The Author
Hoffman Theron van Zijl was born in 1952 and except for a short stint of five years when his father took a job in the Kruger National Park of South Africa, has lived all his life on the six generation-old family estate on the rolling grass plains of the South African highveldt.
Here he writes and still farms with cattle and fruit – which seems to mostly mean hammering bits of old iron back into functioning shape. He has studied engineering, business science and politics, and since he had been let lose into the world he has been a civil engineer, a soldier, businessman, cattle rancher, consultant to the military and business, hunter, adventurer and consumer of literature in genres from poetry to fiction, to business science, physics and politics.
He is a lover of untouched nature, classical art and beautiful women, of which he has four in his life. Perhaps hatched during the endless hours of fireside stories from his grandfather and father and uncles, and the many books of adventure devoured during his boyhood years, Hoffman is a compulsive storyteller. As a boy he would wander around for hours, knitting together stories, often meandering along their lines for weeks on unplanned journeys into imagined worlds. Hoffman has been blessed (or cursed) with a restless and adventure-seeking soul, and whenever he can slip away he spends long periods wandering around remote parts of the African bush on foot safaris, often alone or accompanied only by African companions he recruits along the way.
Impressions from these wanderings and from his somewhat eclectic life as an intellectual, athlete, special forces soldier, farmer and engineer feature strongly in his writing.
The Author. Interview.
Reviews.
Salome Matas
“Hoffman’s writing captures what few of us will ever witness: the heartbeat of the African bush. He travels where few sane men have ever set foot… his tales capturing the slowing pulse of a world on the brink of extinction. Wandering through what remains of the ruthless African wilderness, Hoffman captures its essence, releasing it on paper in all its glory. Like his subject, Hoffman’s work is the last of its kind – an endangered species that can only be salvaged through savoring.” Salome Matas Storyteller – Journalist – Communications Specialist...
Continue readingMelise Etheridge
While living in a frustrating, technological driven, post COVID, unreal world, we tend to focus on surviving till the end of the year, the week, the day or just the next hour, while juggling a thousand tasks on a never ending “priority list”. It is in moments like these that writers like Hoffman is a breath of fresh air. It is like stepping out of the chaos, taking a deep breath and looking up to a shooting star moment. Hoffman’s writings take me back to those childhood tressures of pure down to earth moments. Thank you Hoffman for embracing...
Continue readingJordi Matas
Writing and wandering are two nearly impossible passions to live by nowadays. As a writer, Hoffman seems to have found his place, capturing people’s emotions, curiosity, and imagination. As a wanderer (in the 21st century!), he keeps on stumbling upon, now and again, those ever-elusive paths that lead not only to barely untouched worlds for him to experience, but also to unexplored mental territories for us, the readers, to unveil. Equipped with timeless equipment, and the need to find his Eden, he is moving only forward, without haste but without rest.” Jordi Matas Freelance documentary photographer...
Continue readingNinell Robinson
What resonates deeply with me when delving into Hoffman’s reflections on his forays into the remote African bush is the profound love and respect he holds for this landscape and its inhabitants. Unlike many others, he refrains from sharing sensational, in-your-face close-up photographs of any animal, regardless of its size. Instead, he frequently voices his dismay at the lack of respect humans often exhibit for the sake of their own entertainment. His writings consistently express his desire to move through these environments with minimal disturbance, leaving behind no trace of his presence. He seeks to observe the bushveld in...
Continue readingP.A.O. van Zijl
If you seek to read about the intense up-close experiences and observations of a man that ventured into the vast wilderness areas of Africa where no roads or even tracks exist, mostly alone with only the very basic survival equipment, then this is the stuff for you. You will not hear about how well the latest SAT Phone works, or how quick the newest rooftop tent can be erected or even how cold the latest camping fridge keeps the beers. Instead, Hoffman will share with you stories, experiences and observations of life in Africa uncontaminated by technology gadgets and...
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