South Africa Books

I find it very hard to give only two stars to an author who so clearly loves the children she and her organization serve. It is her obvious dedication that has kept me from giving this only one star.

This slim book is a mishmash of statistics. with individual stories of children not much different from the narration for one of those infomercials from many non-profits now on various cable stations. For anyone who has read even a little about the topic, there is little new in the numbers, and even more up-to-date references and data can be found by a quick web search. The disorganization and redundancy of both the data references and anecdotes was very distracting. One other concern: there are many other non-profits and Christian organizations involved in similar work, yet the book ignores this fact--one more way in which this resembles an advertisement for the organization rather than an overall picture of this global crisis.

Bottom line: if you want to support the AIDS Orphans Rising organization, do it by donating the cost of the book directly to the organization rather than buying a book of so little real value.

I love this book. It takes the reader into the everyday lives of real children living in profoundly challenging conditions. Their parents have died, and relatives have often rejected them. They are grieving, and they are often lonely and afraid. Older children bear the burden of providing food, shelter and comfort to their younger siblings.

Yet the stories are filled with hope. When we in the West think of these children, we tend to count them out. But they are determined to take care of each other, to survive and overcome their circumstances. They're finding work, however humble, and they are going to school whenever they can. They're living in the present, laughing and loving. If they have adult problems, they are also still children, capable of playing and experiencing joy.

Sister MaryBeth Lloyd offers us the big picture, well documented with statistics and projections. She shows us the dimensions of the African AIDS crisis and its effect on children, but she has also filled her book with useful information on how her readers can help meet the needs of these children. And most affectingly, she lets us know and admire the children themselves.

The author was a student in our Grants Training Classes, and I have tremendous respect for the work she does. She combines love for the children with a practical approach to supporting them as they grow up and take their place as the next generation of African adults.

Jillian Coleman Wheeler
www.GrantMeRich.com
www.YourInternetCashMachine.com
www.NewAmericanLandRush.com

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (12/07)

There are alarming statistics that warn "every 14 seconds a Child Headed Household is formed." Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has written a guidebook to help alert concerned citizens of the magnitude of the problem and to provide the reader with answers the questions: "What should I know, and what can I do to help them succeed?" A Child Headed Household is defined as: children who have survived the death of their parents from AIDS. These households are made up of "little brothers and sisters struggling to stay alive and remain together as a family." There are often three to eight children per household.

Sister Lloyd is quick to point out that the current view taken by most that these are victims dependent and powerless must be replaced with a vision of how these children have the courage to take control of their economic hardships, deprivations, and exploitation in positive ways so that they can remain together as family. It is this determination that became the motivation for Sister Lloyd to write this book.

All regions of the world are impacted by the enormity of the plight of these children. India, alone, is faced with 3,700,000 children orphaned. Statistics indicate that China has 2,300,000. Other countries around the world afflicted with the same dilemma bring the total orphaned children to over 16,000,000.

The book provides a broad selection of photos which depict bright-eyed children, resilient, with endurance and with promise, doing their best, struggling to stay together, taking the role of adults in caring for younger siblings.

Each chapter of the book offers suggestions for actions for the reader to take as members of a growing world community of concerned citizens. Comprehensive references with additional web links to organizations working with these children offer solutions which help insure that these children will survive, and will succeed.

Sister Mary Elizabeth opens her final chapter with a challenge for the reader to respond to Mother Teresa's call to action: "If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."

"Aids Orphans Rising" will grip your heart. The needs will linger in your consciousness long after you have read the final word and closed the covers of the book. Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has presented the case for these children. Now it is up to us, the readers, to decide which suggested action steps we can take to help them succeed.

Ian Knight is probably the preeminent authority on Zulu History, and this is a fascinating account of a series of 10 different battles that occurred over the course of 70 years, featuring Zulus against the Boers, Zulus against the British, and Zulus against Zulus. Probably the best known Zulu battle is Rorkes' Drift, but that incident really deserves its own book, and Knight and other authors have already done so (see Ian Knight's "Campaign Series 42, Rorkes' Drift 1879", for a good overview, but he also has done a more thorough analysis of that battle in another book). If you want a more detailed study of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 then there is no shortage of other good books to read, but in terms of the development and showcasing of Zulu warfare after Shaka and into the early 20th Century, then this is an excellent and exciting piece of work.

