South Africa Books

For such a serious and possibly-dry subject, this is an interesting book, and it's full of fascinating information. It opened my eyes to how differently these seven countries (and probably every country) handle reproductive rights and practices, based on their unique social evolutions. One of the surprising things is how backward the United States is in most of these areas. The most progressive is Denmark where 80-some percent of all teens use birth control the first time they have sex! What an improved society we would have if we could get to that place. Easy to read!

This book covers South Africa's return to international cricket after 21 years of isolation. Colin Bryden follows the team through it's ground-breaking tour of India, their jubilation and exasperation in the World Cup, and their harsh learning experience in the Caribbean. It is well written, and will captivate the reader to share in the agony and ecstacy shared by those cricketers during this time

In this thorough and readable study, Daniel C. Littlefield examines the African heritage of rice cultivation in colonial South Carolina. Littlefield discusses the choices rice planters made in securing workers from certain African regions; he also discusses the knowledge these Africans brought to the plantation economy. Littlefield argues that expertise in rice cultivation mostly came to South Carolina from Africa. Rice was grown by the Malagasy, the people of Madagascar, and by many peoples of Upper Guinea (a region encompassing the modern nations of Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia). South Carolina planters, in fact, paid the highest prices for workers from Senegambia (the environs of the Senegal and Gambia rivers), a major center of rice cultivation in Africa. Littlefield argues that, throughout the era of the slave trade, South Carolina merchants and planters showed an increasingly sophisticated knowledge of African regions and ethnic groups. He also asserts that not only African labor, but African expertise helped generate the wealth of the opulent Carolina Lowcountry. This work should prove interesting to those interested in African-American history, Southern history, and colonial American demography. Particularly intriguing is Littlefield's research based on the newspaper advertisements for runaway slaves in South Carolina. That portion of the work includes a list of different African ethnic groups present in South Carolina.

I often peruse the sport fishing and hydrographic table offerings of large, so-called "brick and mortar" stores, in search of rare environmental biology books centered on our merry friends, the crustaceans, but more often than not (I won't lie, I've never found ONE) I come away empty-handed. Thanks to the broadcast net (no pun intended) of Amazon, I have found this ode to the metabiological analysis of the dreaded and oft-maligned rock lobster of 1978-81. For it was in these years that the general populace was being bombarded with messages that aquatic fauna are to be feared: witness such pabulum as "Jaws," "Jaws 2," and "Pirrhana."[sic] Now, the specie'Jasus Lalandii, as I discovered by thumbing the briney pages of this tome, is more a danger to sea urchins and plankton than it is to the average beach-goer and pleasure boater. This is one tough lobster, and the book makes me want to almost be a rock lobster. My interest in rock lobsters is sometimes jested at by the simple-minded, who can't believe it to be more than a twisted fascination with some pop ditty by the B42's, but I assure you, one read of this book and you'll have a new appreciation for our salty friend, as well. Highly recommended.

As anyone who has ever read of Rorke's Drift or seen The Great Movie, the events of January 1879 in Natal bear regular retelling, and for the purists no detail is without significance. This short summary of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift is expertly handled and contains some details of the battles and their brave participants which are to be treasured.

No writer of fiction could evoke more drama, tragedy, heroism or humanity than that surrounding the fearless Zulu Impis and the 24th Regiment of Foot. Readers will find that Michael Glover has put it all in a nutshell.

Any scholar of this inspiring battle will welcome Bancroft's meticulous account of events. Accurate descriptions rendered in a moment-by-moment narrative style transport the imaginative reader to the very scene of this chaotic fight.

I realize that this description may appear somewhat breathless but it's rare for any credentialed historian to inform as well as excite.

All of the movements of key defenders are carefully tracked and described in detail. This volume also contains many rare photos. The final chapter provides a detailed biography and photo portrait of many of the surviving British soldiers involved with interesting descriptions of their later lives.

Simply fascinating and likely to be the most satisfying account you will ever read of this amazing epic.

When you listen to this music you can not help but being uplifted to higher regions. All worries will disappear and a higher reality will appear- yes even if you do not believe in higher realties.

A highly practical guide, informative and entertaining to read, sadly out-of-date now because of Zimbabwe's changed situation. But despite the current petrol crisis tour companies are still operating and well managaged, hotels still giving the renowned Zimbabwe welcome despite food shortages -- e.g. sustaining English breakfasts and local wines for dinner. It was an invaluable companion to an archeological trip to the stunning eastern higlands, indispensible in finding the way around Harare, with useful potted histories for most rural locations.

On the eve of the Soweto riots, a wealthy white South African looks back on his troubled and troubling past.

Martin Mynhardt, a highly successful business and Afrikaans Nationalist, returns to the family farm one weekend to arrange its sale to the government - a corrupt deal that will lead to a financial killing.

The weekend becomes a nightmare. Martin's closenst friend, a brilliant, idealistic lawyer, is sentenced to prison for his anti-apartheid "terrorist" activities - in part because Martin refuses to help him. Martin's son, recently returned from the Angolan war, is in silent revolt against the values of his father and his nation. Martin's mistress, Bea, an intelligent, strong-willed woman who offers Martin the hope of redemption through her own capacity for empathy, is also caught up in the gathering political storm.
--- from book's back cover

Running Towards Us presents new writings from South Africa from both established and new writers, revealing new subjects and concerns from writers who are now beyond the focus on apartheid. How does one define history and plan for the future? This turns to accepted masters of South African literature and new voices to consider changed themes and perceptions.