Fan Mail for the Karoo Quartet

By Chris Marais & Julienne du Toit

As valuable as the food in our bellies and the fuel in our bakkie, the delighted reaction of readers who have bought the Karoo Roads I-IV book series is what keeps us going on the road. Here’s a taste of the flood of happy emails we’ve been receiving lately.

Anne Rogers

Wonderful to receive the fruits of your creative collaboration, adventurous spirits, passion for the land and people, and hard work. You do the Karoo proud. Congrats!

Phileen Lutge

Ahh, the joy of receiving a parcel, snugly wrapped to protect the contents on its courier journey from Cradock to my desk. And the delight to eventually OPEN the parcel, slowly savouring the smell of the brand new, hot off the press Karoo Roads IV by Julienne du Toit Chris Marais.

A quick glance at the exquisite black and white photographs, and I know I am going to drool over images which talk to me and make me feel the Karoo bossies against my calves, revelling in the peace of the Veld Zen of Poplar Grove.

And then I catch sight of the quirky chapter headings: Kestrel Manoueuvers and Wrecked in Dog Stone Bay. Thank you for once again bringing the Karoo to us all!

Sue Fawcett

Thank you, they look beautiful and I am going to enjoy reading them and be inspired to see more of the fascinating Karoo.

Richard Ambler-Smith

Haven’t put Karoo Roads I down. We are off stofpad thru the Karoo soon

Gareth Meder

Thank you for another fine book. Again, stunningly beautiful photography, I’ve just leafed through initially, will read the, I’m sure, lovely narrative in due course. I’m really enjoying the histories and insights they offer.

John Roux 

Thanks for all the huge amount of skill, experience, travelling, effort & all the rest that has gone into the researching, writing & production of the books…
All so that we can enjoy stories that would otherwise stay in little known Karoo dorpies, and eventually get lost with the passage of time & passing away of those that know the tales.
So, thank you for keeping a beautiful part of the Karoo history and folklore alive.

Antony Osler 

A truly lovely read. Professionally produced with great photos and writing. Well done!

Bill Davis 

Karoo Roads IV is, I think, the best yet! Well done and thanks for the lovely stories. I am looking forward to Number 5!

Mia Euvrard

Hi again Julie,

Just taking a moment with you to say I’m now enjoyably motoring through a second read of these! Just finished reading Splendid Isolation, your essay on Rietbron, its uniqueness (potential as HQ of flat-earth society!) and unique characters.

As with your other essays, I particularly enjoy the openness, compassion and gentle humour you engage to introduce the reader to unusual (or ordinary) people creatively engaging in what might be considered unusual situations.

Can’t remember which volume or chapter off-hand, but the one you wrote about the Rasta reformed criminal community also comes to mind vividly.

Not just entertaining, but inspiring.

The second set was also a hit as a birthday gift to my friend. She started reading immediately.

Gavin Cooper

Morning Julie & Chris

I have started reading your book, and as with the others I am loving it. And as before, the pictures are wonderful. Black and white is such an emotive media to accompany the writing.

Having been to many of the places/people you write about in my off-road meandering, it is like revisiting them and bring back all those memories.

Roy Lewer

Morning Julie & Chris

Thanks so much the books arrived this morning

I really enjoyed the Quartet – your research is unreal and so informative.

Bob Forster

Hello Chris and Julienne,

I can read that a great amount of time was spent in both of your producing these really excellent books, interviews with farmers, trying to capture information from older ones who were young at the time of these events, and noted how many folk have chosen to move into the Karoo from city life, in spite of its challenges, but the rewards are far greater.

Well done to all involved in the production of these excellent books. Yes, my dear wife, Yvonne, can recall a number of the villages, small towns that over the years we have travelled through.

Thank you again for your excellent books.

The Karoo Quartet (Karoo Roads 1 – 4) consists of more than 60 Karoo stories and hundreds of black and white photographs. Priced at R960 (including taxes and courier in South Africa), this Heritage Collection can be ordered from julie@karoospace.co.za