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Jacob Asher Singer was born in the town of Potchefstroom in South Africa, a town 72 miles West of Jahannesburg. After attending Central Primary school, and then the Potchefstroom High School for Boys, he went to London, England, where he studied Pharmacy at Chelsea Polytechnic.
In 1958, as a qualified Pharmacist, he returned to Potchefstroom, opening the Protea Pharmacy and later working at the Mooi River Pharmacy when his father, Mokey Singer, an ex Mayor of the town, retired.
Although never political active, he met and knew, personally, many of the active players on both sides of the political fence.
When he was threatened by the Security Police, for withholding information,he encouraged his children to emigrate. Once they had established themselves in Canada, he and his wife joined them in December 1992.
Many of the characters in his book, The VASE with the MANY COLOURED MARBLES, were people he knew personally, and grew up with.
"Writing the book, and reliving memories was hard," he said, "but I am pleased that everything is now down in black and white so that readers can experience what it was like to live in apartheid South Africa."
His first book, BRAKENSTROOM, published in 2000, is a book of short stories about Potchefstroom.
Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite
The Vase with the Many Coloured Marbles is the intriguing title chosen by Jacob Singer for his book on the equally intriguing story of a young Coloured girl in South Africa who crosses the racial barriers in place at that time and passes herself off as a white citizen. Even before she leaves school she is practicing her English, copying the fashions, and since her skin is fair and her brown hair is straight, she fools everyone. After leaving school she persuades her parents to allow her to go and find work in Johannesburg. Although she is in constant fear of being ‘found out,’ she gets a good job and several promotions. Her life is further complicated when she falls in love, becomes pregnant and gives birth to a daughter, Marla. The second book is the story of Marla, who has no idea she has roots in the Coloured District Six suburb of Cape Town. I’m trying hard here not to give too much away as a spoiler, but it is an excellent story.
From the descriptions of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom, it is obvious that Jacob Singer is familiar not only with South African geography but with the history, often comparing the apartheid laws with those invoked in Germany under the Hitler regime. The story is quite unique, fast paced, attention holding and intense. Once I started reading, I found the book impossible to put down. I was fascinated by the title, and it has a place in the narrative, which is very clever. On reading the biography at the back, I learned that part of the tale is based on truth, and only someone who had experienced living in South Africa could have brought this book to life as well as Jacob Singer did. Well written, it flows beautifully and encompasses much of that country’s history and politics seamlessly into the story line. I cannot recommend it too highly, a really great read.
