National Waiting for the Barbarians Day

National Waiting for the Barbarians Day is celebrated every year on November 4th, honoring J. M. Coetzee’s acclaimed 1980 novel Waiting for the Barbarians. The novel follows a Magistrate serving an unnamed Empire as he faces moral dilemmas, making it a thought-provoking work on justice, power, and humanity.

History

John Maxwell Coetzee is a distinguished author, linguist, and translator with South African and Australian heritage. He has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Booker Prize, and the CNA Prize, and holds multiple honorary doctorates. His other notable works include The Life and Times of Michael K and Disgrace. Coetzee has lived and worked in cities such as London, Austin, New York, and currently resides in Adelaide, Australia.

Interesting facts

• Penguin Books named Waiting for the Barbarians one of their “Great Books of the 20th Century”.
• South Africa, Coetzee’s homeland, is the world’s largest producer of macadamia nuts and the birthplace of two Nobel laureates who lived on the same street.
• The first human heart transplant was performed in Cape Town in 1967.
• Over 2,500 shipwrecks have been recorded off the coast of South Africa.

How to take part

Read any of Coetzee’s novels to gain a deeper appreciation for his literary talent. You can also watch the film adaptation of Waiting for the Barbarians, starring Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson. For those who love to travel, consider planning a trip to South Africa, a country rich in culture and natural wonders.

When is National Waiting for the Barbarians Day in 2025?

National Waiting for the Barbarians Day is observed on November 4 each year.

Observations