seeks to escape her privileged life while Abdu grapples with the realities of being an illegal immigrant.
Readers will find a narrative that delves into themes of identity, social class, and the intricacies of desire. The Pickup presents a nuanced portrayal of contemporary issues, reflecting on the characters’ struggles and the unpredictable consequences of their encounter. With its focus on the intersection of personal and political realms, this edition, comprising 288 pages, invites readers to engage with the profound emotional landscapes of its characters.
Official synopsis Publisher
A New York Times Notable Book
Winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Africa
“Ranks as one of Gordimer’s best novels…It transcends politics and aims at a meaning higher than human striving.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
When Julie Summers’s car breaks down on a street in Cape Town, a young Arab mechanic comes to her aid. Their attraction to each other is immediate. Julia, the daughter of a powerful businessman, is trying to escape a privileged background she despises. Abdu, an educated but poor illegal immigrant, is desperate to evade deportation. The consequences of this chance meeting are unpredictable and intense, as each person’s notions of the other are overturned. Set in the social mix of post-apartheid South Africa and an unnamed Arab country, Nadine Gordimer’s The Pickup “is a masterpiece of creative empathy…a gripping tale of contemporary anguish and unexpected desire, and it also opens the Arab world to unusually nuanced perception” (Edward W. Said).
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