Alan Paton

Born in 1903
  • Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist best known for his novel Cry, the Beloved Country.

  • Born in 1903, Paton worked as a teacher and reformatory principal before turning to writing.

  • His experiences shaped his views on racial injustice in South Africa.

  • Cry, the Beloved Country, published in 1948, became an international bestseller and brought attention to apartheid.

  • Paton continued writing novels and short stories while actively opposing apartheid through his involvement in South Africa's Liberal Party.

  • His works often explored themes of racial reconciliation and social justice.

  • Paton's passport was seized for a decade due to his political activism.

  • He died in 1988, shortly before the fall of apartheid.

Books by Alan Paton