South Africa Books

Very well and detailed written ,this book gives you an insight on the enslaved Muslims in America then no other Book that I have read so far.
It gives you an insight on the situation in Africa (Political and economical )at the time when slavery started and contiued.Reasons why their own country man where selling each other tribal conflicts and religious differences.
It is not a book that is written like a tale it will most likely take you some time to finish reading it.

This book has brought tears to my eyes as well as joy. This book should be read by all people especially the African American and Caribbean people who have African descent. We must honor our ancestors struggle for freedom. When we honor them we bring honor to ourselves. As African people we will never be free until we free our minds. No one will be free until he knows himself and the history of his ancestors and all those who came before them. Knowledge of self is the key to true freedom. This book is a very courageous book that is full of lost but not forgotten history of the Enslaved Africans in the Americas. May God bless the author, Sylviane A. Diouf and all those who seek wisdom and knowledge for the sake of freedom, Justice and world peace.

Diouf's "Servants of Allah" is one of the few highly researched and well written accounts of the West African Muslims history in the context of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

This book, in my opinion is an undeniable truth in the face of the few so called "afrikan-centered scholars" (very well known, btw) who blindly and blatantly bash and reject the religion of Islam and its African adherents, not realizing, or wanting to fully realize the pivotal impact of the Black African Muslims during the enslavement period.

In fact the Muslims of Songhay, Mali, Hausaland, Senegambia, Guinea Coast, etc... who were ripped away from their thriving African homelands and brought to the Americas under the cloak of European Christianity were the valiant masterminds of the major slave revolts including the jihads ("holy wars")waged in Brazil (Bahia), Louisiana, Haiti (yes the infamous Haitian Revolution was lead by Macandal, who was a sufi muslim leader).

However what is most striking are the Diouf's researched writings into some of the Muslims themselves, true Afrikan warriors like Job ben Solomon (A Wolof prince who was proficient in 5 languages including Arabic, and returned to Africa after only 3 years of enslavement in the New World), Ibrihim Abd ar-Rahman, who was able to write an entire autobiography in Arabic of his experience in chattel slavery.

For the sake of brevity, I must conclude by giving a tremendous BRAVO! for sister Diouf's powerhouse book, and I could not recommend this book enough!

Peace brothers and sisters!
Karamou Alifaa Fatafindou

This is an excellent piece of writing and deserves to be read by anyone interested in the history of the Transantlatic Slavery and the implantation of Islam in the Americas.

This is a significant study that suffers, however, from insufficient knowledge of Islam.

This spiritual/religious based book is presented differently than Gandhi, Tolstoy, and other philosophers that I have read. This book is more rooted in the events of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, a board that Desmond Tutu headed after apartheid ended. The goal of this board was to grant amnesty to individuals and to learn of the travesties that occurred during apartheid. Tutu spends time to talk about the reasons and purpose of the board while lending several chapters to discuss several of the eye-witness reports and events described while heading the committee.

After he sets up the purpose and ideals behind the board along with some of the testimony from individuals, he then begins to dive into his dialogue about what these events mean and how they relate to his overall conclusion of "No Future Without Forgiveness." This book did two great things for me: First, it introduced me to apartheid, something I have not read too much about. Tutu described the conditions not only pre-apartheid, but after Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa and other related events. Second, I was able to see him unfold his spiritual plan of how the country was to move forward after so many years of people being dehumanized and a huge social structure changing.

It was the combination of the historical and philosophical elements that made this book special to me. I highly recommend it.

This book is a remarkable insider's account of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) by a truly amazing individual. The book is much more than a summary of the historic event. Desmond Tutu deftly defends the argument that forgiveness and restorative justice are better strategies than retributive justice and offers the hope of similar applications to other historical and current conflicts.

