South Africa Books

I read this novel in the eighties, when the power of the white minority regime in South Africa was still at its height. From the perspective of a liberal outsider there seemed to be nothing that could be said in favour of these people - they were stuck somewhere in the Dark Ages where the rest of the world could not reach them. A Chain of Voices put a somewhat more complex slant on the whole issue, but because Brink is a liberal as well as an Afrikaaner, refused to give an inch where apartheid was concerned. He doesn't stereotype people as villains or victims, but nor does he make excuses for them. He examines the evil of the system from the comparative safety of the distant past - the novel is set sometime in the nineteenth century and is based on a slave rebellion in which a slave owner had been murdered. Each chapter is taken from the perspective of a different character, slaves and masters, and Brink never fails to draw the sympathy of the reader to whichever character is being explored at any one time. Reading this book taught me that no matter how brutalised someone is, no matter how unpleasant they seem, they still have the capacity for finer feelings. They can still fall in love, they never lose the capacity to be hurt by those closest to them. You may find that this leaves you with even fewer excuses for their behaviour than ever, but what it certainly does is to bring their experience closer to our own. Modern-day evils such as racism, sexism, homophobia and religious bigotry are no longer out there being practiced by people who are not like us. They are much closer to home and we share a responsibility for them and for eradicating them. The strong moral ethos of the book aside, it is also a gripping read - all 500+ pages of it, there is much lush description of the South African landscape and there is a beautiful many-layered love story that doesn't have a cliche in it. It made me cry. Enjoy!

Andre Brink is one of the leading lights of white South African literature, a writer with a strong commitment towards social justice in a country whose black majority until recently could not have a say in its daily life. His celebrated 'A dry white season' stands as a monument of indictment of the 'apartheid' regime by exploring its consequences in the social dynamics and psychology of a white South African schoolteacher who takes upon himself to find out the whereabouts of his gardener's son and, then, the gardener himself. Anybody interested in 'apartheid' South Africa and in Brink's ouvre of moral commitment should read that novel; it would definitely be an excellent introduction to both.

With 'A chain of voices', Brink explores the dynamics of another oppresive regime: slavery. It is evident, however, that what Brink does in this novel is to go back to the institution of slavery to explore 'apartheid' in a similar way to 'A dry white season'. And what he finds, again, is ugly. At many levels, Brink tells us that any oppresive regime corrupts all human relationships, and that it can even transform--in a Frankenstein-like fashion--victims into victimizers. Not only is white pitted against black, but also wife against husband, father against children, brother against brother, and friend against friend. Brink brilliantly accomplishes this feat by giving voice to those that are senselessly involved in the oppresive dynamics of slavery, in a true 'chain of voices'.

The novel is set in the early 1800s in the Western Cape, in the beautiful area around Tulbagh and Worcester. From the very beginning, we know that three white men (two masters and one schoolteacher) have been killed by a group of slaves in a small-scale rebellion. What the novel does so well is to go back through the forces that led to that ending. In the process, one finds that the oppressor oftentimes is not aware of his oppression, that he is not enterely evil in the naive way that he is almost always portrayed, and that, incredible as it might seem, there is human side to him. On the other hand, one also finds that those that are oppressed are forced to commit acts of cruelty, even against those they supposedly love, in an effort to assert some power. In the end, however, everybody, but particularly the male characters, is a victim and a victimizer.

Even though I enjoyed the novel, with its deep psychological analysis of the characters involved, I found that the language seems too modern and sometimes too sophisticated for the 1800s setting. Also, there is some repetitiveness, particularly in the sexual domination of women. Despite this, I thoroughly recommend this novel to anyone interested in Brink's novels and the psychological consequences of oppressive regimes.

I am satisfied! Am pleased to have received my order in a timely fashion.

Shows how gender, race and space have a crucial impact on economic and social relations in business. She lays out why its imperative that one does not discount these factors

This is a brillant book, writen in a way that captivates anyones attentions towards the subject of the Stone Age in Southern Africa. An essential to your collection.

