Reader's Comments

In 2005, Acid Alex was nominated for both the Bookseller's Choice Award and shortlisted for the Alan Paton Award for non-fiction.   

That said, I would like all my fans to know it is so very encouraging reading the stuff you send me. I promise to try and answer you all at least once. I don't really have the time to edit and post too many of your comments but I will give a cross-section of folks from a mom to a maniac from close friends to strangers...

But first, my Christmas present for 2006 was this letter:

Hi Al,

It's the evening of Christmas day in Taiwan, and it's bloody freezing and I would hate the loneliness of my first Northern Hemisphere Christmas so much more if I hadn't just finished Acid Alex.

You are an incredible writer. I studied literature at varsity, and if I ever pursue academia, I'm going to campaign to get Acid Alex on South African prescribed literature courses. I honestly think it's THE book every Saffer should read, along with Madiba's and Paton's. Your writing is so evocative. It's so much fun to read. I love reading books that force you to mouth the words, swill them around your tongue and against your teeth while you're reading, so that they fit in your brain. Your book took me longer than any book has taken me to read since I was in grade two, and that's a compliment: usually I devour books as quickly as a hungry Das would devour maggot-y porridge, but yours wouldn't let me just fly through it. It asserted itself every paragraph, and made me re-read and think and adjust my opinions and prejudices and preconceptions before I could carry on reading. It's a living thing, your book, and I can't imagine what a trial it was, intellectually and emotionally, to set everything down just as you thought it, without screens or the safety of literary conventions, or whatever. Or maybe intellectually it wasn't a trial, for someone with a Gift (yes, I do think it deserves a capital, and I know it sounds just like I'm kissing your ass but if you can't do some unabashed ass-kissing at Christmas, when can you, hey?). Everything else I read now seems so colourless. You have changed the way I read. And I read more than anyone I know, so that's no mean feat.

You've obviously changed the way many people think too, about South Africa, about religion, about criminals, orphans, drugs, the underbelly. I stopped thinking about God when I went to varsity, and being out in a materialistic, sort-of-Buddhist Asian country, I haven't given much of a thought to my Christianity/spirituality in ages. Being in love with my atheist boyfriend doesn't exactly encourage nurturing of the spiritual, either. And while, for some reason, I don't feel ready to commit to God again (that sounds screwed up, even to me), when I do, you'll be my main inspiration for it. Your idea of Him is the one I'd most like to have, and I kind of hope to have similar moments of enlightenment (crap word, I know, but I can't think of another one, sorry) to yours when that time comes.

But most importantly, I think what you did with Acid Alex was really courageous. You're a brave, brave guy. Not that this will mean much to you, my being a perfect stranger and all that, but I'm sorry about all the kak things that happened to you.

Thanks for rocking my socks off, oke. Geseende Kersfees.

Respect,

Michelle
Teacher in the Republic of China, and admitted Acid Alex addict (schloep, schloep)

A girl named T: "This book changes lives, I wonder if even you can begin to understand what a valuable expression this is in it's stark honesty. I laughed, and I cried and I laughed and cried again all the way through Acid Alex as I recognised so much and resonated especially with the insidious damage and harm done by some sections of organised religion. My father is still a fanatical Christian and all these years later having gone in circles and come around again in the same circles I still find the pain suffered at the hands of Christians something that makes me incredibly angry as you rightly described it as yet another form of abuse. Acid Alex has helped me immensely to forgive this and to see it in a new light enabling me to enjoy a relationship with God as I understand him........now without the guilt. Thank You!! I have also realised that not everyone who believes in God and has faith is hypocritical or evil and many have sincere and honest intentions to practice their faith as honestly and lovingly as they know how."