The two primary benefits of restorative justice are: (1) the truth will be drawn out by the possibility of amnesty which will provide closure for victims and transparency to ensure we are not condemned to repeat it, and (2) forgoing retributive justice will break the chain of blows and promote reconciliation between the parties that have to continue living with each other. There are also multiple practical concerns. The restorative justice process allows the TRC to shift the burden of proof from the prosecution to the amnesty applicant drastically reducing the cost, time, and resources required by the government. Finally, having come to power through a negotiated political process as opposed to a military victory it would be more difficult for the government to impose a Nuremberg style retributive process.

To prevent the moral hazard of bad precedents, Desmond Tutu categorically states that this is an ad-hoc process (a one-time deal) and multiple stringent conditions must be met to grant amnesty, (1) the offense had to be politically motivated and occur during a specified time frame, and (2) the applicant had to be found to be completely open and honest and demonstrate full accountability for his or her actions. Ethically, some critics may contest the commission's right to speak for the victims in providing amnesty. The author counters this by highlighting the fact that the commission members had been directly involved and lived through the struggles. He also states his belief that victims (whether alive or not) are never freed from the captivity of grief and anger until they are able to forgive and reconcile their perpetrators.

This book is nice and concise as well as clear. It could have benefited from additional historical information surrounding Apartheid to provide additional context. Nelson Mandela's autobiography (Long Walk to Freedom) is a fantastic in that regard and is well worth the read and provides a great background for this text.

Per ad hype, I anticipated something similar to the writings of Gahndi or Tolstoy on comparable topics. However, this is more a biopic overview of the remarkable work of Mandela with 'notes and commentary' by Tutu. While the Mandela process of forgiveness, in the face of unimaginable atrocities, is very much worth one's study and incorporation, that's not why I bought the book. Desmond does not believe forgiveness is possible w/o perpetrator public confession and request for forgiveness. What happens to a victim's future when the perpetrator[s] is dead, unavailable or unwilling? The relevance of this treatise for us garden-variety souls in a benign democracy is missing.

Bishop Tutu chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission whose task it was to give voice to the victims of apartheid and to foster reconciliation between the races in South Africa following the transfer of power there. It's a quick read, which details atrocities committed during apartheid and eloquently discusses how both the blacks and whites were victims of this intrinsically evil system.

It's a book written from the heart of a man who understands that revenge offers no hope to society. There are brief references comparing the South Africa "success story" to other troubled spots in the world where revenge killing has gone on for generations. The title says it all, "No Future Without Forgiveness". An interesting read that's worth the time.

I was fascinated by the courage and foresight of the South African people regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Archbishop Tutu's account was very readable yet profound in the truth he was trying to explicate: revenge and retaliation do not heal; they create bigger divisions between the victim and the perpetrator. I think he clearing illustrates how forgiveness is the harder, but ultimately saner, route.

This is a compelling story, but it's full of inference and excessively fluffy. From a historian's perspective Huffman does not have enough evidence to be legitimate. If you're looking for a real history of either Mississippi or West Africa (my two areas of expertise) look elsewhere.

A 20th century Missisipian explores how the actions of a few slaveholders before the Civil war have affected modern history. A very good read.

Huffman takes readers through quite a journey as he gives the history of abolitionists in Mississippi and the ultimate return of blacks to Africa. His story is fascinating and I simply couldn't put down the book until I read every page.

What a great story. This book covers so many subjects in a complete and interesting way. There is the detective story of the slaves of Prospect Hill Plantation and their lives, a story of the current state of affairs in southern Mississippi and finally a gripping account of modern day Liberia and its turbulent history. Just a great story that I wished would go on longer.

Alan Huffman's book on the history of a group of freed slaves, their journey back to Africa and the modern story of Liberia is important and very interesting. Huffman gives us (1) a view of life and history that formed our society and culture in Mississippi, (2) provides an overview of Liberia's history and our connection to it (a chapter of US history that is seldom mentioned ... I never heard of Liberia and the US role in its founding before arriving in West Africa in 1978), and (3) shows that Faulkner was right in saying that the past continues to impact us.

