Egdes’s Goldfish Bowl makes history at Jaffa

Myra Egdes, 90, has made history at Pretoria Jewish retirement home Jaffa by being the first resident to have written and published a novel there.

The novel, The Goldfish Bowl and Other Tales, tells the story of life in a retirement home and reminisces about Mia and Jessica, two courageous and independent young women who challenge several conventions of the more straight-laced 1950s.

The two hitchhiked around Europe on their own at a time when apparently nice Jewish girls didn’t go gallivanting through different countries unchaperoned. They later lose touch, only to reconnect, surprisingly, when Mia already lives in a retirement home.

Egdes was the editor of the Pretoria Jewish Chronicle for 40 years, from its first issue. At the same time, she was the long-serving secretary of the Pretoria Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies.

Her book, written with wit and humour, is available from egdesmyra@gmail.com