By Steuart Pennington
It is often said that Baby Boomers enjoyed growing up in a ‘Golden Era’! Nowhere truer that in Southern Africa if you were of European descent! As the table below reveals, the ‘Greatest Generation and the ‘Silent Generation’ both lived through World Wars where few families were spared the evils of global conflict, and now we increasingly learn about the new breed of evils that are affecting Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z, with who knows what for Generation Alpha!
The Greatest Generation – born 1901-1927. …
The Silent Generation – born 1928-1945. …
The Baby Boomer Generation – born 1946-1964. …
Generation X – born 1965-1980. …
Millennials – born 1981-1996. …
Generation Z – born 1996-2012. …
Gen Alpha – born 2013 – 2025.
Jack Mudd’s book ‘Jack of all Trades’ is a ‘Golden Era’ story – a series of entertaining chapters of a laaitie (South African for youngster), passionate about nature, growing up in the ‘50’s and ‘60’ in a carefree world whether it was on the Transvaal mines, in Johannesburg, in Northern Zambia, the Natal Midlands or the Western Cape, unencumbered by many of today’s challenges. Then time in the South African Military as a conscript. And then an extraordinary entrepreneurial career which took him from shaft-sinking to bridge building, to game ranging, to tuna fishing to tourism. His narration is engaging and readable
But there was another thread to the book which absorbed me, and which I think readers, particularly those battling with kids who seem directionless, swamped by social media, disinterested academically, battling with ‘new’ generation apathy, will find instructive. Jack, despite numerous attempts, was unable to pass his matric. Many of his entrepreneurial exploits, often starting at the bottom, were interrupted by circumstances beyond his control, often putting him back on the street; but Jack was always able to pick himself up, always able to take another ‘plunge’, always able to give the next venture his best shot and always giving of his enthusiastic best; treating his work colleagues with respect, and always, despite some very dark days, being able to look on the bright side and enjoy the sun on his back.
His writing is delightfully South African with Saffa slang, Afrikaans idioms and Fanagalo lexicon – entertainment in itself. This book is a refreshing, and, if you are a Baby Boomer, a nostalgic read!
Available at; jack.w.mudd@gmail.com
ISBN 978-0-620-62273-8
Also written by Jack
Bush Tales 1 – Here’s MUDD in your Eye (2002) ISBN 978-0-620-56872-2
Bush Tales 2 – I’m Alright JACK (2004) ISBN 0-620-33155-0
The post Jack Mudd – JACK of all TRADES appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
It is often said that Baby Boomers enjoyed growing up in a ‘Golden Era’! Nowhere truer that in Southern Africa if you were of European descent!
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