Man van Cirene [Man from Cyrene]

By: Frans Venter

Narrated by: Johan Nel

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Die klassieke topverkoper nou weer beskikbaar! Simon van Cirene word gelas om Jesus se kruis te dra, op pad na Golgota. Simon, die man wat nie glo nie. Maar hoe kan ’n mens onveranderd gelaat word deur ’n ontmoeting met Christus? Hierdie is die verhaal van Christus se aanslag op ’n heidense wêreld. Dit is ’n beeld van wroeging en botsing en van haat en liefde, van ongeloof teenoor geloof. Maar veral is dit die verhaal van verlossing: die oorwinning van die gees oor die aardse.

Please note: This audiobook is in Afrikaans.

©2019 Frans Venter (P)2019 Lux Verbi

‘n MOET luister.

Hierdie is ‘n wonderlike audioboek wat die wêreld van Simon van Cirene in ‘n vreugdevolle en tog siel verskeurende werklikheid omskep.

‘n Boeiende verhaal van ‘n man wie se naam ons ken, maar ‘n storie van die kruisdraer wat jou sal laat lag, juig en terselfdetyd huil.

Wonderlike verhaal.

Uitmuntend/ Outstanding

From the first words I was captured. What a different but completely believable take on the life if the man who carried Jesus’s cross! The narrator did every written word justice. Highly recommend

An Afrikaans classic enriching world literature

The story "Man van Cirene" [Man from Cyrene] is one of the classic contributions of the Afrikaans writer F.A. Venter. In this book he reimagines the story of Simon of Cyrene, whom he portrays as a serious Jew being confronted by the so-called Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.

Published in 1957 the story reflects much of how the Afrikaner community of the mid-twentieth century saw themselves as Christians. I was surprised at some of F.A. Venter's insights into the lives of those who lived around Jesus. Venter wrote between the gaps fleshing out Biblical characters that were not known. He brings to life the world of Jesus' followers, though I must confess it felt a bit like the world of farmers from the platteland (rural area in South African).

Yet, I enjoyed the rich Afrikaans descriptions and the way that the story is told. The story does end as a sort of literary altar call, but I think it also gives an important glimpse on the ancient world, though it is clearly mingled with the ethos of the mid-twentieth century South Africa.

Johan Nel's narration does justice to the book. He is able to draw the reader in.

I would recommend this Afrikaans classic to anyone that understands Afrikaans or Dutch.

Powerful and convinxing!

Na 40 jaar weer geluister. Meesleurend en oortuigende karakters en wêreld word deur hierdie meesterverteller geskep.

Simon van cirene

Een woord : ONBESKRYFLIK roerend!!!
n MOET om te luister!
Dit boei jou van begin tot einde.

Well worth listening to this one

I just clicked away at buying some Afrikaans books and added this one to my library - (vaguely remembering the title as a book that existed when I was growing up in South Africa.) If I had done some deeper diving and saw that it was listed as "Christian Fiction" I may have skipped it altogether. I have nothing against Christianity, but its not a genre I would seek out.

So, there I was, traveling and I started listening. "Oh, I get what this story is about" I realized. "Oh well! I'll continue with it" And I did - all the way through. It is a fantastically well written story and equally well delivered. It's painting with words.

I feel like I received a deeper understanding of the texture and times that existed around the timeframe of the story. Very entertaining - a great work of art. Well worth it if you like to listen to Afrikaans writing.