An ex-Narc in Iraq (1): " Heyta Al, you've got me hooked, so hooked that can not stop with this bloody book of yours, and that I don't want it to end. I retired from the police service's narcotic section after 18 years, ja 18years of hunting ouks like you and just one day I thought fuck it,let these ouens do what they do - good fuck the State who doesn't even pay me a proper salary. So I left and am in Iraq at the moment working personnal security for the arabs-making seriously good money. I'm halfway through your book and am so involved in your life that some of the arabs down here saw it and wanted me to read it out to them, translating it back into Arabic. They're tripping over your story and hanging onto my lips for the next page. Bet you didn't think that you'd go Middle East high hey? "

An ex-Narc in Iraq (2): " Al, fok ou, what a story, what a brilliant book.
I finished it feels like I've been there with you through it, me and all the Camel-jockeys. The Hieri Arabs think you're the South African Al Capone and were hanging on my fucking lips till the last page. They wanna know what you look like, did I ever met you during undercover operations and have I done a deal with you. Ha-Ha! My Broer, you've got a moerse lota fans & kanonnies this side and they're tripping seriously over your past and the life you had. Fokken lapkoppe nicknamed you Alibaba (means Skelmroker). It just took me some time to translate Acid Alex to them, but believe me they were fucked right out of this world man. I now know your world, who you are, what you've been and what you've become. Al, your life-story has been a serious inspiration to me and 'n moerse klomp arabiere. I salute you as my mentor and guru for the years to come. Maybe one day we'll meet up.
Fimala Habibi ! (Arabic for cheers my Bra)
The Gatta from Iraq! "

Close friend and mentor (My high school English teacher): "I have just finished reading your brilliant book. I loved it! I loved the smoothness and exuberance of your language (Koos forgot to mention Tom Wolfe), your honesty, your integrity, your spirit, your courage to love and be loved and the way you healed yourself through healing Bambutu. You have come further than anybody I have known or worked with. " (Sounds like an A+ to me...Al)

A Mom: "I read your book and loved it. It was pure horror... I have to tell you that I have changed my opinion totally about bad people, especially bad kids. I hate your adoptive parents for what they did to you and have to tell you that other people (me included) have such awesome parents and childhoods that my heart really went out to you. A whole lot of us live such nice, uncomplicated lives that its so hard to imagine what actually goes on in other people's lives and homes. Since reading your book I look at street people a whole lot differently and its amazing what a smile can do. Mostly it gets a real good response.
There are so many things I agree with you on, the church especially.
Thank you, thank you for opening my eyes. Only problem is that I can't stop swearing since I read it!"

A Journalist: "Amazing book man, tip-top. I haven't had such a satisfying read since Bukowski's Ham on Rye, which is some compliment and I mean it."

A Fellow Writer: "A damned fine piece of writing. I really enjoyed reading it. What I especially like about your writing is your fundamental honesty. As a former Charismatic Christian, I thoroughly endorse and understand your expose of their creepiness. What you say in your book resonates perfectly with our experience. I especially liked your undermining of their hypocrisy towards people of colour. I said it before, your book is fundamentally honest and many people have a problem dealing with honesty. Especially Christians. Good shot! "

A Businessman: "Congratulations on your Masterpiece!!! In your foreword Koos Kombuis said that it would turn South African literature on its head, which I am certain it will. I have recommended your "scripture" to many. I cannot tell you what an inspiration your novel was to me (coming from the wrong side of the tracks) and all that. I felt a real connection with your life. I feel it necessary to tell you that there is a silver lining to every cloud! It seems you have already discovered this.
Congrats again."

Another Writer and Film maker: "I'm a writer and filmmaker (documentaries mostly) and I was blown away by your story and writing. I'm trying to write my own story so I know how difficult it is and reading your book gave me the push to just keep doing it, no matter the doubts and angst and crappy stuff that lurks late at night. The whole way through I kept thinking - I gotta see the movie of this, so I eagerly await that. Full respect and power to you for writing this unbelievable book. May you write many, many more. "

