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Valerie Poore
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Highveld Ways: Recollections of life in Johannesburg in the 1990s (The African Ways series Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Valerie Poore (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 198 ratings
This is the third book about the author's life in South Africa. In Highveld Ways, Valerie and her daughters join her husband in Johannesburg and begin a decade of life in and around the city. During the years that follow her arrival in 1989, Valerie explores the Highveld area on which Johannesburg is built and despite her rural leanings, she learns to love South Africa's biggest, baddest city and its environs.

The family move house five times and each new home brings its own memories and adventures, including trips to Namibia, Zimbabwe and other parts of South Africa. The backcloth to this memoir is the turbulent political upheaval of the early nineties as well as the emergence of the New South Africa under Nelson Mandela. While no story about South Africa at the time can escape the often violent lead-up to the changes, Valerie's memories are focused on the events, the places and above all, the people who filled her life at the time.

Anecdotal rather than chronological, this book mixes the ups and downs of family life with history, political change and descriptions of local places. To do the decade justice would really take five books, not one, so the intention is rather to give an impression of what it was was like to live in Johannesburg in the notorious nineties.
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  1. Book 3 of 3
    The African Ways series
  2. Print length
    241 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 16, 2019
  5. File size
    2.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07QR3HB8Z
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 16, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 241 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 198 ratings

About the author

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Valerie Poore

Valerie Poore

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Val Poore was born in London, England, and grew up in both north London and the west of Dorset. After completing her degree in English, History and French at Bournemouth, she took a further course in the conservation and restoration of museum artefacts at Lincoln College of Art. She then spent two years smallholding, rearing Jacobs sheep and doing furniture restoration before going to South Africa in 1981 with her husband and small children.

Val left South Africa permanently in 2001 and has settled in the Netherlands, where she shares her time between a liveaboard barge in Rotterdam and a cottage in Zeeland. She has been writing since childhood and wrote stories, articles and radio plays for years before embarking on her first book in 2005. Val loves travelling on her barge, especially when it involves roughing it a bit. She feels that she has better adventures and more interesting experiences that way.

She has written twelve books altogether: three novels and nine memoirs, three of which are about her life in South Africa, a country she grew to love deeply. The others are all about her experiences of living and cruising on her barge. The latest is being published in May, 2021. Then it'll be back to writing some more fiction. Val writes under her full name Valerie Poore.

For more about Val's daily life on board her barge in Rotterdam, go to https://rivergirlrotterdam.blogspot.nl

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
198 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's writing quality, particularly its attention to detail and ability to recreate scenes vividly. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer describing it as a lovely walk down memory lane. Additionally, customers appreciate the character development, with one review highlighting the strength of character that shines through. The book features colorful images, and one customer notes how it details each city's unique traits. Customers value the historical content, with one review specifically mentioning its coverage of South Africa's past.

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9 customers mention "Writing quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its beautiful descriptions and attention to detail, with one customer highlighting how well the author recreates scenes.

"...The author’s beautiful writing, as in her others books, draws the reader in as if one has almost been teleported to each location...." Read more

"...I enjoyed her reminiscences. Valerie writes well and fluently, and she comes across as a kind person, which always makes me like a memoir more!..." Read more

"...Highly recommend all her books. Great read!" Read more

"...This great storyteller takes you there without having to purchase a ticket. You get to explore large cities like Cape Town and Pretoria,..." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one customer describing it as a lovely walk down memory lane, while another appreciates the author's vivid descriptions.

"...I was fascinated by many of the author’s descriptions, and as I read, I did much Internet research – from the upside down Baobab trees to Velvet..." Read more

"...as well as the past history of South Africa, are touched on adding interest for the reader...." Read more

"I thoroughly enjoy her books. I love reading books about places I've never been to but would love to visit...." Read more

"Entertaining read" Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review highlighting the strength of character and another noting the strong women named Val.

"...Valerie writes well and fluently, and she comes across as a kind person, which always makes me like a memoir more!..." Read more

"A strong women named Val who packed up her whole life to move to Africa. This is the third book to her series. I suggest reading them all in order...." Read more

"...The author's resilience and strength of character shine through as she tackles all the changes she has to deal with...." Read more

"...It is easy to picture the homes, the people, the color of the scenery, and her life as a mom, wife, fur-mom, and employee. I laughed. I cried...." Read more

4 customers mention "Color palette"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the colorful images in the book, with one mentioning how easy it is to picture the homes and another noting how the author sees beauty everywhere.

