South Africa Books

Can there be any question that the wisdom and life of this man is worthy of five stars?

INTRO: This is the first book of this size that I have read about S. Africa. Having many relatives from S. Africa , I've heard the white side of the story about post-apartheid atrocities and unfairness, but this is the first history I've read of the history before 1994. This book really is fascinating in seeing the black perspective of the problem as well as chronologically laying out the evolution of the struggle.

BODY: An important thing to keep in mind is that this book is written by Nelson Mandela himself who is not a partial bystander. Many times in fact, the book reads like a training manual for aspiring revolutionaries. While the history of the book is not in question, you need to understand that he paints them in a very specific light. At the end of the book, you hear nothing about any killings on behalf of the ANC only about the killings which were done to them. Another example of the political agenda of this book is near the beginning when Nelson Mandela makes the statement that the tribal politics that existed before the white man was "democracy in it's purest form".

CONCLUSION: You should enjoy this book and admire Nelson Mandela for his lifetime of sacrifice and devotion to racial equality. However, don't place all your eggs in one basket and realize that there is more to the story than that of the radical revolutionary Mandela's. This book has inspired me to look further into S. Africa's present and past history.

To read Marlene Jeanrenaud's latest book is to find yourself travelling right alongside the narrators as the captivating voices of Jeanrenaud, husband Pierre and their friends, notably, Otto, draw you into voyages that span the four corners of the African continent. Read Jeanrenaud's book and experience some of the magic of Africa firsthand.

This book is wonderful, the writitng excellent and it is obvious to me that the writer's heart remains firmly in Africa. The writer evokes not only an emotion but also a deep connection to this vast and mysterious continent. I could not put the book down, I had to read on and experience all her tales around the campfire. A great buy, you won't be disappointed... Marlene Jeanrenaurd is a perfect Ambassador for Africa; for its people, for its culture and for its timeless beauty.

This is a very entertaining book which may be easily read within a couple hours. I found myself laughing out loud at many of his stories, amazed by others and shocked by a few. As a young urologist in training in south africa, despite the technological advancements in recent years in the specialty, it is interesting to note that many experiences of surgical training remain unchanged despite the more than 40 years that have passed. I feel that this book may be enjoyed by medical and non-medical person alike. The author comes across as a very humble caring person - an unfortunately rare presence in the medical profession - with a great sense of humour. If you enjoy Atul Gawande's books, you should enjoy this.

For anyone interested in the medical field, or in South Africa, this is a must read. Mr. Naude's experiences with many of the key players in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa are relayed with candor and humor. Mr. Naude offers first-hand accounts and insights from his friendships with everyone from Alan Paton to Christian Barnard to Bishop Desmond Tutu. The book also chronicles Mr. Naude as a young medical student struggling to find his footing, and ultimately achieving great success in his chosen field. I found the book to be compelling and thoroughly enjoyable.

I hate leaving a book less than 5 stars, I really do. The book has lots of information and important facts about Mandela, but the problem I have is "ease of readability." There were so many things I just couldn't understand due to the author's extremely large vocabulary and phrasing. I suppose maybe that's my fault on some level, but the phrasing was so difficult I only grasped a small percentage of the book. Yes, there are lots of photos. Yes, there are handwritten pages Mandela wrote from his cell (none of which I could legibly read), as well as tons of dates and credits to acknowledgements. Unfortunately, I've decided to leave this book on the shelf.

Nelson Mandela stands as a Beacon in South Africa, Africa, and the rest of the world as an example of what a political leader should be. Not only was he largely responsible for the 'one person one vote' changes in South Africa, but then after he was elected president he served one term and retired. This is very un-politician like. Especially in the third world politicians seem to stay in office until they die. Then again, there was FDR in this country.

This is a splendid book. It is profusely illustrated, and not quite a biography so much as a tribute. There are dozens of comments, interviews, documents from the time, historical reports and so on that record his struggle.

Mandela did marvelous things, great things. I wonder though what will be the story of South Africa after he and his legacy are gone. There are political movements afoot there who preach that the whites should all be kicked out, that their property should be confiscated, and that South Africa will be like the rest of Africa in poverty and misery.

So intersting to read.he is confident in his words.I recommand this book to any people that are idealizied

The writer does an excellent job filling in the background of apartheid and the actions of the South African government in the early 1900's and the 1950's when the most reprehensible government policies were created. The descriptions of the country's jails and Mandela's stay at Robbin Island makes you ill but increase your respect for Mandela and all other political prisoners. Meredith also does a good job describing the sulkiness of De Klerk and his disappointment at not being recognized equally as Mandela for ending apartheid...maybe if he had been in prison for 29 years...

The Middle of Somewhere by Sheila Gordon is a fascinating story about apartheid, the system that kept whites and blacks apart. The book shows the determination and bravery of a young black South African girl's struggle to save her village. Nine year old Rebecca is terrified that bulldozers might come and demolish her house to build a village for white people. As Rebecca copes with her fears, her best friend moves away. That's when Rebecca's family joins the fight to save her village. The Middle of Somewhere illustrates how people in South Africa lived during apartheid. I recommend this book because it teaches an important lesson about life and people's attitudes about other people who are different. The lesson is that being prejudiced against other people is wrong. Also, this book is continuously suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat because something breathtaking was always happening. The author really makes apartheid come alive for the reader. Although the Middle of Somewhere is a moving story, it is not very long. However, the book has enough detail to draw you in. I am glad the author didn't use a lot of descriptive African words because I don't understand the local language. The Middle of Somewhereis a captivating story about apartheid, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this subject.