A useful and informative introduction to the Zulu wars. Several major battles are covered in depth, and the general trends of the war explained. Overall tactics for the Zulu Nation are discussed in some length, however the same treatment is not given to the British side. The reader is left with the overall impression that the main tactic of the Zulu Nation was to field vastly superior numbers, and without this there was little chance of victory. There is a lack of detail on the weapons and equipment and dress used by each side which would have been an important and interesting addition

An interesting and informative account of the Zulus' greatest battles is, unfortunately, not as comprehensive as it could have been. While Knight has, once again, done his homework (his accounts of the battles of Thukela and Blood River are vivid)there are some thrilling battles in earlier Zulu history which have been afforded little attention. For instance, the battle of kwaGqokli hill, which featured the young Shaka leading his men against the powerful Ndwandwe of Zwide kaLanga, lives in many an imagination as the first reckoning of the great Zulu empire. But while there are valid reasons not to include the aforementioned clash, the battle of izinDololwane hills, which saw Shaka, with the help of his white allies, shatter the powerful Ndwandwe kingdom once and for all, surely merits an inclusion. That aside, the book is typical of Knight: colourful, interesting, objective, factual.

This book was interesting and informative. Though, I do believe that the foreword and the afterword could have been omitted since they were basically a general overview of bad government in all but the Western World. I recommend this book to any one who wants to learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa.

Martin Meredith's COMING TO TERMS is a well constructed description of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa and forces nations to look at themselves and consider the fact that their actions of today will linger on forever.

This book started out as just a piece for my research paper on South African Aparthied, but it soon turned into one of my favorites! It disturbed me a bit to hear about some of the autrocities, but I attribute that to a good description by the author and good research. It was an excellent source for my paper, and I enjoyed reading it as well. I don't recommend it for everyone because it drones in some parts, but it is a good read for those interested in Apartheid, learning more about Sout Africa, and the traveller.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in years. Mda skillfullly evokes the tensions in contemporary South Africa for blacks caught between the tug of Western, technological culture and their identity in long-standing traditions. The story is given added substance by Mda's recounting the history of similar tensions from the nineteenth century, thus creating deep emotions that propel the characters. The story mixes family feuds, spats between the sexes, and sober deliberations about community versus individual choices, all told with a level of humor that underscores rather than undermines the importance of these issues for South Africa today.

The novel Heart of Redness by Zakes Mda, tells a tale of rural integration and religious conflict of a village in post colonial South Africa. The novel reveals the metamorphosis of South Africans through an economic, social, and cultural lens in the 1990s. Africa is no long the primitive continent solely known for its vast concoction of indigenous cultures. Instead, it is an emerging economy with its people adjusting to modernity and the how the lives of many Africans coexists with the remaining colonial influences. This struggle for change and progress, versus preservation of the land and traditions, becomes the pinnacle feud between the Believers and Unbelievers. By folding different generations of stories with each character of the book, Heart of Redness becomes alive with vivacity.
The story begins by introducing the Middle Generation that was lost to the colonial conflicts. Because of this great disturbance in African culture and history, the feud between the Believers and the Unbelievers drove the lives of many African decedents apart for decades. Camagu, the main character of the book, returns to South Africa for first time after being exiled to the United States for 30 years, finds himself to be a stranger in a land that he once called home. Camagu's character presented the readers an unbiased and western perspective as if the reader can experienced this story first handed.
After being educated in the west and earned a repertoire of outstanding professions, Camagu's knowledge and experience were almost nonfunctional in South Africa. For most jobs that he went looking for, he was overqualified. However, because he was not in the "elite" circle of the Aristocrats of the Revolution, he could not get into the jobs that would really allow him to make a difference. Discouraged by the rejection job after job, the discontent Camagu was ready to pack up his suit case and leave Africa once again. However, after an incidental meeting with the strange but beautiful NoRussia, Camagu begin his journey to Qolorha-by-the-sea, where he would hope that he can reunite with her. After his arrival, he learns the rich history of the momentous feud between the Believers and the Unbelievers, and the prophetess Nogqawuse "who deceived the amaXhosa nation" into famine and strife (p35). Subsequently, he finds himself intertwined with the grudge and livelihood of those who resides there.
The confrontation between the Believers and Unbelievers began when the prophetess Nogqawuse told the people of amaXhosa to slay all of their cattle for a new beautiful life awaits them. Although cattle slaying seem like a self-destructive idea, (which it consequently proved to be so regardless), the reasoning behind such request was logical for a lot of native Africans. When the Europeans brought over their cows that were infected with lungsickness, it plagued the African cows and caused devastating effects. Those who obeyed the prophecy and slain their cows became the Believers, and those who did not, became the Unbelievers. And because of this prophecy, the feud begins.
This prophecy drove ideologies, families, and friends apart. Sisters were against brothers, and mothers were against fathers. The disagreement branch out to other issues beyond the prophecy. The two twin brothers, Twin and Twin-Twin, was presented by the author to show how this prophecy can drive people apart regardless of how close they once were. When Twin became a Believer and Twin-Twin became an Unbeliever, the brothers broke apart. They each led their own mission in life to seek out their own destinies and fight against the others' ideologies.
Twin-twin was the original Unbeliever. He refused to slaughter his cattle when Nogqawuse gave the orders that the amaXhosa should destroy all their herds. He said the prophetess was a liar who had been sought by white people to destroy the black race. Today the village is full of Twin-Twin's progeny, because not many of his children died when famine attacked the land after Nogqawuse's prophecies failed (P62).