"...Johannesburg, Valerie Poore brilliantly provides not only a colorful overview, but zeroes in on the many areas in which she and her family lived,..." Read more

"...Valerie sees beauty everywhere, in spite of their many personal problems...." Read more

"...over-crowded train as an invisible traveler with Val. She paints memorable and colorful images of her life in and around South Africa from..." Read more

"...It is easy to picture the homes, the people, the color of the scenery, and her life as a mom, wife, fur-mom, and employee. I laughed. I cried...." Read more

3 customers mention "Geography"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's geographical content, with one review highlighting its exploration of cities and places, while another notes how it details each city's unique traits and provides information about roads throughout South Africa.

"...in on the many areas in which she and her family lived, detailing each city’s unique traits — the good, the bad, and the well, unfortunate...." Read more

"...It's not all wild animals out in the desert, but whole cities and places to explore. Highly recommend all her books. Great read!" Read more

"I liked the details of roads throughout SA. I struggled through the ARGUS race with her and relived my daughter's on a pony in Lesotho...." Read more

3 customers mention "History"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical content of the book, with one customer describing it as a magnificent journey through South Africa.

"This is a magnificent journey through South Africa with Val Poore, her daughters, her husband and their dogs and cats as they reside in a host of..." Read more

"...Historical events of the time, as well as the past history of South Africa, are touched on adding interest for the reader...." Read more

"...love to visit. Her books on Africa are great as are the ones on the water...." Read more

Highveld Ways captivated me from the first page.
5 out of 5 stars
Highveld Ways captivated me from the first page.
With warmth and enthusiasm, Valerie Poore tells many interrelated stories in this, the third of her “The African Ways” series. Her tales juggle a challenging marriage with her need to become the stable heart of the family of four when her husband’s scriptwriting efforts regularly fail and force them to find and renovate suitable houses to match the uncertain family budget. She tells of exciting family camping trips throughout the Highveld, and offers intimate glimpses of what it was like to live in South Africa at a critical time when the country was in political turmoil. Valerie Poore is a master at breathing life into a wide range of interesting and quirky characters and yet leading us to appreciate that beneath the surface, we all share much in common. Highveld Ways held my interest from beginning to end.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Lizzy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating: how do I count the ways?
    Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Having read several of this author’s memoirs—and all of her novels, for a long time, I’d been eager to read one of her earlier memoirs about her 20 years in South Africa.

    For anyone who is interested in what life was like in and around Johannesburg, Valerie Poore brilliantly provides not only a colorful overview, but zeroes in on the many areas in which she and her family lived, detailing each city’s unique traits — the good, the bad, and the well, unfortunate. The author’s beautiful writing, as in her others books, draws the reader in as if one has almost been teleported to each location. Her attention to detail is mesmerizing, but never boring. I can’t stress strongly enough how well this author recreates a scene—even with the fine detailing of car and bicycle mishaps. Humor is prevalent throughout the book, serving to make the stories all the more charming.

    For someone who isn’t keen on moving, I was amazed by the moving of house five times in this book’s time span alone. Not only did the family pack up and move, but they renovated homes and made major adaptations to their previous ways of living — something I found to be very impressive. I learned so much about the various cities, what it was like to work, what it was like for her daughters, and so much more. Being an animal lover, I was heartened by the many stories about animals and pets.

    I was fascinated by many of the author’s descriptions, and as I read, I did much Internet research – from the upside down Baobab trees to Velvet Monkeys in a Zimbawbe trees. I was saddened to read about schoolchildren begging not for money—but for pens and paper.

    Having read much about this author’s life on a barge based in Rotterdam, I was especially interested to learn how she went from living in South Africa to the Netherlands—and I understand so well by her former country is so dear to her heart.

