Ideally Speaking

Ideally Speaking is series of interviews with a wide cross-section of South African and ex-South African Jews. Steve Hellmann and Lindsay Talmud explore the memories, thoughts and present day activities of people whose youthful experiences led them to try and make the world a better place. Each interview tells a fascinating story as the protagonists recall the people, the events and the ideas that influenced their choices. The authors are clearly interested in how the people they spoke to understand their present lives, in relation to their beliefs as young idealists. Set against the backdrop of Israel's struggle to sustain a credible democracy and the many challenges facing post-apartheid South Africa, this question is particularly relevant and sometimes painful. The selection of interviewees was thoughtfully made and their stories make excellent reading. Ideally Speaking is bound to stimulate serious discussion as well as a lot of nostalgia.