South Africa Books

I used this book as basis for my LLB dissertation at the National University of Lesotho(1981-82)- Topic - THE LAW AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE DOMINANT CLASS. It was the first well researched book, I had read , written by a South African about what I call, the real history of South Africa . It is an objective account of the history of South Africa. I have not seen it on the book shelves or stores.The interesting feature is that ,information which was deliberately hidden from local readers,researchers and authors at that time, can now be brought to the fore to dispute various historical myths propagated by European Historians , that the colonisation of South Africa, and indeed of Africa, was about bringing the word of God or civilisation to this part of the world. It further exposes the fallacy that Europeans were not ,and are still not racist.Explorers like Jan Van Riebeck, who allegedly landed in the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, is recorded referring to Africans as "kaffirs" when reporting to his colonial masters about his escapades. I would recommend that this book be re-published and popularised in South Africa so that our young readers and historians could have a much more better understanding of the history of their country and be able deal with racism as we know it South Africa. It is a book that could be useful to all historians in South Africa when rewriting the history of our beloved motherland - It is a book that will give South Africans a better perspective of the Political History of the economy of the country.

This has got to be one of the most intriguing books I have ever read. If you are a World/Political History buff then this book is a must read. I would give it 10 stars out of five to this one!

An updated version of the book is now available. It contains photographs of Cape Town taken in late 1998. I live in Cape Town and I was impressed by the quality and beauty of the photographs in this book. I fell in love with Cape Town all over again. Worth looking at if you have any doubts of visiting this city.

Hierdie boek het pragtige voorbeelde van die meeste milletêre vliegtuie wat veral rondom die Tweede wêreldoorlog in die Suid-Afrikaanse lugruim te sien was. Sentreer hoofsaaklik rondom Ooslondon. Hierdie boek bevat van die realistieste skilderye wat ek nog ooit gesien het.

For anyone interested in getting a behind the scenes perspective of the changes and controversies in recent South African politics. Profiles are sympathetic, but always cut to the heart of the matter. Gevisser has an eye for his subjects' humanity as well as their flaws. Excellent.

This extraordinary collection of essays brings vividly to life the process of crafting the first constitution of post-apartheid South Africa. Writers include many participants in that careful process, as well as legal and constitutional scholars. What is described is a profoundly democratic process intended to capture the genuine will of a people who had been entirely disenfranchised, and now found their aspirations were to be reflected in a founding document. Strikingly, womens rights, economic security, and the protection of the environment receive the explicit protections missing in our own constitution. This book is essential reading for students of democracy, law, rights, and race.

Like the Kite Runner, this is a great come "full circle" book. Hard to put down. You will not be disappointed.

This novel, set more than a century ago in backwater South Africa, is the great grandfather of today's thrillers. Buchan, who perfected the form in "The 39 Steps" some years later, gives his young hero plenty to do in sussing out and confronting a massive uprising by tribesmen who wish to slaughter all the white settlers for a hundred miles around. The writing is smooth and the situations are generally believable, though modern readers will have to forgive Buchan for some racist sentiments completely common at the time. Both black and white characters are compellingly and sympathetically drawn, though, so there's no reason to apologize for the book. Read it and be taken back to another time and another place, and imagine how Hollywood would produce this today-- it feels totally contemporary in terms of its "Indiana Jones" adventure plot. Enjoy! (Note: This book is available in its entirety online.)

The most complete single volume account of an air force I've seen. At roughly 1, 000 pages, A Pride of Eagles fully documents the complete history of this small, but very resourceful air force from their beginning in 1920, through the "liberation War" of the 1970s and formation of the Zimbabwean Air Force. The author began work on this volume in 1969, and was given full access. The results show that the years were put to good use. The book provides very detailed aircraft, squadron and personnel histories covering Rhodesia's involvement in World War II, and the myriad "bush wars" in which they fought. Although never large, the Air Force of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) fought in almost every significant air action in which the United Kingdom fought from 1920 through the early 1960s; and further regional conflicts after Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the British Commonwealth. A Pride of Eagles fully documents the air force's role in the "liberation War" of the 1970s with details on both large and small actions, and how the air force evolved to the current Zimbabwean Air Force. The maps and photos are clear and plentiful. This book includes far too much to be covered in a brief review. A Pride of Eagles is a must for any World War II aviation enthusiast or those with an interest in Southern African history. The author - Beryl Salt, and Covos-Day publishers should be commended on this obvious labor of love.

The Prisoners of a Dream---The South African Mirage by Leo Raditsa spelled out accurately the South African situation long before the end of apartheid in the mid 90s. Americans to this day have not been told the actual situation in South Africa, now or in the past.

If Americans don't understand the influence of African tribalism they can't possibly know about South Africa. If Americans do not know the influence and the takeover of communism/socialism, the role of the South African Communist Party, the African National Congress, in South Africa, they can't understand the political events in South Africa. If Americans don't know about Mandela's writings found in Madela's hand extolling the virtues of communism, detailing plans for terrorism, explosives, and sabotage (p. 144)they can never understand what Mandela really represents. He represents government terror, comnfiscation of wealth, loss of freedom for all, and the usual murderous history of 20th century communism. Its now called freedom!!!

Raditsa documented it all in crushing detail in a regrettably tedious writing style. Short of a confirmatory trip to South Africa (which I have taken) this is an excellent, thorough, essential, and heavily referenced source of the true situation there.

Even better, Raditsa documented in Chapter 5 most of the Jeremiah Denton Senate Hearings in 1982 describing "The Role of the Soviet Union, Cuba, and East Germany in Fomenting Terrorism in Southern Africa".

Neither Raditsa's book nor the Denton Hearings have been covered to any degree since the hearings in 1982 or when Raditsa's book was published in 1989. The South African debate was a onesided debate supporting the communist takeover of South Africa.