    If you’re interested in life in South Africa, especially during turbulent political times, you may find this book every bit as fascinating as I did. Brava!
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  • Zuri
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and well-written memoir of a decade in Johannesburg.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    As we lived in Johannesburg between the 70's and until my husband retired in '97, I was quite interested to see how someone from Britain would experience the Highveld (and many other places) during what was a political turbulent time in South Africa. I enjoyed her reminiscences. Valerie writes well and fluently, and she comes across as a kind person, which always makes me like a memoir more! She saw beauty that I never really noticed -- being a born and bred Western Cape woman, I always found the Highveld and surrounds disappointing and not very pretty. Valerie sees beauty everywhere, in spite of their many personal problems. Actually, the suburbs of Johannesburg and its neighbouring Randburg are beautiful, although mostly hidden behind walls for security! That said, in the 20 years we lived in a lovely house in Randburg we never, ever had a break-in -- and we also had no perimeter fence or burglar bars. So, overseas only the doom-and-gloom stories are told while it's not at all a bad place to live! I enjoyed Valerie's descriptions of her adventures, and I'm also sorry her marriage did not work out. I will certainly read more of her books -- this was the first one I've read.
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  • C Brown
    4.0 out of 5 stars Always wondered what living on Africa was like
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2021
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    A strong women named Val who packed up her whole life to move to Africa. This is the third book to her series. I suggest reading them all in order. Loved her outlook on life, the people she got to know and learning what living there is like. It's not all wild animals out in the desert, but whole cities and places to explore. Highly recommend all her books. Great read!
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  • Lynn M.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such Richness!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is a magnificent journey through South Africa with Val Poore, her daughters, her husband and their dogs and cats as they reside in a host of cities around Johannesburg. As life and its circumstances change, they do the same by adjusting and making the most of the next place, set of neighbors, colleagues and hired workers.
    You can feel the rich countryside, see the variety of haps and mishaps, smell the fresh open air and taste the spicy cooking as well as relate to the fears that sometimes come with urban living. This great storyteller takes you there without having to purchase a ticket.
    You get to explore large cities like Cape Town and Pretoria, sleep in tents at camp grounds or take lengthy road tips in second-hand cars. Or you can jump on a bike, ride a horse or travel in a musty, over-crowded train as an invisible traveler with Val.
    She paints memorable and colorful images of her life in and around South Africa from the 1990’s. And then, voila! At the end of the book, she adds photos and you can compare her words to the actual pictures. What a rich adventure!
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  • JW
    5.0 out of 5 stars A personal journey during an historic time.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A brilliant read of the author's experience of life in Johannesburg, South Africa at a time of immense political and social change. The author writes about her personal life with her husband and two daughters, the various house moves they have to make (five in six years), working at the different jobs and the challenges faced at every turn. The author's resilience and strength of character shine through as she tackles all the changes she has to deal with. Along with her personal story, through the book are the turbulent political changes taking place. The first election following the end of Apartheid when Nelson Mandela came to power and the shifting cultural and social landscape. Historical events of the time, as well as the past history of South Africa, are touched on adding interest for the reader. The various holidays and times in neighbouring countries describe the landscapes, the wildlife and gives a glimpse of other aspects of the amazing continent of Africa. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book review
    Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2022
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    I thoroughly enjoy her books. I love reading books about places I've never been to but would
    love to visit. Her books on Africa are great as are the ones on the water. I'm no good at writing these reviews but I know what I like and these books are it!
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars fast shipping, as described
    Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2021
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    Entertaining read
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Top reviews from other countries