Archaeology has conclusively documented through the discovery of fossil remains of early humans that Africa is the cradle of homosapiens. Human Beginnings In South Africa: Uncovering The Secrets Of The Stone Age surveys 150 years of archaeological research that depicts the progress of paleolithic and neolithic humans, piecing together the evidence showing that the roots of South African society stretch back into the very beginnings of the stone age. Highly recommended for students of archaeology as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in human origins, Human Beginnings In South Africa presents an up-to-date text that is enhanced with black and white photography, maps and diagrams.

If you love hunting and Africa this is the book for you. It is all hunting. There is somethings about the people. A little about his guns, but he went on to become one of the greatest African hunters ever. The great game reserve of Tanzania is named for him. I loved this book. It is direct and to the point, hunting, hunting and more hunting. Read it and enjoy. thanks

If you are into reading about old time African hunters, this book is one you must have on your shelves. He was obviously a very tough man who lived a life full of adventure. If you read many other old time African hunters, you will find this book to complement others. Well worth buying.

Brilliantly, achingly rendered, a wonderful read. Spend some time with the Pifer family in South Africa in the 1930's and '40s. You'll come away with a love of these people and a deep affectionate knowledge of this vast and challenging country.

Inside all of us there is a compelling need to read something of our own history, something that is quaint and undiscovered. And it is here that the attraction of Innocents in Africa lies. It is a beautifully written book, about Drury Pifer's childhood growing up in Africa - the unique insight of an American family, unfettered by the conventions of British, German and Afrikaner society, trying to make their way in the world. The reader is easily transported back to Southern Africa of the 1930s and 40s, to Nigel, a dreary mining town near Johannesburg, and to the windswept desert beaches of South West Africa. It is a story of childhood memories, charmingly told, lyric sentences bringing alive a place whose history needs to be delved. But more than that, it also manages to pose the important questions of the day, in a delightfully apolitical but nevertheless pertinent manner. Most of all however, I will treasure this book because of what it records - an account of unchanging small-town life somewhere in Africa, where previously I only had my parents' oral anecdotes of their own childhood to rely on. When Pifer describes `Time in Oranjemund' as bearing `no relationship to whatever time has since become. A day then lasted a year, or a lifetime'...even I can relate. It is nostalgic. It is the poignant tale of a family's quest for a living in the mining towns of Southern Africa, based on their blind American optimism that ability will bring promotion. In Africa, the Pifer family would ultimately only find disappointment, and yet the author notes, `these would be our family's happiest few years, but how could we know that?'

I discovered the book accidentally, read it, and was delighted. I am now recommending it to everyone.

Having visited South Africa, I have become interested in all things African. This book covers a lot of regions in pictures, and I am pleased with its presence on my coffee table. It makes me want to see even more of Africa.

This book and the companion North and East volume are extraordinarily beautiful and offer images of a rich array of African homes -- traditional, contemporary and intermingled. The photography is excellent and offers images of architecture, art, landscapes and lives. Highly recommended.

I just finished reading this book for the third...fourth...fifth? time and still find it wonderful. I probably first encountered it at the age of 10, and now in middle age I find it just as enjoyable. Waldeck interweaves the story of Sur-Dah the lion, the village of Kaweyo, and various events on the veldt wonderfully, really putting the reader right in the middle of the action. I have already read his Jamba the Elephant and look forward to reading his other titles as well. A breezy read that is great for the youngster and all the young at heart. Enjoy!

This is an enjoyable book, if a bit of an anachronism. Dont allow yourself to be PC'ed into not enjoying it. Waldeck had an interesting life and I find his writing style enjoyable, even though, like I said, it is a bit dated. "Treks across the Veldt" is also very good, but "The White Panther" is head and shoulders above anything Waldeck has written. Unfortunately, all these books are going to cost you 40 bucks or so. "The White Panther" is especially costly and hard to find. I got lucky and was the sole bidder for a copy on Ebay and so I did Ok. The other books can be sometimes be found at a more reasonable price. Most likely, if these books were not an integral part of your childhood you wont want to pay so much for them, but if you can find them at an OK price you should enjoy adding them to your library.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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