The Unbelievers thought the prophecy to be an absolute fraud. Because of this, unbelieving became a form of religion almost, as believing was. The main ideology behind the Unbelievers was that progress is necessary for prosperity to occur. The only way to do so was through the help of foreign investment and the building of a casino where it will provide jobs for the people. That way, there is a steady flow of income. In a conversation between Camagu and the leader of the Unbelievers, Bhonco, he discusses the Unbeliever's side with Camagu in regards to why building a Casino is beneficial for the people of Qolorha. "`We want developers to come and build the gambling city that will bring money to this community. That will bring modernity to our lives, and will rid us of our redness'" (p92). The redness discussed here, depicts the struggle and conflict of the African people that had endured over the centuries of colonial conquests, and the hardship that came with it.
"The Unbelievers are moving forward with the times. That is why they support the casino and the water-sports paradise that the developers want to build. The Unbelievers stand for civilization" (p71). A progressive and utilitarian view of the optimistic future is depicted here by the Unbelievers. Although the idea behind casino building and its economic benefits for the people may seem like a great idea, however, "it may not be the boon the Unbelievers think it will be" (p103). With the construction of casino building, "few men from the village, if any, will get the Jobs. Construction companies come with their own workers who have the necessary experience... Of course, a small number of jobs is better than no jobs at all. But if they are at the expense of the freedom to enjoy the sea and its bountiful harvests and the wood and the birds and the monkeys... then those few jobs are not really worth it" (p103). This rebuttal drives home the Believer's values and moral ethics to be more agreeable and sympathetic to accept. The author first seems to allow the readers to side with the Unbeliever's arguments. Ideally, this progress only seems logical and realistic for the future of Qolorha. Nevertheless, throughout different occasions in the novel, Mda reminds us time after time, that the social and moral consequences presented by the Believers in regards to the building of the casino, may not be as advantageous as it seems.
For the Believers, the failed prophecy is hindered on the shoulders of the Unbelievers as they were the once who didn't slay their cattle, causing the prophecy to fail. However, if the casino was to be built in Qolorha, Africans will have to adapt to the lifestyle of private property and ownership. This conflicts with the Africans who once knew the earth to be a collective bountiful garden of food. With the building of the casino, the sense of communal collectivity will be gone, and Africans would be forced to live with a foreign system of rules.
The rift between the Believers and Unbelievers is so deep, that even in communal events, if one group is attending, one can be sure that the other will not be there.
No one is ever invited to a village feast. When people hear there is a feast at someone's homestead, they go there to enjoy themselves... Everyone is welcome at a village feast. Indeed, it is considered sacrilege to stay away from your fellow man's feast. But none of the believers have come. The war of the Believers and Unbelievers has gone to that extent. They don't attend each other's feasts. They do attend each other's funerals... to make sure that the deceased is really dead. One less person to be irritated about. (p62)

