The South Africa of His Heart

About the Book

It is 1976, the summer of the Soweto student riots in South Africa. The massacres sparked world awareness of the horrors of apartheid and, many believe, were the catalyst for the eventual fall of apartheid fourteen years later when Nelson Mandela walked out of prison.

A twenty-two year old woman enrolls in a college prep program in Harlem and meets a South African expatriate thirty-plus years her senior. He is there teaching English. Amidst the turmoil of that summer, they fall in love, marry and make plans to move to Nigeria.

Set in New York, the Caribbean, London, South Africa and Los Angeles The South Africa of His Heart is a moving thirty-year memoir about how the circles in life can lead us to astounding places–often by chance. Ms. James shares the true story of the lifelong impact her South African husband made on her life.

What unfolds is a touching, unconventional love story about dedication and a spiritual connection that bridged their physical separations. In a series of fateful discoveries, many years after their last encounter, she uncovers surprising and profound revelations about her first husband.

"A touching, often poignant book, with lyrical qualities that bring you deep into the author's heart. The descriptions of the Caribbean are haunting. The author's emotional journey, exploring memories of her South African husband's influence in her life, offer a new interpretation of marital love."
David Edgecombe, author of Heaven and Other Plays

"Davida Siwisa James' memoir recounts an American woman's marriage to a man who took part in some of the most important history of our time. The South Africa of His Heartis an American story and an African story rolled into one fascinating tale."
-Kathy Seal, Coauthor, Pressured Parents, Stressed-out Kids: Dealing With Competition While Raising a Successful Child.

About the Author

Davida Siwisa James was born in Philadelphia and has lived in New York, Los Angeles and St. Thomas. An alumnus of UCLA, she is an award-winning short story author, and has numerous published newspaper and magazine articles. Davida lives in L.A. with her husband, Robelto, and son, David.