Lessons from the Sauna

Oom, who hails from Cape Town, South Africa, recounts his colourful childhood against the backdrop of his dating adventures later in life in British Columbia, Canada. Now in his sixties, Oom takes readers from one amusing encounter to the next, bringing to life a cast of fascinating and humorous characters met along the way.

With graphic and ironic portrayals, Oom illustrates the difference between a mere meeting and a proper date, letting his experiences shine a light on the often peculiar rules that govern the dating world. Though told in simple, self-deprecating language, Oom allows the vibrant personalities of those he meets to take centre stage.

As each dating escapade unfolds, at times desperately, Oom’s central quest remains constant – does he finally succeed in securing a lover? From cultural intricacies to comedic mishaps, embark on a journey that may begin in Cape Town but finds its final destination in the heart.

Michael Klerck was born in 1955, in Cape Town, South Africa and soon went on to spend a significant part of his childhood on the infamous Robben Island where his parents met during the war. He began writing at an early age, and concentrated for some time on writing short stories, one of which was published by Stand Magazine, Newcastle. He qualified as a teacher at the then well-known Graaff-Reinet Teachers’ College, and went on to gain a Bachelor of Arts degree through the University of South Africa where he finished courses in Economics, Communication and Philosophy while majoring in Psychology and English. He spent six years teaching in KaNgwane near Swaziland and began lecturing in tertiary education in 1987 which saw him involved in a number of pilot teaching programmes.

He has also had various articles published by Men’s Health, South Africa, and is the winner of the 2001 National Mondi Paper Magazine Writer’s Award for work in the same magazine.

He is the author of the children’s fantasy novel The Key to Tantalis, an adult literary novel, Where the Light Is, and his autobiographical travelogue, From Biltong to Beef Jerky & Beyond, which documents his emigration to Canada.