The Man in My Boots

(Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 1994) 0798133198. 8vo; pictorial boards; pp. 126; cartoon illustrations in text. A little sunned on spine; trace of spotting to top edge. Very good condition. 'Jose Burman's first brush with the law came when he was eleven years old and was caught driving his father's car in their hometown of Jagersfontein with his mother as passenger. The local "konstabel" visited the Burman home to investigate and, on asking whether Jose had a licence, was told by his mother that he did not, but that she had one. " 'Yes, lady, but you wasn't driving.' 'No,' said Mother, playing her trump card, 'but he's a learner driver; I'm teaching him.' The konstabel looked me up and down (all 1,37 metres of me), and asked Mother: 'How old is he?' 'Eleven,' said Mother. The konstabel smiled triumphantly: 'You mean you're going to teach him driving for six years?' Mother nodded vigorously: 'Yes, he's a slow learner.' " The policeman may have believed that, but Jose Burman's life since that day more than sixty years ago has proved that he is anything but a slow learner. For one thing, he has written 39 books - on history, old mountain passes, shipwrecks, places of interest in the Western Cape and the Karoo, hiking and mountaineering. In The man in my boots Burman brings together reminiscences of his eventful life, sharing with his reader his many amusing experiences all over the world.' .