The book introduces the reader to the very serious issue of South African Apartheid while still conveying the authentic emotions of the characters in the story. Most remarkable is how the reader is immersed in the story and in the perspective of a nine-year old girl. The author makes the reader both sympathize and empathize with the sadness, confusion, and loneliness that Rebecca feels throughout the story. Also noteworthy is that Gordon does not answer every question that the reader may have which encourages further reading and research in the subject.

More children's books should be written about this very important and contemporary issue, since there are still issues about racial inequality in South Africa even after the alledged end of the Apartheid.

A great story for ages ten and up.

Fascinating reading and well worth the purchase if you're interested in the area or thinking of going. Don't try reading it all at once, it's good for dipping in and out. Nice escape.

Climbing palms. Seven-inch monkeys. Twenty-foot anacondas. Bats with two-foot wingspans. Five-inch spiders. Bloodthirsty insects. Methods of river travel. Torrential downpours. Indigenous peoples.

Henry Walter Bates' personal narrative of exploring and naturalizing in the Amazon Basin is both an enjoyable read and one of immense importance to natural history.
From 1848-1859 Bates traveled throughout the Amazon and its many tributaries taking notes on everything from the natural world to the cultures and customs of the many native and non-native peoples he encountered.
His observations of animal mimicry (now known as Batesian Mimicry) further glued Darwin's theory of evolution, natural selection and adaptation.

The reader is easily lured into Bates' descriptive writing style. Energetic, expressive and vigilant, we are right there alongside him traveling through the murky dark waters of the upper Amazon or up close with a scrutinizing eye to observe the ants, monkeys and butterflies. He was a keen and enthusiastic witness to a world slowly disappearing.

The only shortcoming to the book is that it is extremely lengthy. Maps and diagrams would have been helpful.

When a Capetownian friend recommended this book, I never expected that I would end up reading it in the course of a Sunday. I have been to Africa, including South Africa many, many times both professionally and as a tourist. Therefore I felt felt his description of the lives of black HIV/AIDS victims was spot on, judging from what I have been able to observe over the years. Mr Winge has a wonderfully uncomplicated, honest almost poetic style of writing which fits this sensitive subject extremely well. I do not say to tourists that they should necessarily go and study the poverty in a SA township, but I would recommend them to read this book to be aware of the problems faced by many poor black South Africans. I understand this book does not sell well in SA - apparently because Mr Winge only deals with black people in his book and because whites are beginning to be weary about reading about the poor blacks. What can you say? The book takes place in a black township (where many whites never venture)!
Klavs Skovsholm, Brussels, Belgium

Kevin Winge's book is filled with gripping stories of the hope and suffering that AIDS has wreaked in Sub Saharan Africa. It gives the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa a human face with stories of a cook, a gas station owner and an AIDS education worker, to name a few. His stories could reflect those of families anywhere in the world. The book is a call to action for each of us to step up to the responsibility we have as part of the global community.

Never Give Up is written in a direct, compact style that draws readers into the lives of the people of Guguletu, South Africa. Winge wastes no words in creating pictures of the lives of these people. I found myself laughing, crying, getting angry and feeling hope as I read the book. Sometimes I would swing from one emotion to the next simply by turning a single page. The book draws you in from the opening of how Winge first got to South Africa, to his closing story of his continuing work there, never giving up.

You won't regret a minute of your time reading this book.

The first book in the "African Covenent series" this book is filled with action and adventure, I give it 2 thumbs up! Cavanaugh is one of my favorite writers, if you have read "The American Family Portrait" Series, I know you'll love this series too, although this book is slightly better than the second. Enjoy!

Margot de Campion, a beautiful Huguenot orphan, lives in eighteenth century Holland with the Fabarez couple. The woman, Sylvie, treats Margot like a daughter, but Monsieur Fabarez is none too happy to have Margot in the house. After a tragic occurrence, Margot flees from the only home she has known for most of her life. She decides to travel on a ship. Through trials and triumphs, Margot is courageous and faithful to God.
After reaching Africa, Margot takes a cleaning job at the governor's mansion. There she meets Jan van der Kemp, who visits the mansion. She warns him about a man she previously knew and whom Jan's sister wants to marry, but he rebuffs her.
Then, Monsieur Fabarez arrives, seeking to destroy Margot on hideous charges. The governor does not believe Fabarez's claims, but due to Margot's previous "disruptive behavior," the governor sends Margot to work in a slave compound.
Through a series of exciting and heart-wrenching events, Margot and Jan are drawn closer together and closer to God.

I love all of Jack Cavanaugh's books, and this one was very interesting. I also liked how it a lot of it was from Margot's viewpoint, since I'm a girl. =o)

Basil Davidson was a pioneering Africanist when the study of Africa, or at least from the perspective of Africans, was unfashionable even laughed at. This English socialist was on the front-line for over 50 years and nothing can take that away from him. This book is a selection of his writings and a good intro to Davidson. However, there are a few dissappointments. His prediction of what was to happen in SA was out (OK, predictions are a dangerous game). What really dissappointed me was his support for people like Bernal and Diop whose work has been exposed as inaccurate and wrong. This reluctance to "face facts" when it comes to the bad side of Africa means that Davidson exhibits an almost naive optimism in Africa that just doesn't square with happened/is happening. Nonetheless, Davidson was a great Africanist and this book should be read.

There is so much more to Africa than ever makes it to the news and the school books. This book is a survey of Davidson's main interests: Africa's rich pre-colonial history, the manufacture of the ideology of racism by European intellectuals to justify the atrocity of the Atlantic slave trade, and the courage and success of African freedom fighters against staggering odds.