This kind of conflict has deeply impacted the way many South Africans live. Often at times, the differences in religious beliefs can cause civil unrest and instability amongst communities. In this case, one can witness the degree of conflict that creates potential social problems, and prevent civil unity.
Another character in the novel that symbolically reciprocates the changing lifestyle of the South Africa is the store shop owner John Dalton. As a white decent and a Believer, he understood that in order to foster African culture in the globalize world of evolving demands, he must advocate environmental conservation in order to preserve the uniqueness of the amaXhosa nation.
However, one must not be fooled by this façade of his strong sense of conservationism and preservation of traditions (he did went to circumcision school). Dalton incorporates capitalistic marketing schemes into the cooperative cultural village that later served as a tourist attraction. These cooperative villages, resembles the very core of what African tradition is perceived to be by foreigners. For the Believers, the cooperative village turns tourist attraction to the Africans daily traditions, into a profit making tourist destination. As presented here, this was the Believer's way of preserving the beauty of Qolorha-by-the-sea.
Camagu learns that NoManage and NoVangelis are two formidable women who earn their living from what John Dalton calls cultural tourism. Their work is to display amasikothe customs and cultural practices of the amaXhosato the white people who are brought to their hut in dalton's four-wheel-drive bakkie, after he has taken them on various trails to Nongqawuse's Valley, the great lagoon, the shipwrecks, the rivers, and the gorges, and the ancient midens and cairns... All these shenanigans are performed by these women in their full isiXhosa traditional costume of the amahomba, which is cumbersome work when people want to look smart and beautiful... And the tourists pay good money for all this foolery. (p 96)

Although the cooperative village exaggerates the cultural meanings and execution of African traditions, it nevertheless preserved a sense of tradition that was necessary to make their adaptation to the outside world possible. Despised by the Unbelievers, the cooperative village was a success. Like Qolorha-by-the-sea, much of Africa is now an amalgamated culture of rich historic traditions tainted by globalization and capitalism.
The partial success of the novel comes from Mda's ability to manipulate the characters of the book and bringing them alive with vivid dramatization. "Qukezwa explains that they sell the best of their harvest to the Blue Flamingo Hotel, or to individual tourists... Those imbhaza and imbhatyisa that have not been bought, the women take home to their families. They fry them with onions and use them as relish to eat with maize porridge or samp" (p102). The little things that shape the way Africans live, to the errands and lifestyle that they lead, one can follow these imagery vividly and embrace the culture with open heart. From love triangle curses to street life, there are no better portrayal of the African culture than the detailed depictions of daily routines of the African women.
The feuding dogmas of the Unbelievers and Believers may never end. However, as these struggles continue, much of the transition both ideologies hinders on the evolving nation itself. What is left now is the unpredictable future. Both sides continue to be threatened and angered by each other for what has happened in the past, and what is to come in their future. Heart of Redness is a snapshot of the evolving Africa, trying to maintain a sense of tradition while at the same time, being exposed to the consequences of globalization. Thus, the byproduct of this concoction is a new cultural identity that embeds the past, present and future altogether.

The story intermingles two time frames: Both share the same family and Xhosa location on the shores of the Indian Ocean. One part tells the story of the British war against the native tribe in the mid-19th century - the war now known as the Zulu war. The other part deals with the present time.

Camugu comes from Johannesburg and tries to fit into the somewhat primitive village of Oorloha. He lands in the middle of the fight that has been going on for 150 years. In those days, the teenage prophetess Nongqawuse Told the tribe that all cattle had be killed and the harvest destroyed. Thus the tribe was split between Believers and Unbelievers, each group blaming the other for whatever went wrong. And so the verbal fighting goes back and forth.

Xhosa used to be a real tribe, but nowadays only the language survives as part of the Bantu languages. That accounts for the click sounds that are mentioned. The Zulu war did take place, of course, and the prophesy also happened. The story is interwoven with the local history.

The narrative has won prizes and has been called "brilliant' and loaded with genuine mythic power. Unfortunately, I can't see it that way. The story drags on and on without there being much of a concrete action. The two time periods are so intermingled as to confuse the reader who constantly has to check the names to place it correctly. Untranslated local words and expressions can be used to good effect, but here they are overdone. And the story itself is not new, not exciting, and utterly predictable.

