Blame Me on History

Blame Me on History by Bloke Modisane (1963, Thames and Hudson) is a powerful and unflinching memoir that chronicles the author's youthful experiences growing up under apartheid in South Africa. In stark, evocative prose, Modisane recounts his life from childhood to early adulthood the vibrancy of township culture, the struggles of poverty, and the brutal realities of racial segregation and social injustice. The book is widely regarded as a seminal work in South African literature and one of the earliest personal testimonies exposing the human cost of apartheid to a global audience.

In Blame Me on History, Modisane offers vivid portrayals of street life, music, community dynamics, and the everyday indignities suffered by black South Africans under institutional racism. His narrative does not shy away from hardship, but is also infused with humour, resilience, and insight into human dignity under oppression. By weaving personal memory with social commentary, the book gives readers a deeply human perspective on a painful and turbulent period of history making it both emotionally resonant and historically significant.

This 1963 Thames and Hudson edition remains a valuable and collectible volume for readers of autobiographical literature, South African history, and anti-apartheid narratives. Blame Me on History stands out for its raw honesty, literary quality, and courage making it a compelling addition to any second-hand book collection seeking voices of truth, resistance, and personal testimony.