  • John M Taylor
    5.0 out of 5 stars Courageous
    Reviewed in Australia on August 16, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is the third part of a fascinating and informative memoir covering the life an English ex-pat lady, Valarie Poore, and her family while living in South Africa through the period of the dismantling of apartheid. Highveld Ways describes the trials of living through this era, not to mention the ups and downs of family life. I add, “with no suggestion of self-pity when things got tough.” Only grit, determination, and strength of character are here, and most certainly not all doom and gloom.
    In Highveld Ways I quickly found myself admiring the author, as I did in the previous two books. (African Ways and African Ways Again). I enjoyed the descriptions of the fun times, adventures, and her interactions with native Africans. The latter demonstrates that you get back what you give. Valarie Poore’s descriptions are non-political and we discover a side of life that much of the world's press chose to ignore. We see that the situation was not a simple black-and-white conflict, as was often portrayed. Valarie’s admiration for South Africa and it’s people, of all origins, is clear.
    I thoroughly enjoyed all parts of this memoir trilogy. For me, this was a five-star read and is highly recommended.
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  • Yorkshire lass
    5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Val Poore’s books are like a breath of fresh air. After reading 'African Ways' I couldn’t wait to sample more of her life in South Africa. 'Highveld Ways' covers the 10 year period when she returned, only this time it was to Johannesburg where it was her intention to settle there permanently. It seems that fate had other plans.
    As well as giving a personal account of the ups-and-downs of her family life – and there is a lot to be said for her strength and resilience when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems – Ms Poore covers all aspects of the turbulent time she witnessed in South Africa’s history. We are given a deeper understanding of the attitudes that prevailed during and after apartheid and the unrest that resulted in a wave of crime.
    Although less affected by the violence, mainly due to the area where they lived, Ms Poore and her family didn’t escape it altogether, suffering some hair-raising moments, not least the loss and damage caused to their home. But the book is far from a story of doom and gloom. On the contrary. The author’s wit and irrepressible sense of humour lights up the pages and I can well imagine her popularity amongst the many friends she made and picture the larger-than-life characters the family employed to do the more demanding jobs in and around their property. And there were challenges aplenty! When forced to move yet again, she took on some enormous projects and one cannot help but admire her tenacity, let alone stamina, in circumstances that would have seen others running for home. This shows her determination to build a life there and, after learning of all the wonderful places she visited, it’s easy to see why; Cape town, for instance, known as the mother city of SA and the loveliest, is described in all its glory, along with her exhilarating journey to Table Mountain and many other places of great beauty.
    If, like me, you have never travelled to South Africa, this riveting story gives a true feel for the country and is a fictional journey I urge you to take. Above all, it is refreshing in its honesty. I love her frank approach and self-deprecating humour when she describes her various jobs and the people she worked with. It’s interesting to note that she had the opportunity to return to South Africa in recent years and meet up with them again. Another 5* triumph for a very talented author.
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  • Cathie
    5.0 out of 5 stars LIKE I'VE LIVED IT
    Reviewed in Canada on February 18, 2022
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    Valerie Poore writes SO well, clearly, succinctly and with fascinating detail of her years living in South Africa. A bit of history of apartheid, a lot of culture and smattering of language and heartwarming portraits of the people she has known.
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  • Lally
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, a fabulous read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely brilliant. Another superb read from talented author Val Poore.
    This time we join Val and her two young daughters in 1989 as they return to their beloved South Africa. Val is determined to reunite the family after two years separation from her husband. Initially there are some hiccups which would strain any normal relationship and Val and the girls find themselves put into a hotel while her husband attempts to evict his ex-mistress from the house. But Val is unbelievably patient and understanding and they soon settle into family life in Sunninghill.
    Life for this little family has many ups and downs as they try to make a living against a background of political turbulence as the fledgling Rainbow Nation emerges. They struggle with financial and emotional challenges and Val is forced to make many difficult adjustments. But she is determined and strong-willed and a survivor. Her indomitable spirit shines through every page! Forced to move from Sunninghill to Noordwyk, then Bryanston, Olivedale and finally Krugersdorp she triumphs over adversity every time. My admiration for her is immense.
    Val’s is a gifted writer. She is a master of descriptive imagery and her elegant prose is a delight to read. I was with her every step of the way, cheering her on, shouting encouragement, celebrating the highs and groaning aloud at the lows. We had a great time together. I adored the family visit to the Namib desert, an awesome, magical place so beautifully described by Val. I laughed and laughed at the image of Val taking the girls to school one frosty morning in her roofless car (torn to shreds by falling hailstones!) in her fluffy floral dressing gown over her coat for warmth, blankets round her knees and wearing furry slippers …. a truly eccentric vision and one I treasure!
    But I have to say my admiration for this amazing lady hit a new high when I read of her determination to enter the gruelling endurance test that is the annual Cape Argus cycle race. It is the world’s largest timed cycle race and is not for the faint-hearted. If the hills don’t get you then the heat will. Val was truly inspirational. She completed the 105 km course in an astonishing 5 hours 34 minutes. Val, I salute you!
    I confess there was a lump in my throat as I read the last chapter and closed the book. Val is a star and I can’t wait to start reading the next chapter in her life!
    A great book, a really great book!
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  • Elizabeth Moore
    5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another adventure.
    Reviewed in Australia on May 6, 2019
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    Round three for the family in South Africa. This time Johannesburg. This was not an easy time politically for the country, but the author always managed to make a home for her husband, daughters and their cherished pets. I did learn there were several things I couldn't have done: ridden a bike in one of Johannesburg's toughest races, walked through some of the more dangerous parts of the city or dealt with house break-ins and an escalating crime rate. Through everything, the author's love of South Africa is evident and it was certainly another gripping read from this prolific memoir writer.
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