Under the guise of telling the story of nine generations of women, the reader is subjected to one more male fantasy about the sexual life of women. The "heroine" and her female ancestors have no value other than their sexual use. Does a single woman in this book write anything? NO! Build anything? NO. Work for anything except a secondary role in society? NO! The main character is defined by her willingness to be used as a sexual release for Important Men and when she gets pregnant--within marriage--she opts for an abortion in a pique of selfishness and vengefulness. Her sister likewise represents stifling life by being a mass murderer--a role so far removed from reality as to be a further slap in the face to the life-affirming aspect of being female. Frankly, the book disgusted me. After one-third of the way through it I was able to predict which sexual fantasy would come next, window-dressed as "this is how women really are." Beneath a very thin patina of trying to "be female" the author reveals a scorn for women seldom encountered in contemporary writers. Don't waste your time--read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" instead.

I could hardly be able to have any breaks in reading before I was finished with the book! The same thing happened to me with Brink's "Devil's Valley". I really enjoy his stories!

Imaginings of Sand - André Brink

This beautifully crafted and sensitive book deals with many of the important issues which South Africans must now face in the post-apartheid era. The novel begins with the return of Kristien Muller to her dying grandmother's bedside. The grandmother is a wonderful character, full of enchantment, mischief, energy and most importantly stories. She is the keeper of stories about the family's history and origins, in particular the parallel histories and stories of the women in their family throughout the generations. This is part of the reason for Kristien's return, to receive the gift of stories and memory from her grandmother before the old woman dies. While the novel centres around the relationship between Kristien and her grandmother, Ouma Kristina, the novel is also a complex matrix of parallel and interconnected dialogues with the other characters in the novel, from the past and the present, which constantly interrupt and participate in the central dialogue. Brink deals with the themes of returning home, the re-imagining of the past in order to move forward, recognising roots and ancestry and their implications in the present and the exploration of the dynamics between history and story, the real and the imaginary, and fact and fiction. Brink captures the mood of South Africa on the eve of the elections very accurately, he portrays the heightened states of fear, cynicism and evil alongside the passion, hope, excitement and idealism with sensitivity and compassion, while still conveying a powerful warning to those who wish to thwart the much needed and inevitable transition to democracy. In Ouma Kristina's stories there is a distinctly African flavour, which can be linked to the rediscovery of African tradition in South Africa and the move away from Eurocentric ideologies. Ouma Kristina's stories combine Afrikaner legends and stories with those of the indigenous African people, the KhoiSan and in doing so Brink demonstrates how interconnected the histories of these two groups are, and there is perhaps the suggestion that in rediscovering a shared history lies the hope for conciliation and a better understanding of one another in the future. While this novel has many distinctly South African nuances to it, it should still appeal to a wide readership because apart from the sheer brilliance of Brink's story-telling, the broader themes that are dealt with are really universal in nature and effect most of us at some time in our lives.

This map provides a broad general overview of the country but lacked sufficient detail. The fact that it was laminated is a plus, but didn't make up for the fact that it lacked the detail I sought.

The map is large and easy to read--the lamination is helpful in keeping it in shape--too big for a driving reference, but good for a grand overview of So. Africa.

I found this map to be very usefull on my recent 3 week trip, driving aroung South Africa. This map gave route numbers, when the map the car rental company did not. Also, being nicely laminated - it still looks new after much use.

This Book provides an overview of nonviolent movements around the world.It shows how organised nonviolence action can be used as a weopan to bring democracy and to bring social chang. It begins from Africa,from 1919 revolution in Egypt against British occupation to Iranian revolution where opposition leader Khomeni called for non cooperation movement with shah'regime.It also covers nonviolent movements in Palestinian independence struggle against Israeli occupation. In Europe,Grassroots movement in Germany in 1972-1985 using nonviolent action to transform society.Then nonviolent struggle against communist regime in East Europe Hungary,Czekoslavekia,Romania and Baltic states. In Asia,it includes from Phillipines "people power revulution"against dictatorship to Thailand and Burmish revolution against military power. In Africa,nonviolence in anti-apartheid movement in south africa as well as struggle of Ogani people(a distinct ethnic community)of Nigeria for political and environmental rights. In Latin America it focusses on nonviolent struggle against violent oppression by military regimes and organisation of SEPRAJ and other church related institutions. Lastly,In America nonviolent civil rights movement carried out by Martin Luther King jr. It is a very good reference source .

