South Africa Books

This memoir has it all----there is fascinating and horrifying history of the turmoil in Zimbabwe---an in depth look at an unusual b ut recognizsble family- plus a totally surprising revelation about the family background- The b ook is a " good read" and raises many questions---

This is simply one of the best books I've "read" in many, many years. I first listened to it on tape while I was painting and then ordered this copy for a friend. I would love to pass it along to any thinking person who is curious about Africa -- and why we should be concerned about events on that continent. I think the fact that Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan were denied visas to visit Zimbabwe this week should make everyone concerned about human rights in that country. Peter Godwin's story is personal and riveting -- not to be missed!

It's always easier for me to learn about an event or situation through the eyes of someone who lived it especially someone who writes as nicely as Mr. Godwin does.

I cannot add anything to the superlative reviews already written. Peter Godwin learns his father's secret as the nation of Zimbabwe which is his family home is destroying itself from the inside out. I stayed up until 4 in the morning two nights in a row because I could not put the book down. It is one of very few books that I've read that I want to read again. This beautifully written book about ugly deserves ten stars. It is superior book that I will never forget.

When A Crocodile Eats The Sun is a gripping memoir detailing the account of author Peter Godwin and his experiences in Zimbabwe. Set in the time of the brutal regime of Robert Mugabe, his story is one of perseverance and reflection. When his parents refuse to leave Zimbabwe even amongst the brutality and corruption, Peter must learn to understand his parent's decision, even if it may cost them their lives.
Peter Godwin writes this memoir from a very honest perspective. Without incorporating a major bias into his writing, he has managed to craft a factual representation of what happened in Zimbabwe under President Mugabe. He brings to light a very relevant and important issue in our world today, and raises awareness about the horrors of governmental corruption and oppression. He effectively works to show how President Mugabe was a two faced president who often said one thing and did another. "And you could see that this was a man fueled by thoughts of revenge, that he was boiling with public humiliation. How could he, who had liberated his people, now be rejected?...It couldn't be his own people who had done this...it must have been other people, white people, leading them astray" (59.) Peter Godwin not only explains the situation in Zimbabwe, he takes us through the events and thought processes of the leaders to illustrate how it happened. It is a riveting account in which he masterfully weaves the story of the rise of hate against whites and the struggles of his own family, including the failing health of his father. The author struggles with staying true to his homeland and saving his fathers life. "'Dad's life's on the line here,' I say. `The time for political correctness is over. We must get him the best physician'" (18.) He shows here how he finds it difficult to understand his parent's stubborn enchantment with the ways of a third world country. Godwin writes in such a way that we can't help but find his homeland beautiful, even amidst the strife. He helps us to see the position of himself and his family, living in a country where your race could spell either life or death. His sister, Georgina, explains their parents situation well when she says, "if you put a frog in a shallow saucepan of water and heat up the water very slowly, the frog will never quite notice how hot it's getting. It won't actually jump out. Until it's too late. Until it's boiled alive." Godwin's conflicting emotions become more evident when he learns of his father's past, and his experience as a Jew in Nazi Poland. Armed with this revelation, hs attempts to make sense of his family's attachment to a place where being white could cost you your life.
Peter Godwin has created a memoir that transcends the conventional understanding of an account of one's life. He not only explains the problems among his own family, he intertwines them with the escalating violence and political corruption in Zimbabwe. He uses a very personal tone that not only highlights the injustice of the regime of Robert Mugabe, but also draws in the reader into connecting emotionally with Godwin and his family. He has written a powerful and deeply affecting book that helps us to appreciate our freedom, while at the same time painting the story of a family's struggle amidst a very dark and dangerous time in Africa.

Archbishop Tutu is a great man and worthy of highest admiration for his life of unselfish service. Sadly, though, this book (co-authored with Douglas Abrams) does not serve his life's work well.

The book is not intended to be intellectually rigorous; it's gentle, as a number of the five-star reviewers have pointed out. It's good at conveying some of the stress of Archbishop Tutu's experiences in South Africa, and the courageous actions there that brought down apartheid. But who is it really written for?

The 130-page book has eight chapters, an introduction, and a postscript. The chapters are entitled "God believes in us," "God's dream," "God loves you as you are," "God loves your enemies," "God only has us," "Seeing with the eyes of the heart," "Stillness: hearing God's voice," and "In the fullness of time."

Immediately in the introduction the authors [I use the plural, since Archbishop Tutu himself refers to "coauthor Doug Abrams," p. 134] make it clear that this book is not for Christians only: "While I write as a Christian, this transformation [of the world, to redemption] can be recognized and experienced by anyone, regardless of your faith and religion, and even if you practice no religion at all." For an eminent Christian leader (Anglican -- Archbishop Tutu identifies himself as "Foursquare in the Catholic faith that is enshrined in our prayer books, in our formularies, in the creeds," p. 107) to write a spiritual book intended for any variety of faiths, or none at all, is a formidable challenge. The authors were unable to rise to meet it successfully.

In attempting to write to a universal audience, they downplay fatally their own faith. The central core of that faith, as rooted in word and sacrament, is Christ's perfectly obedient life, atoning sacrifice on the cross, and triumphant resurrection, which provide a means for all to be saved from their sins, and reconciled with God. We see this in scripture, in the baptismal covenant, and in the eucharist. But this core of the faith barely receives a mention here.

God's incredible love is the subject of chapter 3, "God loves you as you are." Yes, God does love us as we are -- but how is that love most clearly shown? What a great opportunity to share with readers that incredible love of God: God so loved the world that he gave his only son, to the end that all who believe in him would not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Sadly, this core element of their faith the authors omit to mention.

