Description
About Blady: A Pattern Out of Time is a reflective memoir by Sir Laurens van der Post that brings together vivid moments from his extraordinary life. Drawing on his experiences in Africa, his years as a prisoner of war in Japan, and his deep engagement with myth and psychology, van der Post shapes a narrative that is both personal and universal. At its centre is Blady, a horse discovered in a French field and later transformed into a champion jumper, who becomes a symbol of resilience and the hidden patterns that guide human destiny.
Rather than a straightforward autobiography, the book unfolds as a meditation on memory, spirit and meaning. Van der Post blends stories of hardship and joy with his abiding love of nature, his encounters with indigenous cultures, and his conviction that myth and imagination help sustain the human spirit. Through Blady’s story, and through his own, he explores how chance events and enduring values form a pattern across a lifetime.
This is a book for readers who enjoy memoirs that reach beyond the personal, offering profound reflections on resilience, nature and the mysteries of the human spirit.