Like all anthologies, this is a bit of a mixed bag, but overall it is strong. Even the weaker peices are OK. Some of the essays are just summaries of the history of nonviolent action in some geographical region. Sort of interesting, but I found those pieces to have too much information crammed into too little space. Fortunately, most of the articles are case studies of particular nonviolent campaigns or movements. Some of them are simply narratives--it's not clear what lessons are to be drawn. Most of these case studies analyze the movement or campaign in question in such a way that activists can draw some valuable lessons from them, although in some cases the lessons are left implicit instead of being spelled out, which is kind of annoying. These lessons include both ideas on the application of nonviolent tactics and examinations about how these tactics have diffused from one group or region to another. Finally, there are a few more theoretical pieces, including the conclusion by Zunes and Kurtz, which I thought was the best thing in the book. They critique much nonviolent theory as being overly voluntarist--focusing too much on what social activists do and not enough on how the social and political contexts they are operating create different opportunities and constraints. Zunes and Kurtz argue for a balanced approach that analyzes systems of power and tries to understand how nonviolent activists can best put pressure on them, which is going to differ immensely depending on the larger context. Zunes and Kurtz also examine why nonviolent tactics have increasingly come to be favored over armed struggle--but also the ways in which nonviolent activists have needed to continually innovate as governments have gotten wise and adopted effective means of diffusing the power of nonviolent activism (means that range from making it easy to get permits for marches to paramilitary death squads, depending on geographical region). Overall, this is a valuable source of information on nonviolent movements, what has worked and what hasn't.

This Book provides an overview of nonviolent movements around the world.It shows how organised nonviolence action can be used as a weopan to bring democracy and to bring social chang. It begins from Africa,from 1919 revolution in Egypt against British occupation to Iranian revolution where opposition leader Khomeni called for non cooperation movement with shah'regime.It also covers nonviolent movements in Palestinian independence struggle against Israeli occupation. In Europe,Grassroots movement in Germany in 1972-1985 using nonviolent action to transform society.Then nonviolent struggle against communist regime in East Europe Hungary,Czekoslavekia,Romania and Baltic states. In Asia,it includes from Phillipines "people power revulution"against dictatorship to Thailand and Burmish revolution against military power. In Africa,nonviolence in anti-apartheid movement in south africa as well as struggle of Ogani people(a distinct ethnic community)of Nigeria for political and environmental rights. In Latin America it focusses on nonviolent struggle against violent oppression by military regimes and organisation of SEPRAJ and other church related institutions. Lastly,In America nonviolent civil rights movement carried out by Martin Luther King jr. It is a very good reference source .

The Panama Canal (49 pages) by Elizabeth Mann is a well written book containing the very basic information about the canal. My disappointment is that the book was set in oversized type and every other page was an illustration. It was interesting and very easy reading. The book would be best suited for a pre-high school student.

The Panama Canal was an incredible triumph of engineering and the final move towards completion was a patently illegal action by U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer who had built the Suez Canal was attempting to build the canal across Panama, but the company that he headed eventually abandoned the project in disgrace. At that time, Panama was a state in Columbia and President Roosevelt tried to get the Columbians to sign a treaty ceding the rights to a canal to the United States. When he considered the conditions demanded by the Columbians to be too onerous, he supported a "rebellion" in Panama that led to independence from Columbia. A treaty was then signed and the Americans started work on the canal.
The problems that had to be overcome were substantial, and they are very well detailed in this book. The damming of the Chagres River to make the 164 square mile reservoir Gatun Lake was a stroke of genius as it created a large waterway and provided a source of water to run the locks. I was surprised to learn that there are only 12 locks in the canal. A lot of this is due to the enormous amount of earth that was moved to create the Culebra cut, a ditch 272 feet deep and wide enough for ocean-going ships to pass through. It also requires 52 million gallons of water for a ship to go through the canal.
However, the greatest single problem to be solved had nothing to do with moving earth. It was the battle against the jungle and the associated tropical diseases. All of this is explained in great detail, including the solutions to these problems. This is an excellent way for children to learn how the Panama Canal was created and I recommend it to everyone who teaches history to children.