So the book appears not to be for Christians. Did the authors mean for other faiths to read it and find hope and encouragement in their walks? This too is unclear. There's hardly any reference to the core beliefs of other faiths, and certainly no detailed attempt to draw together, reconcile, or unify disparate beliefs. I can't help thinking those who are not Christians would take away only the message that humanity might eventually arrive at peace somehow. But the details of how God will do this are unclear (God's has dreams for his people that will somehow be realized), and they're certainly not via the tenets of other faiths, so readers are left with the sense "let's hope so...", with no real basis for that hope outside the authors' Christian experience. I doubt whether this will be received well by those who are not prepared to accept the authors' Christian point of departure.

So it does not serve Christians well, by writing for a universal audience and removing the core of the faith; and it does not serve non-Christians well, by passing over those faiths (or atheism) so lightly that one might conclude that whatever one believes will be OK with God ("In God's family, there are no outsiders. All are insiders. Black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Jew and Arab, Palestinian and Israeli, Roman Catholic and Protestant, Serb and Albanian, Hutu and Tutsi, Muslim and Christian, Buddhist and Hindu, Pakistani and Indian--all belong." -- p. 20).

Its successes lie in the stories and narratives of Archbishop Tutu's struggles in South Africa, and for that, it's interesting and useful. But readers will seek deeper meaning vainly.

A must read!. . .This book, by Bishop Tutu, capture's God's dream is for us! He shares profound thoughts using clear, yet elegantly simple language which can be understood by all. Tom Weaver
God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time

It's rare to come upon literature with a pulse and a heartbeat on every page. This is one of those precious gems that I will read once a year for the rest of my days.

God's blessing in print. Hope again. Hope anew. Hope for you. Buy it. Read it. Live it.

Thank you Archbishop TUTU

Bill Dahl
Author, Creator, Editor
The Porpoise Diving Life

What an eloquent writer! Bishop Tutu writes so beautifully, especially when he describes the Love of God. The concept of transfiguration is explained in a passage about the cross which truly brought me closer to my Lord. Dear Christian brothers and sisters: read this book and be prepared to have your prejudices and fears about other people shattered by the Love of God.

I am leading a group study at St. John's Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida using this beautiful book of meditations by Bishop Tutu. There are discussion question after each chapter.

Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed of going to visit or to live in Africa. I don't know why. I have this fascination with Africa, its culture, history, and its wildlife. But at my age and with my income the dream may not ever be possible except this one exception.

Wilderness Family is the first book that truly made me feel that I actually living in the bush of Kruger National Park. The stories shared in the book drew you into this family's lives. Rather than looking at them as an outsider peering through the window at their lives, you felt as though you were part of the family.

You could sense Leo the lion, Wolfie their dog and the way those two animals had a real relationship. It was so humorous to see Leo, this growing lion being submissive to the dog and actually thinking it was a dog at times.

It is a book that I will feel a need to pick up and read again and again as my thoughts will surely wonder to Africa and I will use it to slake my desire to be there personally.

I recommend this book to everyone. There is joy, laughter, sadness, all the emotions there is in this book, but it will happen because it dares you to live their lives with them.

I agree with all of the earlier reviews of this book - it is a must-read! My family had the privilege of visiting Kruger Park last November. Ms. Kruger does a wonderful job of capturing what it feels like to be there. I highly encourage anyone who can to make the trip - South Africa is a beautiful country that shouldn't be missed.

The question is - where do you go from here? After this book you have to take a break before launching yourself into any other read just because there's so much verve and life to this book, it lingers in you for days. You laugh with it and you cry with it. Extraordinary book!

This is one of my favorite excape reads. I've read it many times and each time get just a bit more out of it as well as the feeling of being there and wishing I was. It's an incredible adventure written with humor and honesty. Life was not easy and it certainly wasn't dull. Ms. Kruger displays the courage and humility it takes to survive, sometimes alone, as part of Africa's protector. The interaction between humans and animals, even the fearful-for-her snakes speaks volumes. It's a book I don't want to end. Imagine raising children to appreciate life in this incredible location! Wonderful.

Probably one of the most touching and stirring non-fiction books I've ever read, I finished it far too quickly. Kobie Kruger is a very talented author, with a natural talent for engendering empathy to her deepest maternal love for both animals and her children.

I found myself in tears at their losses and beaming at their joys, and craving a life in Africa, far from telephones and the other modern annoyances of society.

I notice that nearly all of the other reviews of this book are written by individuals who have not reviewed any other books. That suggests to me that these are mostly "promotional" reviews written by acquaintances of the author. That isn't necessarily a negative about the book, just that the reviews aren't really objective.

I'm not quite sure how I ended up reading this book, but I did enjoy it in spite of some serious drawbacks. Based on its literary merit alone, it probably deserves more like three stars rather than the four I gave it, but it is just too good-hearted to get overly critical about. It is better than a lot of other "comtemporary chick lit" out there these days, though it fits squarely in that genre.

The author seems to be making some effort to keep her feminist biases under control -- there is no really "evil" male character, only clueless. As she puts it, men "think with their dicks and unfortunately their dicks aren't very smart". The male lead Alex is extremely capable when it comes to making money, but clueless in his personal affairs. He relies entirely on women to help him navigate his personal life. Women are the exclusive voices of wisdom, especially his sister Joan. Alex is basically good-hearted, whereas Joan is good-hearted nearly to the point of saintliness.

Fiona is charming in her innocence and purity. That she is also really, really pretty in a natural and unself-conscious way adds nicely to the plot line. She stands in vivid contrast to her Los Angeles schoolmates who are perfect stereotypes of contemporary teen decadence. Unfortunately, stereotypes are all too pervasive in this book. These include Alex, his girlfriend Mandy, and nearly everyone in the Los Angeles scene except Joan (who is also something of a stereotype, though a different one from the other Los Angeles characters). These characters all have a hard time breaking through their stereotypical images to come to life.

But our "politically correct" (or is it "culturally correct"?) author isn't too hard on anyone. Though girlfriend Mandy is not intended to be a sympathetic character, she is given plenty of excuses (dysfunctional family) for being a pretty but petty, superficial, scheming, manipulative, new-age twit. In the end one is meant to feel sorry for her more than dislike her.

I actually liked Mandy a lot because through her we get a humorous but exactly right-on picture of how it is that women, all women, know what's up with the dynamics of male-female relationships, regardless of personal motivation. Joan, with entirely different motives, also knows the score with infallible feminine intuition. Only Alex is in the dark, as usual.

I would have expected a little more life-wisdom to be embedded in a novel by Catherine Ingram, but while light in that department, this book does peripherally touch upon some thought-provoking themes, including death and loss. The characters are all impacted by dramatic events, but their responses are mostly in the realm of modifying their life situations (in generally benign and positive ways) rather than in deeply coming to grips with the fundamental dilemmas of life itself.

But for all its superficiality, this book was nevertheless quite charming and engaging and I don't regret the time I spent to read it. Though I comment on the book's weaknesses, I did give it four stars and I am passing the book on to a friend who likes chick lit. I think she'll like it.

My book club loved this book! It's sweet and well written. I read it in one sitting. The story line is engrossing, it's also inspirational, although not in a didactic, boring way. We became invested in the characters, their interactions and the final satisfying resolution of the plot. There's also some humor in its spoofing of yoga and "new age stuff," which, as a yoga teacher, I relished.

I am in the middle of reading this most INCREDIBLE novel - almost halfway through it. Truly the best I've ever read. Well crafted, riveting, cliff-hanging, and just about PERFECT in every way. Bravo, Catherine! She's really done it. Man, can she flesh out a story. And oh my God, how she captures the essence of every character and describes every scene so beautifully. You should have seen me wiping the tears from my eyes as I had to close the book quickly to get off at my subway stop. Everybody was looking at me weeping on the train!

So, needless to say, I'm really LOVING this book and want to cheer Catherine on to write more, and MORE. Thank you for this, Catherine.

This book is a delight to read. I didn't want to put it down, not only because the characters, their connections and the events in their lives moved along in a most compelling and engaging manner, but more because Catherine Ingram's wide objective and compassionate view of her characters and the world in general is
a world I loved being submerged in. Nuanced human characters in cinematic scenes are painted in clear concise language reminiscent of Hemingway's spare style, but with feminine insight. Ingram delves into the everyday texture of her characters' lives and reveals their incremental transformations. I think I breathe more fully having read this book.

A Crack in Everything features a swiftly moving plot combined with deft descriptions of its characters and their emotional worlds. Ingram succeeds in stirring deep feelings yet never allows the narrative to flag. I was always curious about what would happen next, and while the author sometimes surprised, she never disappointed.

The novel spans the globe from rural Ireland to fast-paced LA and even to Asia. Its emotional geography ranges from the heartbreak of loss and estrangement to the joy of returning to one's true home. Ingram paints emotional states with a few deft strokes and seamlessly blends them into her compelling plot.

We follow the young child violin prodigy Fiona as she is uprooted from Ireland and cast into the fast moving and shallow world of Hollywood. She is the offspring of a brief affair in India years ago, and her surprising entry into her father's life prompts him to reassess his life. She meanwhile, buffeted by loss, finds her own ground to stand on in the shifting social sands of Los Angeles.

To save the reader the plots many surprises I won't say more, other than to say you won't regret buying this book! It carries you along like a good beach novel, but has a resonance that echoes long after the last page is turned.

"Ripples from the Zambezi" is a beautiful, simple, common sense book with profound implications for catalyzing successful small business creation and growth. It was recently recommended to me by an economic development agency official working in an affluent, conservative U.S. Midwestern county. He felt some of the approaches might work for his area; and in reading the book, I concur with his conclusions.

In efforts to inform work on strategic innovation and marketing, I have plowed through far too many derivative, nonsensical business titles over the years. Before I picked this up, I was a little concerned that it might be a cult book; however, given the importance of rural renewal, I was willing to give any earnest voice the benefit of the doubt.

It was wrong to have prejudged "Ripples from the Zambezi." If this has risen to the status of a cult book, then Mr. Sirolli would be the first to suggest that you never mindlessly apply any approach he might propose. In our left-brain weighted society, it is easy to mistake an enthusiastic voice for a naïve one--but there is a basis for this enthusiasm that is powerful, and which Mr. Sirolli explores fully.

The ideas here are different. Mr. Sirolli speaks to the potential and the results of connecting with each entrepreneur holistically to engage heartfelt intention and remove obstacles to successful growth. The message--that individuals can realize hope for themselves, for their families, and for their communities borne of connecting passion with skill and action is a big message--and the Renaissance man who delivers it is capable to the challenge.

Every paragraph of Ernesto Sirolli's book is loaded with mature, interdisciplinary insight. It is a book whose "time has come" and whose wisdom is carefully woven through the subtext: it's personal, easy to read, and gut-wrenchingly smart.

Don't read this book. DO WHAT IT SAYS! I seldom applaud things. This I do.

I loved the book. Not only it gives great insights on enterpreneurship, it also teaches us that facilitation can be applied in all aspects of life, from work to family with fantastic results.

I highly recommend the book.

"I can't myself raise the winds that might blow us, or this ship, into a better world. But, I can at least put up a sail so that, when the wind comes, I can catch it."

E. F. Schumacher

This was a fun and insightful book to read. Amidst all the discussion about radical, disruptive and breakthrough innovation, this book is a refreshing reminder that small things can make a big difference. It's a reality check for big budget innovation programs and economic development programs that usually end up stealing a company from one community in order to develop the economy of your community (a zero sum game by the way). This book is about dedicated, skilled innovators with a passion for their innovations and facilitators who provided the missing ingredients preventing these passionate innovators from making their ideas a reality. Sometimes, those missing ingredients were connections to the right people. Sometimes they were small sums of money (ridiculously small amounts of money that yielded great returns). And, sometimes it was adding small supportive or enabling innovations that turned an idea into a viable business model. And, always it's about the pattern of product, process and procedure innovation that worked.

Sirolli's journey began as a member of an Italian economic aid organization in Zambia. They noticed that the land along the Zambezi River was incredibly fertile. They thought that if they brought modern farming knowledge and applied it to the land, they would demonstrate to the natives just how much they could benefit. Of course, what did the Italians decide to grow? Tomatoes. The soil and weather were perfect. And, the tomatoes grew - the biggest most beautiful tomatoes the Italians had ever seen. The Italians watched with pride as their crop matured. The natives silently watched and laughed among themselves. One morning, just when the crop was about ready to be harvested, Sirolli reports that they came to the fields to find them totally destroyed. The hippos of the Zambezi had eaten all the tomatoes and laid the fields to waste, and the only tell tale signs were the ripples in the water.

Sirolli quotes Pliny the Elder, "There is always something new out of Africa." Sirolli writes, "Those who have worked in an African country will tell you, if they are honest, that they always learn from the expereince much more than they had bargained for...I am no exception." Later he states, "I became conscious of the fact that we were not doing the right thing - and consciousness is an extraordinary thing."

"Right now, in your community, at this very moment, there is someone who is dreaming about doing something to improve his/her lot. If we could learn how to help that person to transform the dream into meaningful work, we would be halfway to changing the economic fortunes of the entire community," the author comments. This is Sirrolli's credo. It is clear upon reading the book that the author has had a good classical education (formal or informal). His thinking about innovation is colored by Schumacher, Maslow and Rogers.

His advice, based on Schumacher is, "If people don't ask for help, leave them alone. And, there is no good or bad technology to carry out a task - only an appropriate or inappropriate one. Something big, modern and expensive is not necessarily best; it all depends on the circumstances."

"Because of Maslow and Schumacher," he writes, "I came to understand that successful development has to do with the quality, not quantity of life." Human beings are striving creatures. When one level of need is met, people move on to higher levels in an endless cascade. Is it any wonder that this country grew as it did because the founders understood this about people and claimed equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

With this framework, the author was able to explain his experiences in Africa. "They were secure and did love and had self esteem in the same proportions Western people had, maybe even more. Some of them were beautiful, wise, self-actualizing people reaching for the apex of full humanness," Sirolli writes.

The level of what is enough at each stage of development is set by cultural and psychological factors. Some people get stuck in the pursuit of material goods and others have lower levels of satisfaction and move on to the next higher state of development. The natives had enough food, safety and security for them, and they could move on to higher levels of human development.

From Carl Rogers he found that "that it was possible to help people heal themselves by simply being there, listening, facilitating and responding to the client's needs for communication and finding values to live by." "The aim is not to solve one particular problem but to help the individual to grow so that he can cope with the present problem and with later problems in a better, more integrated fashion."

Later, he continues, "Reading about the champions of the human race, I couldn't avoid creating, in my mind, a demonology - that is, a list of the demons oppressing us. Contrary to Dante's Inferno, however, my hell wasn't populated by naked gluttons, greedy merchants, and assorted petty sinners. The torturers had no tails; rather they were well-dressed authoritarian figures who, in the name of an idea, would torture and beat the psychological life out of the people in their power. From unyielding bureaucrats to religious fanatics, from political extremists to avid do-gooders, my demonology started to contain anybody who dreamt up a code of conduct and tried to manipulate or coerce others to follow it."

Sirolli's encourages his facilitators to support clients who have a marriage of both passion and skill. "But becoming what we are is invariably difficult," he writes. "We have to commit ourselves to a course that may prove to be unpopular with our peers, unfashionable among our friends, and unbecoming in the eyes of our parents. Striving for individuality is always a lonely business. Passion is what propels us during our solitary journey." Commenting on skill he writes, "Our generation is a generation without masters. We are still under the impression, and like to think, that The Beatles didn't have to learn how to play music; that Jimi Hendrix picked up a guitar one morning, put a big joint in his mouth, and started to play like a god. Does the next, younger generation, understand that there cannot possibly be art without skill?"

"Facilitation," he writes, "is based on the belief that it is human to dream and desire. Faith in human nature is what makes it work." "The skill of the facilitator is to become available to those who have the dream and to help them acquire the skills to transform it into meaningful and rewarding work. The skill of facilitation is therefore a communication skill with a twist. It isn't so much that facilitators have to communicate to their client; rather they have to be the kind of person one likes to talk to." Their role is to simple remove the obstacles that stifle a client's growth.

He identifies the characteristics of facilitators:

 Facilitators are passive
 Facilitators are visible
 Facilitators provide just-in-time help
 Facilitators work in confidence
 Facilitators act like swans
 Facilitators love action
 Facilitators are a loaded spring
 Facilitators assess the person and the motivation behind the idea.
 Facilitators understand that ideas are cheap, passionate individuals are rare
 Facilitators establish true communications and build trust
 facilitators don't play power games
 Facilitators are non-threatening, unassuming friendly listeners who make people want to talk to them.


The book is full of examples and case histories, and is divided into 14 chapters:
1. Out of Africa
2. The Technology Fix
3. Homo Cupeins - The Desiring Man
4. Out of the Mountain Cave Back to School
5. The Art of Shoemaking
6. The Esperance Expereince
7. The Esperance Model Applied
8. On Facilitation
9. Training Facilitators
10. A Word of Caution
11. Facilitation and Economic Development
12. A Quiet Revolution
13. The Politics of Personal Growth
14. Epilogue - Civic Society, Social Capital, and the Creation of Wealth

As you can see from the outline, the discussion covers a good deal of territory and Sirolli has meaningingful insights in all the topics. For example, "The shift by governments away from resource driven economies to valued-added ones cannot take place without recognizing that our greatest assets are not the ones that lie underground. Our greatest assets must be our energy, imagination, and skill - our commitment to good work and to the pursuit of excellence and the courage to fulfill our ambitions. Every single person is important in the creation of a better, wealthier, smarter society. Whether employed are not, engaged in export service industries, in the arts, sports or tourism, the quality, both of personal and professional, of every single person is what will make a country prosperous."

And, "Thus the freedom to become is the key to unlocking civic society and long term economic prosperity. Wealth can be generated in the short term in exploiting natural resources, but 1,000 years of prosperity can only be created intelligently by working together, exchanging ideas, sharing technology and resources, and helping each other do well in the understanding that a myriad of wealthy self-employed people produce an economic system immensely more resilient than any alternative."

And, "The beauty of Maslow's theory is that it explains that helping each other is not done out of charity, but out of our need to be appreciated, loved and respected."

Michelangelo, who believed his role as a sculptor was to release the images that were already in the stone, wrote:

"The best of artists hath no thought to show
which the rough stone in its superfluous shell
doth not include; to break the marble spell
is all the hand that serves the brain can do. "

To make his point, he carved a series of "unfinished" works depicting humans emerging from the rock (The Prisoners).

Metaphorically, the facilitator's role is the same.

And, if the facilitator is blessed with double insightful vision and can not only see the beauty inside the innovator, but can see the community that could emerge as a result, then a community transformation can occur.

You just have to read this book. And, when you do, write something about it. Better yet, use it.

I work with small businesses and developing entrepreneurs and this book helped me see another view and perspective in the work i go. I recommend it for anyone who works in the small business (and micro business) community and who would like some new direction on how to build local economies.

I am a voracious reader and I read this about the time I entered high school. It is one of the very few books that I can remember reading several times. It did engender interest in the books of the bible that were about women, and I really think that it helped me cope in a way with being a foster child from the age of 8 to 17. I still remember it and it's been about 40 years since I read it for the first time.

If one book I have read comes close to being "perfect", it is
"Behold Your Queen"! The biblical characters come alive, as real people, the "tour" of ancient Persia is vivid, and the story -- (straight out of the Bible....yet anything but dry
and stodgy...in fact, it may send you TO the Bible to read
the original!) -- exciting, romantic, scary, and in the end,
triumphant!

Courage and moral values are at the core of this book -- but
they are not taught by rote here. REASONS for these things
are given. Also -- there's a lovely lesson in "dating" --
how to get a guy interested in you. Simply -- be interested
in him! The love story between Ahasures and Esther is that
of two young people who find each other in the midst of lone-
liness, (each is an orphan), and splendour....yet it is the
splendour of their love that shines through.

Esther's love is tested when it is revealed to her that the
Prime Minister, (Haman), plans to have all people belonging
to one race in the Persian Empire killed. These people are
the hereditary enemies of Haman's people -- the Amalakites.
Unknown to Haman, the new Queen Esther is one of those
people -- the Jews -- whom Haman would have destroyed. Haman
does not know this, (initially), because Esther was told by
her Uncle Mordechai, (who brought her up), to keep her
origins a secret. (This is another lesson of this book --
though told as children we must always tell the truth, the
maturing person realizes that some things -- things that
would hurt others, or even one's self -- need not be told
...at least at first) How Esther decides that she must
risk her life so that she -- and all other Jews in the
Persian empire -- can at least defend themselves...is a
lesson in courage for all time. She not only risks her
life...but also his love, which she has found so precious...

True, there are some non-politically correct parts of this
book. Yet they are minor....and could easily be remedied.
For instance, at the beginning of the book, Queen Vashti
is banished because she refuses to appear at a banquet
clad only in her royal crown, at the behest of drunken
guests. (This is why a beauty-contest is later held
throughout the empire to choose a new queen.) The message
here might be, "Obey your husband or else" -- and the
danger of wives, following Vashti's lead, and disobeying their
husbands, is indeed what Ahasures's counsellors warn against.
However....one of them saying, "...And even wherein a wife and
husband act as one, lovingly consulting each other, as did
your royal parents, there will be strife...for the wife will see she need not even consult her husband any longer -- and
one will again become two!" -- could now be added. Also --
(to please traditionalists, (boo!) -- who believe that Ahasures was an older man, and that Esther -- true to her faith -- did not really love him, another minor change could be made. In fact, when I told a relative of mine about this book, mentioning that in it, Ahasures and Esther fell in love in it, he said, "Oh -- that ruins the whole story!" -- oh, if only I had had the book there for him to read!) So, to please these tradtionalists, Ahasures could stay in love with her, remain
young and handsomne, (sigh!), and Esther could remain deeply
in love with him, (double sigh!!) But -- to make tradition-
alists happy, Ahasures could also be shown to take some
interest in Judaism, (which -- before Christianity -- was, (in my own estimation) the most moral, and perhaps the only moral religion in existance. (Later on, it was joined by Christianity and Islam, two other highly moral, modern religions, of course). Ahasures could even be shown to be toying with the idea of conversion,and/or gaining more and more respect for Judaism even if he doesn't convert. This would please the traditionalists no end, and so they would be, (at least a little bit!) in favour of the deep romance that is gives this wonderful book so much of its essence, charm, amd power! Ahasure's growing interest in Judaism could be added after Haman's demise, towards the end
of the story. It would fit beautifully there, as Ahasure's
coming defeat, at the hands of the Greeks, (with their new idea
of "democracy") could also account for this: the shadow of defeat often leads to intellectual curiousity and growth....
In fact, in another telling of this story, "Esther", by Nathanial Weintrab, just this coming defeat at Greek hands is touched upon, and added. These very, very slight changes changes could be added, to make the book more viable
for today's audience, and added to keep traditionalists
happy, too.

Added to what? To a NEW PRINTING OF THIS BOOK! And,
as well, perhaps a MOVIE VERSION???? This book cries out
for both....for courage, tolerance, moral values and love, have no barriers of place, or people. BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! is a
story for all time -- and, perhaps, especially for our own time,
when courage, tolerance, moral values, and love, often seem
at various times, to be derided as old-fashioned and unnecessary.
The story of Esther is a great story in all respects, and never was it better told than here. Our post-911 world NEEDS a
movie of BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! -- or at the very least, a reprinting of this book. Who knows -- even Osama Bin Laden could learn a thing or two from it? I hope so ...and why not?
(STEVEN SPEILBERG....PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!!! I know I am not
the only person who would love for these things to happen!)

Behold!

Like other reviewers, I read this as a young person at about age 8 or 9. I have re-read it many, many times since.
It was also my first exposure to the Middle East, and ancient culture.
It's the story of Esther, from her young maidenhood to her rise as Queen of Persia.
Beginning with her as an innocent girl brought up with strong morals and respect for others, we follow her as she is selected to be taken to the King of Persia as a prospective wife. Throughout her journey from naive youngster to cosmopolitan sophisticate, she never loses the values she was raised with.
The characters come alive, and the scene descriptions are vivid- you will feel like you're there!
The two best things about this book (IMO), are the enchanting descriptions of Ancient Persia, and the emphasis on being true to yourself above all else.
Esther showed us that loving yourself and being courageous enough to stick to your principles makes you more beautiful and valuable than any superficial, cosmetic facade ever could. This book makes doing the right thing seem much more attractive than having power and fortune.
I was lucky enough to find 2 hardcover copies at a library auction, and they are keepsakes I will pass on to future generations!

Yes, this once "dry" biblical tale is brought to stunning life by Malvern. It sticks closely to the biblical account (keeping the age group in mind) and even shows how hard a decision Esther faced after the saving of her people began. A book that will inspire anyone and will be picked up time and again. Please bring back into print. Many of Malvern's books were my "friends" growing up, I would desperately like to visit them again!

Behold Your Queen! is a wonderful retelling of the Book of Esther. Malvern's writing incorporates credible motivations into the story, and adds a rich wealth of detail that make the story come alive with a vivid vitality. I first read this story when I was 8, and did not stop reading it until the (misguided) library withdrew the book from its shelves. If I could find a copy it would be on my shelf today, and eagerly reread. I would love to share this book with a new generation. As a teacher, I know this book has much to offer to young women facing difficult decisions about family, loyalty, honor, faith, personal safety, and love. Hadassah faces difficult choices in dangerous times, and Malvern's tale gives the reader the opportunity to share in the anguish and fear in Hadassah's choice, as well as in her final triumph and affermation. PLEASE REPRINT THIS BOOK!!!

Got this book as a gift for my son whom is into herbs and fitness. I like the book for myself. Since we live in different households, I guess I have to get my own. This book is good to have around. Make it part of your library.

A friend lent me this book and I liked it so much I had to have my own! It has pictures on every page and lists any ailment you can think of and then some. It has two sections, one in the front that explains symptoms and one in the back that explains the herbs and vitamins. Very well done!

so far my favorite book. easy to read and understand. very helpful too.

For each ailment, (acne, depression etc), it provides a list of vitamins that can help solve that ailment. In the second half it lists each vitamin and the amount to take. It's a great way to figure out what supplements can help you, how much to take, and what to look for when shopping for the supplements. It's a wonderful reference book.

THE BEST OF THE BEST:

To put it simply, this is the ideal reference book for the application of vitamins, minerals, and herbs for medicinal purposes. It is the perfect complimentary companion to James Duke's "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook".

ORGANIZED TO BE USER FRIENDLY:

After the introduction which goes through the user basics and preliminaries for the products to be discussed, the book is essentially divided into two main parts -- "AILMENTS" & "SUPPLEMENTS".

The first section ["AILMENTS"] is alphabetically organized by ailment so that you can simply look up some malady like "Heartburn" and you'll find a two-page section organized like this: "What It Is", "What Causes It", "How Supplements Can Help" + "Symptoms", "When To Call A Doctor", "Supplement Recommendations" and "What Else You Can Do". Each ailment's section ends with inserts titled "Facts & Tips" and "The Latest Findings". This is repeated for 90 ailments in precisely the same format, making it very easy retrieve information when you need it -- fast.

The second section ["SUPPLEMENTS"] is alphabetically organized by supplement with each supplement color coded in the table of contents to distinguish between vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Pick a supplement, say "Garlic", and you'll find its entry in the contents and in section two highlighted with green to indicate that it is an herb. Again, there is convention to the listing, it is 2 pages per supplement and is organized like this: "What It Is", "What It Does" ["PREVENTION" & "ADDITIONAL BENEFITS"], plus "Common Uses", "Forms", "Caution!", "How To Take It" ["DOSAGE" & "GUIDELINES FOR USE"], & "Possible Side Effects". Border inserts at the end of each supplement's section include "Shopping Hints" and "The Latest Findings".

Appendices at the end of the book include "Other Supplements", "Glossary" and "Drug Interactions", all of which relate directly to the supplements and ailments that are specifically discussed in the book in at least one of the two main sections. For instance, if a supplement is listed under "Supplement Recommendations" for an ailment in Section 1 and it is not also cross-referenced under "Supplements" in section 2, it will always be included in the "Other Supplements" appendix before the glossary. For example, Bromelain is mentioned several times for ailments, but is not included under supplements with its own heading, so there is an "Other Supplements" listing for it.

OVERALL:

This book is seamlessly-organized and smartly-illustrated making it ideal both as a good read and as a first-aid guide to using supplements prudently. When my 16-year-old daughter asked for a book about supplements this is what I gave her. She still has not returned it. From what I have read here, I am not the only one waiting for this book to return.

Este libro ofrece tejidos fáciles y rápidos. Especialmente los cordones quedan muy bien. Las explicaciones son prácticas y las gráficas casi expresan por sí mismas las instrucciones. Tengo apenas un par de semanas con este libro y ya he hecho unos siete u ocho modelos distintos. Este es otro ejemplar que debe tener todo aquel que disfruta de las prendas tejidas.

Diane Fitzgerald has written the definitive English language book on Zulu beadwork. I specify English language because I suspect in South Africa where the Zulu beadwork originates, there is a wealth of information that we in the U.S. aren't able to obtain. Thank goodness for Diane Fitzgerald who has studied beaded pieces and "backward engineered" the techniques used to make the pieces, wrote it down and then published it in this book!

This is another excellent Interweave book on beadwork techniques - heavy on the technique which is just what this reader wants from a beadweaving book. The book opens with a forward and then a introduction that could have been combined into one. The Zulus and their beadwork is exhaustively covered in the next chapter. Fitzgerald includes pictures of how the beadwork is worn and how it has changed over the years. Being a history and anthropology buff, I enjoyed learning about the history and cultural uses. From there, the the author dives into the beading techniques.

There are twenty two (22) beading techniques including, the flowerette chain, the triangle tube, the double weave, netted trianges and swags, netted diamonds and the well known Zulu Love Letter Pins to name just a few. If you're new to beadwork, I recommend the popcorn stitch which is worked in size 6 (or "E") seed beads, larger beads help the beginner get the hang of seed beading.

Tools and materials are covered in the last chapter. Basic technique is briefly reviewed in prose with minimal pictures. If you're looking for a book dedicated to Zulu style beadwork, Fitzgerald's book is it!

I have Diane's original, self published version of this book, but having this version, with all the colored pictures, is worth the price of buying the new edition.

For those who like such, there are also specific patterns using the stitches-- something I dont remember the original ook having.

AWESOME. This book is detailed, very easy to follow, and causes visions of projects in your mind that you JUST might be able to do now. This toom of teaching bead weaving goes above and beyond other books written about the same subject.

Highly recommended for content, price, and excitement. Buy it now!!

Lovely book. Wonderful photos and clear instructions of various stitches used. The historical pages are very interesting. Looking forward to the next book!

John Carlin's work is a thrilling, spine-tingling effort. Most of the book's protagonists can't recall their meetings with Nelson Mandela in regards to 1995's Rugby World Cup without breaking into tears. Carlin's genius is to make you see why this is the natural reaction. Here's a man who, as one player aptly puts it "spent 27 years in prison and came out with love and friendship. All that washed over me, that huge realization, and the tears just rolled down my face."

Though Mandela is as close as there is to a god walking this earth, it's his one-on-one people skills that take the day. His will is to win them over, one person at a time. That's why Clint Eastwood has named his upcoming film of this book "The Human Factor" (Morgan Freeman as Mandela, Matt Damon as Springbok captain Francois Pienaar).

As one who has studied South African politics and is well aware of the significance of the 2005 world cup, I was very eager to read this book. Needless to say, this book was incredible.

John Carlin gives a sort of intimacy in this book. He sets up the story, giving the background of Mandela's life. In addition, he also interviews those that had an effect on Mandela's life either in prison, politics, or sport. This 360 degree approach brings the reader to a fuller understanding of the actions taking place and the emotions that drive them.

Mandela has always been a personal hero of mine, and this book reinforces that. Though this is a (modern) historical account, the recapping of Mandela's struggle and the change he has brought to his nation also acts as a feel-good story of triumph.

There has been plenty written about the master statesman Nelson Mandela, but John Carlin's story about how Mandela transformed his nation by leveraging the sport of rugby is truly inspiring. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever been discouraged from creating change. Mandela's mindset and approach to liberating his country is unmatched.

This dazzling book could have been called "Loving the Enemy." That is, in fact, what Nelson Mandela did to prevent a much feared bloodbath in South Africa as it passed from the hated Apartheid regime to majority rule.
"Playing the Enemy" shows how he did it - first by winning over his prison guards through forgiveness and simple human kindness then by his shrewd seduction of the white government leadership and finally by making the obsession of white South Africa, its Rugby team, the team of all South Africans - black and white.
It's The Greatest Story Ever Told for the twentieth century - and beyond!

A marvelous book. Anyone who wants to understand the hope (and the chances for failure) in post-apartheid SA should read this book, particularly in the light of Mbeki's failure and the test that is to follow.

I just like Brink's stories! It is mostly difficult to have a break once you have started to read his book.

Ben Du Toit teaches history and geography in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the period of the height of the youth riots in the township of Soweto. At Ben's school, Gordon Ngubene, a native, is a cleaner and he occasionally does little chores for Ben. When Ben sees that Jonathan, Gordon's son, is showing signs of intelligence and diligence, he decides to partly finance his education. One day however, Jonathan takes part in a demonstration which ends up in a violent riot and is arrested by the police. A few weeks later, after a harrowing quest through countless offices, Ben and Gordon are informed that Jonathan died "of natural causes" while in detention.
Due to the mystery surrounding his son's death, Gordon gives up his job in order to devote himself entirely to the enquiries which have become an obsession with him. Both the Special Branch and the Security Police are annoyed about Gordon's insistence and soon enough Gordon is arrested. After numerous attempts to try to trace Gordon and speak to him, Ben and Gordon's wife Emily are told by the spokesman of the Security Police that Gordon apparently committed suicide by hanging himself with strips torn from his blanket.
But Ben Du Toit senses that the official explanations for both Jonathan's and Gordon's deaths are just a pretext for poorly disguised murders and so he decides to take matters in his own hands and starts investigating.
Mr Brink's novel is a harrowing account of a solitary man's fight against all the atrocities of the Apartheid. During this dark period in the history of South Africa, a white man had to be a real hero to fight for the right of the Afrikaners. The author beautifully captures the fact that Ben has to fight not only the resentment of the people of the other race, but also that of the people belonging to his own race - his family for a start. The descriptions of the townships of Johannesburg, particularly that of Soweto, are breathtaking in their accuracy and poignancy.

Brinks sketches the life of a idealistic man - Ben du Toit that lives his life in Apartheid South Africa on the brink of normalcy until the mysterious death of a black American friend and his son points to government involvement. As du Toit becomes obsessed with discovering the truth he becomes the symbol of Afrikaner conscience struggling to cope with the conflict and alienation that this crusade against Apartheid causes. With Apartheid being woven into the Afrikaner concept of nationhood and religion Ben finds himself not only in conflict with his family or the government but with his own history and ultimately with his own identity and even his soul. du Toit becomes a classical Afrikaner in his stubborn steadfast refusal to sway from his course , irrespective of the consequences, that he believes to be the only just and morally acceptable one.

He painfully exposes the moral vacuum of Apartheid and how it alienates not just du Toit from himself and his family but ultimately the Afrikaner from their fellow South Africans, as well as their own ideas of justice and morality.

The original Afrikaans language edition packs a powerful punch and is beautiful to read. English translation loses a bit of impact and fails to capture the finesse of the master writer in his mother tongue but is never the less worth burning the midnight oil for. It should however be noted that the story is dated and not a balanced portrayal of South Africa, Afrikaners or Apartheid.

Good fiction but not a historical treatise of Apartheid as some reviewers seem to think.

During the 1970's in South Africa, several protests were happening against the apartheid acts and the education of African natives to speak Afrikaans, instead of their chosen language. In Andre Brink's brilliant novel, A Dry White Season, he presents the brutality of the African struggle for freedom from the white leaders by telling the story of one man's effort to clear his black friend's name. When Gordon Ngubene, a janitor at the local school in Johannesburg, finds his son dead without a clue of what happened, he asks his colleague Ben Dutoit for financial help and support. After certain inquiries were developed on Gordon's behalf for his son, Jonathan, he is arrested by the police and is marked by his own "suicide". However once Ben begins to unfold the evidence that leads to what truly happened, he is caught in a jungle of lies, danger, and an atrocious form of racism.

Ben Dutoit was a simple man content with his mediocre life based on his wife, two daughters, and his teaching. Although the Special Branch had become more involved in the town where he lived, he purely continued throughout his basic routine day in and day out. Once Gordon is told by the Security Police that his son has died of "natural causes" while in a severe detention for publicly protesting, it seems that he will stop at nothing to figure out what had occurred the night of Jonathan's death. "If it was me, all right. But he is my child and I must know. God is my witness today: I cannot stop before I know what happened to him and where they buried him. His body belongs to me. It is my son's body."(Pg.49 A Dry White Season). Throughout this time period, whites naturally assumed themselves superior to that of the African race, and ruthless acts were brought upon the blacks daily. Brink vividly described the numerous cruelties aimed at the "inferior race" due to such instinctive racism. The author conjures the understanding of the reader to see how simple it would be for Ben to turn a blind eye on Gordon's tragedy. Yet after Gordon is accused of strangling himself by tying bits of torn blanket together, Ben is convinced that it was torture that killed the prisoner, and Ben just cannot let the case go with injustice. One can sense just how stubborn Ben truly is regarding the truth of his friend's alleged murder, mainly because of the emotions depicted by Brink that the reader can pick up on. Assembling as much evidence against the Special Branch's summary of Gordon's arrest, with the help of taxi driver and informational guide Stanley, Ben attempts to prove that the police are sadistic liars that have crossed the line of racism and have entered a territory of the highest form of hatred. Publicity of his "Negro loving" efforts have provoked such racists to seek ways to harm Ben and his family, such as sending bombs in the mail and shooting through his windows at night. I simply cannot comprehend the motive of someone to physically or mentally abuse another for their own views. However nothing could frighten him from completing what he had started in the first place, not even the terrifying Captain Stolz who had threatened him many times during the case. The thorough detail Brink constructed to picture the startling police officer was amazing, admitting a very clear idea of just how alarming this character must have been. Aware of his immense caution in his own case, he presented one of his old college friends with pieces of information in order to write a biography of Ben Dutoit. Two weeks later, Ben was killed in a hit and run car accident, but fortunately for him, his story would not be left untold. I personally found myself having to read certain paragraphs repeatedly in order to really grasp what was happening in all of the excitement, which I appreciated from the author. The plot was persistently heart pumping, giving off the effect that South Africa's horrifying and unfair history was not given the deliberate attention it deserved.

Before this misfortune had happened, Ben had been conceived as having a rather introverted personality, spending most of his time alone playing chess in his den. However the demand for real facts about what had definitely taken place seemed to have changed his behavior. Suddenly Ben was actually offering his true opinions back to those that he would not dare before, such as Captain Stolz, no matter how harsh or unsettling. After this unexpected alteration, Ben began to become more aware of his surroundings, more observant of his daily routines that he had developed into over the years. The author made sure to explain Ben's strange emotions in noticing things in his life that seemed unfit to him. "All at once this is what seemed foreign to him: not what he had seen in the course of the long bewildering afternoon, but this. His garden, with the sprinkler on the lawn. His house, with white walls, and orange tiled roof, and windows and rounded stoop. His wife appearing in the front door. As if he'd never seen it before in his life."(Pg.99 A Dry White Season). If you take a considerable amount of time to glance at your own life, as I have done from the direction of this book, you perceive things that might belong to you, though they might seem impossible to be yours. The process is difficult to explain, until you try to complete it yourself. Brink wrote the character as if his own qualities were shifting along to the varied events of Gordon's death case. The author seemed to have used Ben's life as symbolism of how one moment could alter anyone's life as they know it. A calamity such as this could happen to anyone, even I, and this thought makes me wonder. How would the way I act now be changed?

The Soweto protests of the 1970's in South Africa led to many empty lots filled with tear-gas, public shootings, and violent massacres of black citizens. In the novel A Dry White Season, Andre Brink tells the tale of one honorable man that knew too much information for his own good at a time era like his generation, which guided him into a vast land of moral corruption. Ben Dutoit's story has captivated my imagination, gripped my heart, crossed my frustrations, and stirred my tears. This book has taught me, as well as numerous other readers as well, to follow your instincts and never let justice go unserved. "Perhaps all one can really hope for, all I am entitled to, is no more than this: to write it down. To report what I know. So that it will not be possible for any man ever to say again: I knew nothing about it. (Pg.316 A Dry White Season).

i read this while i was a high school student and i can honestly say it has been one of the few books that have made an impact on the way i view society. read it! you'll love it!