This Was the Old Chief's Country Year First Published: 1951 First Published by: Michael Joseph Category: Short Stories This Edition: British first edition

From the book jacket:

Unknown, with few contacts, less money and a baby son to care for, Doris Lessing arrived in England from South Africa in search of fame as a writer. With an integrity of purpose which demanded relentless self-criticism and revision after revision she finally completed the manuscript of The Grass is Singing and had it accepted within three days of its first submission to a publisher. Published in March 1950, it has so far been reprinted seven times; has been sold for publication in America, and is being translated into many languages.

This Was the Old Chief's Country is Mrs. Lessing's second book and is a collection of long and short stories which have the common theme of a South African setting. We believe that these stories, which are wonderfully evocative of the author's homeland, will share the success of The Grass is Singing.

The Old Chief Mshlanga
A Sunrise on the Veld
No Witchcraft for Sale
The Second Hut
The Nuisance
The De Wets come to Kloof Grange
Little Tembi
Old John's Place
'Leopard' George
Winter in July

• American Edition

Note:

Not to be confused with the later volume by the same name, Collected African Stories - Volume One: This Was The Old Chief's Country, which contains these stories and is volume one of the two volume complete collection of her African stories.