Paradise, the Castle and the Vineyard. Lady Anne Barnard's Cape Diaries

Lady Anne Barnard lived in South Africa from 1797 to 1802, and she recorded life in the Cape and its hinterland with more interest and detail than any other writer of the period. She was official hostess of the colonial administration for the first two years, played an important role in the social life of Cape Town. "Paradise, the Castle and the Vineyard" is an abridged version of her diaries, and it is beautifully illustrated with her own drawings, paintings, and handwriting as well as pictures of the landmark homes she resided in (referred to in the title). The diaries are full of witty and insightful observations about the life and people of the Cape, including the plight of slaves (usually censored out of writings from the era) and the governor and his quarrelsome household.

Margaret Lenta is emeritus professor and senior researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa).