South Africa Books

Nelson Mandela is certainly one of the great icons of the 20th century, belonging in the same league as Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi. The collection of photographs and other memorabilia about his imprisonment on Robbeneiland is very interesting. The accompanying texts are informative, but are bit too 'official' and hence lack the critical distance that is a requirement for a truely enjoyable reading experience.
Paul Schuurman.

I had the impression that the book was new. The dust-cover was marked and four pages had not been cut at the top right hand conner. i needed the book for research and very quickly. If not I would have returned the book.

This is a very fascinating read and a fitting tribute to Mr. Nelson Mandela, one of the giants of the 20th century. After reading this book, you will get a better sense of Mandela's humanity and humility; qualities that have made him the most respected statesman of our time. Highly recommended!

I have been for many years a very interested reader of non-violent leaders, mainly MLK and Gandhi. The Mandela that shines through in this book recalls the spirits of those other great leaders.

Mandela's negotiation skills shine through along with his humanity. We are confronted with many of his letters, some of which demonstrated frustration at censorship, some of which showed his tremendous skills negotiating with a government that held him prisoner. It is outstanding to see a man take power from a prison cell, and negotiate in a position of strenght with a government that holds total control over his life.

The main aim of the book is not the one I am reflecting. The book is in fact a reflection of Mandela's life in prison and all the records that have been gathered of his time there (and the interesting stories of each record). This is not a history book or even a biographical book -- if you are looking for those, look elsewhere. This is a record (with a lot of pictures) of a time in his life and his new project, in the form of the Center for Memory, as an attempt to avoid the mistakes of the past by remembering them.

This is a very interesting book. I have not read his biography, so I cannot compare, though I am impelled to read it now. Mandela is an outstanding man, a towering figure of the 20th century that helped usher in the 21st. One finishes this book with faith restored.

The book documents Nelson Mandela's long and unjust incarceration. It depicts a media visit to Robben Island. There are pictures of prisoners tending the garden while incarcerated.

This volume has many memoirs, oral accounts, artifacts used by Nelson Mandela, structures named after him and the official record of the Presidential tenure. A copy of the prison release is contained in the book. It was signed by President FW De Klerk and countersigned by HJ Coetsee. The daily visits are diarized
in a lengthy prison log.

This work documents a wealth of historical facts for future
generations of South Africans and historians everywhere.
It is an important testimony to the years of involuntary
bondage within the context of the old apartheid system.

The current and future generations will have a deep appreciation
of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation bestowed freely
by Nelson Mandela after years of an unjust detention.
The book attests to the wisdom of documenting the travesties
of justice and then putting the past behind so that the
society at-large can move forward to rebuild .

this piece of history will change the way you look at africa and Shaka for ever. this is the only un byast sorce for my report on the great shaka zulu and this book was fantastic. you have to buy it. it was writtian by a european man who got lived with and got this information from the actual zulu tribe...

enjoy this master piece

For every European and American interested in Black Africa and the Bantu, Ritters "Shaka" is a "must read", full of high adventure, full of an unknown world. His affection for the Zulus is contagious, and his joy in narrating his story rubbs off on his readers.
It would be eminently unfair to expect of Ritter a strictly "historical" account of Shaka and his time: the only written records to survive are those of white traders and seamen. Oral traditions were bound to be contradictory (Zulu, by the way, held in olden times the largest vocabulary of any unwritten language!), and tales certainly grew taller in re-telling. To boot, Ritter had no access yet to records like the James Stuart Archive. But Ritter eminently succeeds in waking ones interest in this "black Napoleon" and his time, and especially in everything connected with this proud warrior tribe, their way of life, social conditions and their development.
It cannot be gainsaid that the Zulu under Shaka, like the Mongols under Jingis Khan or the French under Napoleon - though on a much smaller scale - left a trail of blood and tears; but up to the present day Shaka is spoken of with awe and venerated by his own people like Napoleon and J.K. are by theirs....

While Ritter's "masterpiece" is a rollicking good read, it should never have been regarded as a historical document. The content falls short of respectability in many instances, most notably with regard to its inaccuracy. Ritter includes in his book a young woman named Pampata, who he says was the great love of Shaka's life. In fact the name Pampata appears not once in the James Stuart Archives - a comprehensive record of Zulu oral accounts. Ritter ends his book with Pampata committing suicide over Shaka's corpse. Once again, there is no mention of this on record. In other instances Ritter fares just as badly. He describes the "honourable" execution of Mudli kaNkwelo after Shaka took power in 1816. One snag: Zulu oral accounts are unanimous that Mudli was killed before Shaka arrived to assume the crown. Ritter also bandies exaggerated figures around. His estimation of the dead after the battle of Gqokli has been exposed as ludicrous by modern historians. He has used so much of Alfred Bryant's work (particularly from Olden Times in Zululand and Natal)that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two books. Sadly, too many mythical - and misleading - pictures of Shaka have been formed by this book. It deserves a place in any library - but only on the fiction shelf.

...Do not be swayed by the opinions of some people who dismiss this story as a work of fiction... Ask any griot in Natal Zululand, and they will tell you that the source of this story to the author is well authenticated. Seganada Cube (who was killed in the 1906 Bambatha rebellion) was an 'udibi' or a little boy assigned to take care of an assigned warrior's needs, and it is safe to say that he saw and heard the great emperor himself speak. So to say this is a work of fiction is absurd. And people who suggest that are victims of propaganda. The only thing thats fiction is the mini series "Shaka Zulu", which got only one thing right - the names of the people.

True, if you're looking for historical accuracy, look elsewhere; but Ritter himself claimed he was in a way more concerned with the myth of Shaka as it was told among the Zulu than he was with perfect accuracy; and man, it's a great, great read, and a must for anyone to whom the myth of a man is the matter of interest.

I got this book as a present before i went to south africa. I was excited because I have heard that these books are really good. But after reading through the book, I quickly realizied that it did not give me enough information. I am in South Africa, I see how beautiful it is. I don't need to see pictures, I need maps, (there were only maps for Capetown)information about what i am seeing, costs of addmission, times, ect. There were none, and it became really annoying and unpleasant at many times. These books are good for people who just want to see how other countries/cities look like, but not travel to them. If you want a good travel book, look for the Lonely planet series.

Before I went to Cape Town, a thoughtful friend gave me this book, and I couldn't thank her enough. And although my comments below apply to the South Africa volume, they could well be applied to the entire series, which is excellent.

The layout of the book is immediately arresting. Rather than imposing blocks of sheer text, the editors use tons of photographs, maps and other graphics. Just randomly flipping through this book is entertaining, which is not always the case with these types of publications. The typefaces are clear and well-chosen, and the enticing pages include many illustrations, the most unusual of which are cutaway diagrams of major buildings. These drawings are quite beautiful, and an unexpected delight in a book like this.

Other sections deal with history, art and business. And still more sections cover "nuts and bolts" items like hotels and restaurants, and vital information such as availability of banks and ATMs, doctors and hospitals, and other trip considerations that one might overlook in the rush to depart. The book is a nice size to tuck into a bag, and will give hours of pleasure even after the trip is over.

I've used guides by Fodor, Michelin and others, and although those are quite good, these Eyewitness publications really raise the bar.

I bought South Africa (Eyewitness Travel Guides) and have found it very helpful. We already had an itinerary planned and this guide showed us where we would be visiting, the weather, and gave useful background on each area. This guidebook gives pictorial views of historical sites, attractions etc. This was enlightening information, some of the places we will be going are far larger in area than we would have imagined. Also the attraction maps will help us keep oriented so time is not wasted being lost. With this guide and a good detail map of South Africa we gained insight about the length of travel needed each day. The biggest plusses were the pictures and drawings, they really are worth a thousand words as used in this guide. There is plenty of "survival" information; important phone numbers, medical suggestions, lodging recommendations etc. Lots of fun to read just for enjoyment!

Excellent travel guide!
It's very up-to-date and has a lot of detailed information.
I especially loved the street-by-street and pictorial maps -extremely helpful!!!
The only downside is that it doesn't really list any low-budget accomodation, the ones recommended are more on the high end...

I first discovered these books (a series Eyewitness Travel) by accident in a Stockholm bookstore. I had just come from Gothenborg by train and was a bit dazed. The book I bought by accident was in swedish but it still useful because of all the photos, cut away views, museum pictures, and maps and historical details. When I got home I bought a pile on Amazon.com of different places that I was going or had visited - but in english.

On a cold day back here in the USA (or Canada) or elsewhere, have a glass of wine and sit in a nice chair or in the garden on a warm day and read this book. For a moment you will be back in South Africa. You are back in a small restaurant overlooking a busy street in Cape Town.

The photos and desicriptions and cutaway drawings are excellent. Plus they throw in some history and details on the art and many other things of interest. A solid 400 page effort - lots of stuff to see and absorb. What is attractive about this book is that South Africa is not a well traveled country so we are not so familiar with the coutry. But the book brings it all to life with just magnificent photos and maps.

Judging from the two customer reviews, you either love it or hate it. I have a tweener view of Lambourne's tome. Having a keen interest in the Pre-Raphaelites, I wanted to learn more about Victorian art. I admit I chose this book because of it's size. However, I was pleasantly surprise by its content. I enjoyed his organization, for instead of going from artist to artist, he covered their subject matter and their important artists. It was a good review of the British art world of the Victorian era and some European/American artists who were influenced by the British. Lambourne was both academic and insightful. He seem knowledgeable of aspects of the artists' lives that are not usually in an academic work. The reproductions were great but I was disappointed that some were so small. However, I can understand the design trade off vs. cost of the book. So if you're looking for an extensive survey of Victoria period art at an affordable price, this is your book.

I'M AN ARTIST, AND I IDENTIFIED MYSELF A LOT WITH VICTORIAN PAINTING, I GUESS PART OF MY SOUL STILL LIVED IN THAT PERIOD. TO ME, THIS IS MY "BOOK OF LIFE", IT'S VERY COMPLETE, EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION, MARVELOUS COLOUR ILLUSTRATIONS, AND MOST OF ALL, YOU GET TO KNOW OTHER VICTORIAN ARTISTS WORK. **TRUST ME YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED**

Trust me - if you know anything about Victorian Painting you WILL be disappointed. Nice reproductions, though predictable choices for the most part. Platitudinous text.

Although it has been much maligned by critics and art historians, the Victorian period was actually a rich and dynamic era in the arts. Modern art historians have been brought up with the notion that the concept of a narrative in a painting - essentially a painting that tells a story - is either mere illustration or "kitsch." Once this view of painting became the conventional wisdom early in the last century, Victorian Art, so much of which was narrative, was relegated to the basements of museums and even became an object of ridicule. In art history classes around the world, paintings of the Victorian era, whether by Leighton in England or Bouguereau in France, were used as a foil for the Impressionists and early Modern movements. The Victorian era was a sentimental time and there is a fine line between a romantic sentimentality and being overly sweet or saccharine and there were many times when Victorian painters vaulted over that line. However, like any other art form, you only become an effective and intelligent critic of a genre or period when you know it well. And, if your art history courses have taught you to dismiss it out of hand, you will simply be pathologically unable to make intelligent distinctions or draw proper conclusions.
Lionel Lambourne's book is a comprehensive survey of Victorian Art. It is a massive volume that is beautifully illustrated with exceptionally good plates. All too many art books suffer from poor color, clearly drawn from poor transparencies or scans, but this book doesn't stint on the number or quality of the illustrations, so it will be popular with those who simply want to enjoy the images as well as those who have the time to read the text. The author, who is the head of the paintings department at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, clearly knows his subject well and he has broken the long Victorian era down into logical chapters, beginning with a survey of the "Victorian Art Establishment" and then diving the Victorian period by subject and movement rather than simple chronology. He covers all the major movements such as "The Frailer Sex and the Fallen Woman," "The Pre-Raphaelites," "Aesthetes and Symbolists," and "Childhood and Sentiment."
The book is not devoted solely to the artists who lived in Great Britain but also includes painters from the British colonies and former colonies in order to show the connections between their art and that of England. Without descending into the jargon that is too frequently relied upon by art historians, Lambourne is scholarly, providing insight into the influences and motivations of the Victorian artists and then explaining why Whsitler and the Aesthetes rebelled against the prevailing style. Victorian painting has remained popular with artists and a segment of the public precisely because of some of the qualities that repell many art historians - the high level of craftsmanship, sentimentality, the narrative drive so common to the era and the moral element that is part of many paintings from the epoch - but in recent years, more and more exhibitions have been mounted and new books seem to come out each fortnight. Now that Victorian Art has regained some of its lost luster and popularity, it deserves to have an elegant book like Lionel Lambourne's "Victorian Painting" that gives readers an overview of a rich artistic epoch.

Two of the best books about general Victorian paintings are Lionel Lambourne's and Christopher Woods'. Although both book discuss the same broad subject of Victorian art, they do not seem to overlap each other but instead seem to reinforce each other, filling in gaps where one left off. Don't be afraid to own both books. Both books are packed with beautiful images and interesting notes about so many Victorian painters. Lambourne's book is almost twice as heavy as Wood's but the image resolution is smaller but he seems to give a better account of the events surrounding the paintings. The topics of both books are very well ordered (historical events, animals, nudes, outdoor etc)

In an environment over-saturated with the mediocrity of Modern Art, Victorian art is ever increasing in importance, and no serious lover of paintings should ever be without both books.

Alan Paton descibes realistic events of South Africans involved in 20th century conflicts. It's a great book. There are two main charcaters, Mr. Robert Mansfield and M.K. Bodasingh. It is often hard to determine which character is expressing his thoughts and for some to follow the story line, but definitely worth reading.

I finished reading Ah, But Your Land is Beautiful quite a while ago, but I'd read it again it I hadn't borrowed it from the library. While you can't always tell which character is speaking, I find that that is good because it shows the complexity of views in South Africa in the 1950s. When you start reading a new section, you don't think, "Oh, that's just what Hugh Mainwaring thinks." You realise that the statements were actually what real people, not just characters, thought. Especially in this day and age, I think that this book helps a little to get in to the mind of terrorists today, even though the issues at stake are markedly different. I would recommend this to everyone, especially those who enjoy history.

"Ah But Your Land is Beautiful" is far and away one of the best books written about the old South Africa, and in many ways still applies very much so to today's "Rainbow Nation." Taking the reader into all of the minds in South Africa at the dawn of apartheid, this gripping multi-viewpoint docu-fiction is an amazing experience for those with everything from a little to an extensive background in South African history. It is a must for anyone who was captivated by "Cry, the Beloved Country," and in my opinion is his best work.

It's been almost 30 years since I read Cry, the Beloved Country and I'd forgotten how strangely Paton structures his books. This novel gives us some excellent insights on how sick a society South Africa was in the 1950's. However it's an extremely difficult read; shifting between past and present tense, dialogs were the author doesn't explain which characters are speaking, a great many references that are unclear to readers who know little about South Africa. Another reviewer called the novel "docu-fiction". That's exactly what it is. It has no protagonists. We learn very little about who these characters are and have trouble caring about them, aside from the grief inflicted on them by hateful Afrikaners. This was Paton's last novel. He was pushing 80 when he wrote it. He still had plenty to say. His ideosyncratic story telling detracts from the message.

Sparks has written a trio of books about South Africa with this book being the third. I've also read the first one, The Mind of South Africa, but not the second, Tomorrow Is Another Country. On balance, I found The Mind of South Africa stronger than this book. In part, this is simply because the evolution of a system like apartheid is such fascinating reading. This is also partly because the nature of this book-- a "where are we now?" book-- is time limited. It was published in 2003, and it left me to wonder what Sparks would have made of the last four years.

I think that he would have been kind. One of the things that strikes me about Sparks through both of these books is his strong humanism. He does not want to believe in villains. I get the feeling that he is probably the kind of guy who irritates everyone at a party by defending whoever is under discussion. He wanted to believe that Mugabe would do the right thing in The Mind of South Africa. Even in this book, although he owns his mistakes about his hope for Mugabe his tone is more one of sadness than condemnation. Sparks seems to see the whole sad mess in South Africa as not having any heroes or any villains-- just victims and participants. I like that approach. It is the kind of view that I naturally tend to agree and sympathize with.

But actually, I think that the point of the book is that he does not see the situation in 2002-3 South Africa as a sad mess. He sees it as an imperfect triumph, and I'm not sure that he isn't right. The more that I learn about the country and the more that I hear about the history, the more amazed I am that things didn't collapse into fire and destruction. There are problems, huge ones, but they were largely there to begin with. He has the same worries about Mbeki that I think many observers have-- his strange stance on AIDS, his silence on Zimbabwe. Sparks doesn't gloss anything over, but he largely repeats a message of hope. I think that this is a message worth repeating.

A good book, and interesting.

Step into any bookstore in South Africa and you'll see that the country is awash in social science literature (most of which is ephemeral and undigestible) while sorely lacking in modern histories that put post-apartheid events and developments in a framework for intelligent general readers. This book is a notable and admirable exception. Written by a leading South African journalist and non-academic historian, it's a readable, comprehensive overview of modern South Africa, with chapters on economics, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the ANC's performance in office, HIV/AIDS, race relations, and more. The judgments are balanced and Sparks weaves together anecdotes and analysis in the best journalistic fashion. The book ably reflect his decades of reporting on South Africa.

The only real deficiencies are the lack of "inside" information on the ANC and Spark's failure to convincingly explain the paradoxes swirling around President Thabo Mbeki, a university-trained economist who is undeniably brilliant but whose crackpot medical theories have hamstrung effots to fight HIV/AIDS and have made South Africa the laughingstock of the scientific world. These gaps are at the center of the book (hence my rating of four stars) but probably aren't Sparks' fault: although the ANC now presides over a democratic state, it spent decades in underground resistance to apartheid, and remains highly secretive and quick to punish members who speak out against the party line. I'm not sure whether anyone outside of the party's inner circle truly knows what makes Mbeki & company tick.

In contrast, the chapters on the media sparkle with first-hand accounts of mismanagement and internecine rivalry. If only Sparks' had been able to write comparably illuminating chapters on the ANC!

I'm an American living in Johannesburg.

Sparks has written a winner with Beyond the Miracle. With the exception of one or two niggling errors, it is thoroughly researched, littered with pertinent observations and unfailingly readable. Perhaps most importantly it offers a commendably balanced view of the successes and failures of post-apartheid South Africa. As a white South African I was simultaneously surprised and encouraged by much of the book's content. Although, due to the wide variety of topics looked at, it isn't particularly comprehensive, I would still recommend it as essential reading for anyone with an interest in South Africa.

In this fascinating book, author and journalist Allister Sparks takes us inside South Africa, ten years after the miraculous end of Apartheid. Though many inside the African National Congress (ANC) expected that this would be the beginning of their "Happily Ever After," South Africa continues to face many challenges, many of which they did not expect. But, this is not a doom-and-gloom, pseudo-exposé of South Africa, instead it is a hopeful look at a country in transition - facing daunting problems, but moving towards a brighter tomorrow.

Now, what can I say about this book? First of all, I was quite saddened that the author brought along a bag full of biases to his analysis. He has an orthodox Leftist viewpoint which he spills out all over the book. For example, in his view all of South Africa's problems are either holdovers from the Apartheid era, or are caused by outside factors over which the ANC has no control.

But, if you bear in mind that the author is a journalist, rather than an objective sociologist, you can let yourself ignore his analysis, and get down to the real strength of the book - the author's penetrating report on the state of South Africa today. The author does an excellent job of looking at the political and social changes that are redefining South Africa, and explaining them in a clear and easy to read manner.

It is hard to find resources that discuss modern, post-Apartheid South Africa, but this is one that is really great! So, if you want to know what South Africa is like today, ten years after Apartheid, then this is a great book to start with.

In response to what two individuals are saying about myself and my books I would like to share with you what many others have said to balance out their unsubstantiated claims.

* Endorsed by:
* National PTA
* Scouting Magazine - Boy and Girl Scouts or America
* NEA - National Education Association
* Sports Illustrated for Kids
* Mothering Magazine - to name only a few

*"The books of Dr. Webster-Doyle are the first attempt I have seen to explain to young people and adults the concept of martial arts as a peaceful, nonviolent 'way of life' and to give students the tools to accomplish this goal." - Linda Lee Cadwell

*Winner of the Martial Arts Industry Association Distinguished Service Award

* Awarded the Robert Burns Medal for literature by Austria's Albert Schweitzer Society, for "outstanding merits in the field of peace-promotion"

* Selected by the International Association of Educators for World Peace for their Central American peace education project in Panama and El Salvador

* Acclaimed at the Soviet Peace Fund Conference in Moscow and published in Russia by Moscow's Library of Foreign Literature and Magistr Publications

* On permanent display at the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity in Samarkind, Uzbekistan, the Commonwealth of Independent States.

* "Why is Everybody Always Picking on Us? explores the roots of prejudice. I don't think I've seen another book like it. How wonderful if this book could be used in social studies classrooms! I have learned where prejudice begins, how it is created, how it is perpetuated, and how it can be resolved. This book looks at stereotypes, bigotry, discrimination, scapegoating, racism, and more. It is a wonderfully comprehensive manual for young people and adults alike on understanding our conditioning and the root of prejudice."
American Pride Through Education

*"Webster-Doyle's insight is that by recognizing, understanding, and accepting our violent tendencies, we can avoid acting them out. These new books . . . are good for teachers and parents of elementary school children who need appropriate language and activities to help children deal with their feelings and the violence-provoking parts of the environment. To this reviewer, they are realistic and practical." --Young Children - Magazine of the National Association for the Education of Young Children

* "The book excels at impelling children to understand how conflict works within themselves. Tug of War offers engaging exercises that enhance a child's ability to understand the world. These exercises inspire self-observation, and the drawings of award-winning illustrator Rod Cameron enliven the book." Forum ¬- Newsletter of Educators for Social Responsibility

* Fighting the Invisible Enemy and Tug of War recommended by the Elementary School Library Collection as "fine contributions to materials for children"; both books also chosen by the British Commonwealth Collection - A Selection of Books and Journals on Nonviolence and Social Change

*"Every publication from the pen of this author should make a significant contribution to peace within and without. Highly recommended!" -- New Age Publishers and Retailers Alliance Trade Journal

*Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me? -- cited by the Omega New Age Directory as one of the Ten Best Books, for its "atmosphere of universal benevolence and practical application"

* Dr. Lawrence Shapiro of the Center for Applied Psychology described Dr. Webster-Doyle as an "eloquent leader of the movement to combine principles of education, psychology, and the martial arts to teach young people to resolve conflict peacefully."

* Selected by the National PTA as a recommended resource for parents.

*"We use his books and thoroughly endorse the usefulness of his methods which have high potential in schools." - Stewart W. Twemlow, M.D. Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis, Menninger Clinic

* Endorsed by Scouting Magazine and Sports Illustrated for Kids

* Endorsed by Mothering Magazine

* Nine time Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing - in six consecutive years

*Selected by the American Booksellers Association for its resource listing of "Children's Books About Peace"

*"These topics are excellent and highly relevant."
--Dr. Charles Mercieca, Executive Vice President
International Association of Educators for World Peace
NGO, United Nations (ECOSOC), UNICEF & UNESCO

*"Helps young people deal with conflict and violence by describing practical skills for peace." --Holistic Education Review

*"I realize Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me? urgency for every child and adult . . . My daughter couldn't stop reading it!"
--Marina Dubrovskaya, Assistant Director
Dept. of Sociology, Lenin Library, Moscow, Russia

* "Your book (Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me?) has really helped me ignore the bullies and in a way stop bullying others." - 4th grader

* Presented the National Conference on Peacemaking & Conflict Resolution

*"The materials were very helpful to the facilitators who conducted the workshop on bullying strategies." - New Jersey State Bar Foundation

* Endorsed by the New York City Board of Education

...To name only a few

I love the stories, which I found very important in praticing the Martial Arts. Young Martial Artists should learn mental self defense as a highest priority.

I love the stories, which I found very important in praticing the Martial Arts. Young Martial Artists should learn mental self defense as a highest priority.

We used these books for a while in our Nevada Schools becaue the business consulting company we had recommended them. They sold pretty well. Then, we actually read them. They are total junk. They teach the kids to flat out lie, over and over again. They teach that you should never stand-up to a bully because you may get beat up. WHAT?! If these are sold to anyone, they shouldn't be sold in martial arts schools. Mayeb dance studios, but not Martial Arts schools.
Absolute crapola!

I'm not sure what planet these other reviewers inhabit - and I'm also surprised that anyone would try to keep this embarrassing booklet in print. (Hello: the ANC buried the "Freedom Charter" - and embraced international capitalism - a long time ago!) Check out Terry Bell, Patrick Bond, John Pilger, or any of a number of authors if you'd like to know more about developments in South Africa over the last 15 years.

Fue necesario unir los campesinos y trabajadores -los víctimas del capitalismo- para llevar a cabo la revolución democrática en el país de Sudáfrica, en contra de los mismos capitalistas. Y no sólo fue una clase capitalista en su país, sino un imperialismo que extraía ganancias de muchos países del sur y centro de su continente.

Parece irónico, pero así es el dilema del capitalismo en su fase imperialista actual. Sudáfrica era uno de los últimos ejemplos de lo que Lenín explicaba a principios del siglo XX en relación de los países sometidos al capitalismo (Imperialismo: la fase superior del capitalismo). Habiendo consumido su período revolucionario con la Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos, de 1865 en adelante la burguesía ya no es capaz de ofrecer el liderazgo para ninguna revolución democrática en ningún rincón del mundo. Únicamente los campesinos y trabajadores pueden instalar las leyes de igualdad, con la burguesía esperando impaciente de regresar del margen para tomar el poder una vez consumidas las necesidades democráticas.

Con Nelson Mandela de frente, el Congreso Nacional Africano impuso los mínimos de igualdad, y así acabó con un imperio pequeño pero tan brutal como el de Israel hoy en día. Sudáfrica sigue capitalista, pero ya no tiene segregación para extraer súper-ganancias.

The main article in this collection, "The Coming Revolution in South Africa," by Jack Barnes, came out in the mid-1980s. The analysis presented was important as a guide to action for all those involved in the struggle to rid the world of the hated apartheid system in South Africa.

Apartheid was a system that strangled normal capitalist development. A regime that resembled fascism, it treated the mass of the workers and farmers almost as slaves. Instead of a ruling capitalist class pitted against a working class (which is to be expected as a result of normal capitalist development), the apartheid system divided society into a white caste and a non-white caste, with Blacks, the majority of the population, stripped of nearly all democratic rights. The wealthy white elite fought to preserve apartheid because it secured their control over the Black majority, and thus magnified profit rates. But this form of control created explosive social pressures.

In order to advance toward socialism, the working people in South Africa first had to destroy the apartheid structure and allow the pressures of capitalist development to emerge into the open. With the chains of apartheid broken, the masses of working people could then come to grips with a real capitalist system as such.

The 1994 election which brought the African National Congress to power culminated a process of revolutionary change that was critical to all further development in South Africa and its neighboring countries. It opened the door to a new period of class struggle, preparing the workers in South Africa to participate, on an equal footing with workers in all countries, to build a new world free of capitalist war and depression.

Though published in 1985, nine years before the victory of the African National Congress against Apartheid, the main article in this book-length magazine Jack Barnes's "The Coming Revolution in South Africa," forecasts the way forward for the democratic revolution in South Africa and shows how the roots of a future socialist revolution in South Africa flow out of that struggle. Barnes, the national secretary of the Socialist Workers Party, explains why the democratic tasks of national liberation and unification advanced by the ANC and its allies were the correct way forward for the peoples of South Africa. With examples from the policies of Lenin and the Russian Bolsheviks and the Cuba and Nicaraguan revolutions, Barnes takes on sectarians who attacked the ANC because it did not have an explicitly anticapitalist program. Along with Barnes' speech, this issue contains "The Freedom Charter"--the political program the ANC advanced in the antiapartheid struggle -- "The Future Belongs to US" a Speech by ANC leader Oliver Tambo, a speech by Fidel Castro explaining why and how Cuba supported the freedom struggle in Angola, and a summary of the then latest stages in the South African struggle by Ernest Harsch.

This travel guide has many beautiful photos. However, the over 400 pages of information is in small type that is somewhat impractical. The travel guide is set up in 15 sections. The sections are:

1. Cape Town
2. Cape Winelands
3. Western Coastal Terrace
4. Southern Cape
5. Garden Route to Grahamstown
6. Wild Coast, Drakensberg and Midlands
7. Durban and Zululand
8. Gauteng and Sun City
9. Blyde River Canyon and Kruger
10. South of the Orange
11. North of the Orange
12. Where To Stay
13. Where To Eat
14. Practical Information
15. Travel Information

It is amazing how you can live in a country and never see it all. This book made me quite homesick since South Africa was my home for 12 years. My parents moved there when I was just seven and I did not return to America until I was getting ready to attend college.

I can truly say, South Africa is perhaps one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The land seems to burst with color, the scent of the earth is intoxicating, the animal life is vibrant and the sunsets....are well...magnificent. This book brings South Africa to life in all her glory. Upon opening this book you will find a map of all the regions. I lived near Johannesburg for most of my life, but we also traveled to Durban and the Cape for vacations in the summer. December in South Africa is quite warm and is holiday season. Each year we would travel down to Durban on our annual pilgrimage to the beach. Oh, the beaches. What can I say? I cannot say enough about them. The sand is hot, the breezes are warm and the water can be dangerous to play in, yet the swimming there is the best I have ever experienced. You can feel the power of the earth so much more fully in Africa. The earth captures your heart.

The plant life is also displayed in this book. Namaqualand with its dwarf shrubs and daisy-like pink vygie blossoms are presented so beautifully. South African Architecture is so beautiful and I remember being mesmerized by the paintings on the walls as we would drive by the thatch covered houses. Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian Architecture is also shown. The History of South Africa and the story of the Apartheid years is interesting for those who would like to read up on the background of this country.

If you go to South Africa, you will not want to miss Table Mountain, The Garden Route, Namaqualand, the Cango Caves, Durban, Gold Reef City, Pretoria (where I used to buy great curry powder and now buy it online) and The National Parks (where we rolled down the window and scared my mom half out of her mind because lions were close by).

If you want to know where to stay, there is a whole list of places. The index is extensive. I would recommend a tour. With this book, you can find out which places you would most like to visit.

If you are heading to South Africa, I am very jealous and I must say...I was on lucky person to have been able to live there for 12 years! This book made me terribly homesick for my childhood home. When my father first went to Africa he fell in love with the country and returned years later with us tagging along. I thank him for giving us this amazing opportunity to experience a completely different culture. This book will also put to bed the myths that South Africa is a backwards country. It is very modern and is extremely beautiful.

Sigh.....I really miss living there. It is a good thing I found a company that sells all the great food products we used to buy there online called Protea Imports. It still doesn't make up for fresh fruit off the tree in your backyard, or a walk in the veld or a swim the warm ocean. You won't regret buying this book or visiting South Africa. I hope to one day show my husband this land that I love. I think he needs to take me on a vacation!

~The Rebecca Review

These series of books are nothing less than excellent. The combination of photos, maps and suggestions for sightseeing are top notich. They never steer you wrong - and help to make either a quick trip or extended stay worthwhile. The suggestions for sights are both the "tourist" places and some off the beaten paths. This book is a must for any traveler to South Africa, or any of the other locations you may be traveling.

This book is great to look at, but that's as far as it goes. I know a picture says a thousand words, but not in this book. For a person travelling to a country for the first time, I want to know as much information as possible about each place that I may go. This book only briefly covers the big cities and main "tourist" places, which is a shame because there are many tourist places that are not even mentioned. There is no guide to the animals you could see when on safari or drive by on a tour. Kwa-Zulu Natal should not be referred to as Zululand due to the Theme Park feel it gives to the traditions of a culture. I found that I used other people's Lonely Planet and Let's Go! guides and after awhile I took this guide out of my day pack.

What is it that makes South African authors incapable of happy endings?

Having read and enjoyed JM Coetzee's bleak "Disgrace" I found Brink's novel in a second hand shop and went to work. In subject matter it is a blending of two Patrick White novels - "Voss" about a doomed journey to the (Australian) interior, and "A Fringe of Leaves" about a white woman's life among Aborigines after a 19th Century shipwreck.

In Brink's hands, in 1750, a naive but spirited white woman from the Cape accompanies her Swedish explorer husband into the upmapped interior, only to find herself alone when the husband dies and the Hottentot retainers head for the hills.

She is found by a runaway slave, Adam, who for reasons of his own agrees to set off with her to the Cape.

Brink vividly describes the country through which they must travel. Against its physical presence, the couple become lovers. All of this is good fun. Brink was writing at a time when black/white relationships were forbidden under apartheid law. Indeed, the book for a while was banned. He delivers us a vintage love story, full of sex and spirit. (Funny how Coetzee, 25 years later when inter-racial sex is no longer verboten, sees the politics of such relationships in an entirely different way).

As Brink signals in the opening pages, however, there is no happy-ever-after. If there had been (the story purports to be based on truth), South Africa's history might have been different.

At times, the writing has less to do with black and white than purple, especially as Brink creates a seaside idyll for his pair, but for my money it's a grand read. It recalls a time when white South African liberals believed if only people could see their true nature everything would be all right.

Coetzee's darker - and more recent - version is that WHEN people are most true to their nature, South Africans have much to fear.

Instant in the Wind is one of the most beautiful love stories I have read. After an exploring team is killed in the jungle, a slave on the run is forced to accompany a surviving white woman and together they travel across the desert. During their long walk throughout the country, their relationship evolves. As they learn about each other, we discover all the details of life in South Africa in the 18th century. Brink's writing is at its most powerful, poetic, so moving in describing this heartbreaking love story. A masterpiece of literature.

A wonderful read. A powerfully written love story between a slave and a white woman in 18th century South Africa. The South African landscape is revealed in all it's harshness and beauty. The story of the two characters are based on fact which makes the story even more phenomenal. A masterpiece.

I expected this novel to be engaging not only because it was by Andre Brink, one of the most celebrated South African writers, but because it was also shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. However, I was deeply disappointed with this chronicle of the relationship between a white woman and a runaway slave because it becomes, almost right from the beginning, cliched, repetitive, and affected.

'An instant in the wind' is a novel of exploration at two levels. On the one hand, it explores the beautifully cruel South African landscape between the Great Fish River and Table Mountain, passing through the Tsitsikama region and the Karoo Desert; on the other, it intends to explore the psychology between blacks and whites and men and women in the South Africa of the mid-1700s--and, by extension, of 'apartheid' South Africa. Brink's thesis appears (and I emphasize that word, appears) to be that only extreme situtations bring people together, making us forget our racial and sexual differences. However, nothing really illuminating is said, and the very ending is extremely ambiguous, causing one to wonder if Brink did't play a trick on the reader with respect to the intentions of the female character. If he did (and I'm inclined to believe that he did), then the ultimate message of the novel is extremely nihilistic.

Is there anything redeeming in this novel? I found the descriptions of nature superb. The Tsitsikama and Karoo truly come to life the way Brink describes them, and Table Mountain becomes truly magnificent. This background, perhaps, makes the novel worth reading.