The illustrations in this book are so good that I have offered it to my husband as a "ready made diary" of our trip to the Panama canal. The pictures capture all the beauty and the technological marvel of the canal. The book is an excellent visit in an armchair.

I enjoyed this book very much, but I'm finding myself viewing it as a guilty pleasure, in the same way I enjoy "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Tex Ritter's "Blood on the Saddle," and PDQ Bach--not great art, but a lot of fun. Courtenay is fluid, unsubtle writer, quite easy to follow, but he exploits his ability with a sentence to create almost non-stop action, much larger-than-life characterizations, and blatant moralizations. Such writing can be, of course, genuinely entertaining and can serve the purpose of bringing home lessons to a popular readng audience that they might otherwise ignore, but at the cost of avoiding the complexity of the social issues and the deeper horrors of policies like Apartheid. The ending, in particular, was a junior high school boy's fantasy and not the behavior of a bright, sophisticated, now mature young man who had been mentored by series of compassionate, thoughtful adults, and who had the presence of mind to remain in control of his emotions when he was attacked. Peekay, by that point in the book, should have been better than to end the fight as he did, or, at the very least, to admit his loss of control and some regret over the final act. The Peekay we had come to know in the book would have seen the Judge as the drunken loser he was, defeated him as efficiently as possible, and thereafter dismissed him.

The Power of One was a fantastic book. It held a lot of compelling moments while teaching us to never give up on our goals and dreams. It was exiting and I could not put the book down because it was to good. I can't wait to read Tandia as I want to know if Peekay can reach his dream. For Bryce Courtenay's first book it was better than I expected and I can't wait to read more of his books. I would reccomend this book to anybody who wants to achieve their dreams.

The Power of One by Bryce Courtney is a novel about a young white boy growing up in aparthied South Africa. At 500 slow but captivating pages, it took almost 5 hours to read. Like all books that I read, someone suggested it was a good read. It was well written. Pure recreation. Highly recommended for fun but the business lessons are few and you need to stretch a bit to get them.

One quote from the book (used in a boxing context) was "Lead first with your head then with your heart". Does that apply to business? Without the logic and head, there can be no heart.

Another good quote was "I was cultivating a habit of winning. Winning is a state of mind that embraces everything you do, so I found I won in other things as well.". This quote definitely applies to my life philosophy.

Francis offers his usual fare: The same protagonist with a new name; a plot of investigation, discovery, physical pain and mental exercises; a supporting cast of believable characters who act in supportable, self-interested, and logical ways. All of which is not to say anything bad; i love to read Francis, and do so when looking for a vicarious thrill and a light read. The protagonist in this one is Edward "Link" Lincoln, an action picture actor ~ the sort who might star in movies made of Francis' books ~ who goes to South Africa for a little off-set investigation. At least, he thinks that's why he's gone there; he's actually gone to be killed. In a post-Apartheid world the picture of South Africa is rather sweet; i would guess Francis had some coöperation from the government in return for his portrayal of the country.

This is one of my favorite all time Dick Francis novels. Link is a character you'll love and you'll loves to plot twists as fiction can become reality.

Smokescreen is one of those Dick Francis mysteries that take the reader to a country other than England. In this case, two countries, Spain and South Africa, are the sites of the action. The protagonist, Edward Lincoln, is an actor, in his thirties, and when the story opens, he's starring in a movie being made in Spain: Man in a Car. Talk about foreshadowing. But like most of Francis' heroes, "Linc" has lots of experience with horses. As a young man, he worked in a stable; in his early movie career he was a stuntman, specializing in horses.

Given his early experience, it is only natural that a good friend should ask Linc to go to South Africa and find out why her stable of horses is doing so badly in their races after promising beginnings. His friend, it turns out, is dying. The horses are to go to her nephew in her will. And she doesn't want to leave him the horses if they aren't any good.

Shortly after his arrival in Johannesburg, Linc is nearly injured in an accident. If it weren't for the fact that a female TV reporter was seriously injured, he could believe that the publicist for the movie distributor had staged it. The next accident proves that there's no joking around.

Francis' prose is always clean and direct. His characters are straight forward and believable. In the abridged edition, however, much is lost of the nuances of story that are always so enjoyable. If you like Francis, read or listen to the full version. It will be worth the extra time.