The Purple Violet of Oshaantu is the moving story of two ordinary women living in rural Namibia. In exploring tales of their marriages to vastly different men, Neshani Andreas exposes the burdens they carry and the friendships they must forge in order to survive. When Ali arrives in the village of Oshaantu, she is met with a cold welcome. Only the young mother next door, Kauna, is willing to truly accept Ali''s presence. Kind-hearted and married to an abusive husband, Kauna quickly becomes more than just a neighbour – she becomes a friend, daughter, and someone to mentor. Disaster strikes when Kauna''s husband is suddenly found dead at home, causing the villagers to suspect her of poisoning him. What follows is an emotive account of Kauna''s journey into widowhood and Ali''s bittersweet reflections on the beliefs and customs of her village. Beautiful and thoughtfully written, Andreas paints a vibrant picture of friendship and sisterhood in traditional Namibian society. ''A gentle fighter for women''s rights, who used her writing as a weapon.'' Mariama Bâ ''One of Namibia''s finest post-independence novels.'' Erika von Weitersheim

The Purple Violet of Oshaantu is the moving story of two ordinary women living in rural Namibia. In exploring tales of their marriages to vastly different men, Neshani Andreas exposes the burdens they carry and the friendships they must forge in order to survive. When Ali arrives in the village of Oshaantu, she is met with a cold welcome. Only the young mother next door, Kauna, is willing to truly accept Ali''s presence. Kind-hearted and married to an abusive husband, Kauna quickly becomes more than just a neighbour – she becomes a friend, daughter, and someone to mentor. Disaster strikes when Kauna''s husband is suddenly found dead at home, causing the villagers to suspect her of poisoning him. What follows is an emotive account of Kauna''s journey into widowhood and Ali''s bittersweet reflections on the beliefs and customs of her village. Beautiful and thoughtfully written, Andreas paints a vibrant picture of friendship and sisterhood in traditional Namibian society. ''A gentle fighter for women''s rights, who used her writing as a weapon.'' Mariama Bâ ''One of Namibia''s finest post-independence novels.'' Erika von Weitersheim