Long time forgotten

I am reading this book now, but I must confess I bought it in 1991-  the year its author was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature - and should have read it then but I didn't. Then I forgot the book until two days ago, when I saw it on a book case.
I am not feeling proud of that.  Basically because I think it is a very good book - at least I am liking it very much -  and also because I would not have been so ignorant about all the important events that were happening in South Africa in those days.