Bobby Boy: "I still wander through second hand book stores and buy any book that has anything to do with drugs, I have quite a collection now. With that collection in mind, I compared your book to "Snowblind by Zachary Swan" and "Mr Nice by Howard Marks". If you have not read these books let me know. I put these two books in the same category, drug smugglers telling their stories... at least you do not paint yourself as doing a good turn for the world, and the hapless victim of a fucked law. I got a sense of "The Invisible Man" - I think by Saul Bellow - known as one of the great American Novels. Read my review on Kalahari.net - when it is finished, I talk about Riaan Malan "My Traitors Heart". This was my favourite SA novel, surpassed now by Acid Alex. It is also an individuals account of living in a fucked country, with a liberal political slant. I have to make comments outside of my obvious bias, but I think you may have something here... I see no reason why you cannot move this book beyond My Traitors heart and as Koos said, blow the lid on SA writing.
I can see that a stupendous amount of work went into refining the finished product...
I'm sure you and I will discuss this book some time later, but for now let me say...fucking well done brother... a testament to focusing your energy from destruction to creation. "

A Fellow Maniac: "My god, what a book, what a mind fuck of a book. I read it in a day, got it as a b-day gift and was totally blown away, being a big fan of Hunter S. Thomson and Jack Kerouac. I found your book hovering beautifully between the two, yet it has its own style so unique that you just can't help being sucked in.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and the incident at the Boiler Room was quite funny as I remember that night being there in the club. Man its amazing you actually have a story to tell.
It was an inspiration, an eye-opener and good to see that I can identify with couzins who are one and the same, even though our paths may be different, we are "roekers" evermore, or evernot so more. Thank you"

A kindred casualty of The Children's Act: " Reading your book made me go back in my past and start picking out the good from the bad...I was in Tenderton Place of Safety...then on to Fredrick Sweizer (some children's home in Kenilworth) and then on to H.S. Van Der walt - industrial school! Uncle Guvvie said he did not have bucks a couple of years later - and sent me onto Kruinsig high school - Die Bult's sister school...I think guys had it harder, tougher....but the emotions were all the same....welfare, courts, disconnected/disinterested parents...the negative perceptions that we were trouble-makers and would amount to nothing.
It is a REAL book....I laughed a couple of times because the truth was so in your face. I was remembering things I had forgotten! Those steel cups of nuts and raisins - and the pink jam....being a Number! The lockups....over looking the smoke room...holidays at School, because no one wanted to have another crazy holiday phoning the cops to go look for me..... "

Another Journalist: "I just finished your book Acid Alex and it's a classic. Thanks for the insights and honesty. Wicked skills."

A theology student: "I love this line on the cover of your book; "Acid Alex will shock you, assault, educate and entertain you, and take you on a trip beyond your wildest imagining." It's so true…

Throughout your book I was filled with various kinds of emotions from anger to love to forgiveness… It was an experience I wouldn't change for anything in this world...

Not only did you educate me, shock me and assault me, you entertained me… Through my tears as I read your story, there were moments where I laughed and giggled to myself. There were times where I wanted to strangle you because of your stupidity. Yet, through it all, I wanted to shake your hand and thank you for showing me the love of God like no pastor ever has…

Thank you again, for a story which has touched me deeply. Words will never truly be able to explain the impact you have made upon my life and the way I look at myself and others.

Again, thank you…"

A lady named Caroline: I've just finished reading "Acid Alex", for the first time :) Wow. It taught me more about my country than any other indigenous scribblings I've read, including the Nobel winners.

Dr. Irene Strydom (my therapist):  When I asked Al if he would mind writing down his life history, I was totally blown away when he brought along his 400-page book.  In preparation for our next meeting, I read Acid Alex and could not believe the depth and the power of what I held in my hands.  I read very slowly as I wanted to miss nothing; reread many parts.  I was fascinated with the ability of one person to use wit and intelligence to palate the scenes of a grave baby and boyhood in such crystal clear graphics with the realities of a broader South Africa as a backdrop, Al majestically describes the effects of unleashing powers beyond imagination, smothering his ability to breathe life - as a child should be granted to do.   

And the places, rituals, people, scenes and smells described in this book sounds so familiar, so known to what our generation experienced.  Every South African who wants to fully grasp the complexities and richness of our social architecture should read this book.  It should be hailed as a great book of reference, not only to check facts and culture, but also for feeling the pureness of our socio-emotional pulse. 

The Chiz Interview: Read more...