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Alan Paton

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Author

The Resume

    (January 11, 1903-April 12, 1988)
    Born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
    Author and anti-apartheid activist
    Wrote the novels 'Cry the Beloved Country' (1948) and 'Too Late the Phalarope' (1953)
    Wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of 'Cry the Beloved Country' (1951)
    Founding member of the anti-apartheid Liberal Party of South Africa (1953)

Why he might be annoying:

    He destroyed several early novels that he was dissatisfied with.
    He hosted epic drinking binges with his friends. On the first day, they would throw empty beer cans from the balcony of his house and try to hit another can. On the second day, the challenge changed to trying to throw an empty can off the balcony without hitting any other can.
    He said, 'My whole life has been a struggle between the writer and the activist.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He entered high school two years early.
    He was elected student body president of the University of Natal.
    He was appointed principal of a reformatory for youthful offenders (1935), where he introduced progressive reforms, resulting in his being called 'the man who pulled up barbed wire fences and planted geraniums.'
    'Cry the Beloved Country' sold more copies in South Africa than any book except the Bible.
    'Cry the Beloved Country' was credited with raising international awareness of apartheid.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying