The Beggars Signwriters

Set in the bohemian suburb of Melville in Johannesburg, this novel introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters. Hugh Appel is a computer scientist setting up a gigantic macro chip for public display. His son, Lyon, is on his way to Melville with a group of friends to perform a ritual in the Melville Koppies. Shane and Renee are two artist friends who observe, from a cafe table, as this group passes by the neglected garden of a reclusive Greek immigrant. Aden, an embittered friend of Shane and Renee, mopes at another table. Two street children peer through the window of the cafe and – strangely – do not lift a hand to beg.