In 1978 I went to Guinea Bissau,West Africa, to work on a USAID (foreign aid) program in the country's rice growing region. It was there that I heard, for the first time, of a group of freed slaves returning to Africa and establishing a country, Liberia, in 1821 with it's capital named after the fifth US president James Monroe. By 1838, 20,000 American blacks (ex-slaves and freed men --- including the slave group from Jefferson County that was the subject of his research) made up the population of the Colonization Society and Liberia. Today the descendants of these settlers make up about 5 percent of Liberia's population. This elite group dominated the political and economic sectors for more that 150 years. A backlash against this group in 1980 by descendants of local tribesmen caused the chaos that grips modern day Liberia. It's important to me and you today because of the potential links that states in chaos have to terrorist groups (Huffman talks of the potential laundering of Al Queda money through diamond sales in Liberia and the attempt to use the country as a conduit for the purchase of illegal arms --- including stinger missles).

Huffman brings the reader full circle and gives interesting details of his research and the people he meets along the way. He also provides details on our Mississippi history about slave and slaveholder interaction and the cultural values it imprinted on our society. I also liked the tidbits of history like the origin of Alcorn State University (evolving from a school for the sons of plantation owners to the first land grant college in the United States). This is a good book that I highly recommend.

This is an absolutely incredible book about the story of AIDs in South Africa. Never before has the AIDs crisis been made so real to the reader. The story is focused around hero Nkosi Johnson's short life and legacy. Jim Wooten did a wonderful job of conveying the emotion and struggle of this conflict which is the greatest enemy of Africa today. Whoever gave this book two stars for not saying Wooten got across the emotion, must not have a pulse. I highly recommend this book for your own good of exposure to the AIDs crisis. There is something for all of us to learn from this story.

The book was initially purchased and discussed as a part of my participation in a book club. I purchased three more copies and sent them to friends knowing they would enjoy this book as I did.

It is a very touching book and I would recommend it to everyone. I received the book in a little over a week and it was in perfect condition.

My name is Sewon, and I am a freshman in high school. In one of my classes, I had to read a book, We Are All The Same by Jim Wooten. The cover of the book tempted me at first because it was a real story and the comments of other people were praiseful. Although I had a hard time reading this book at first because several chapters such as chapter 1 and 2 were really boring, it was a really good book to read, overall. To briefly describe the book, this book represents the life of Gail Johnson and Nkosi. Gail is a woman who adopts a boy from South Africa, a segregated country, who is living with AIDS. This book shows many important qualities that we must have in life, such as courage and equality. Since this is a real story, this is more interesting and realistic. While I was reading this book, I felt as though I was part of the book. The strength of this book is that the book is not that long. The readers may become bored when the book is too long. a majority of pages tells of life's teachings while using very eloquent language. I really think this is the best book for any of the teenagers who are interested in reading the book! I really enjoyed reading the book and I strongly recommend it for teenagers.

Loved this book. I learned so much about the history (and present) of South Africa. And what it was like for a real person to live through it. Addressing issues from both sides and through three generations. This story was definitely told by someone passionate about the subject and emotionally involved with the characters--in a good way. I am so thankfuls that someone has told Nkosi's story and the story of South Africa. It is pretty even and doesn't shy away from the flaws of its heroes or the truth of the times. Very well told, a must read to anyone who wants to consider themselves educated and interested in international matters. The AIDS crisis isn't something anyone can ignore anymore and this book really brings it home. Also, just a great story.

The book not only features the story told by Donald Woods but has extensive court interviews with Biko showing his true ideas that scared the racist government of South Africa so much that they had him killed.

Excellent book.

This is much more than a simple biography of Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness movement in South Africa and one of the seminal figures in the anti-apartheid movement, it is an insider's look and condemnation of the System. Though Biko died young and apartheid has faded into memories for most people who had the misfortune of living in it, his is an excellent example of the horroific prejudices to which people, even in these enlightened times, can be subjected. This book uses incredible detail and many essential sources to tell a lively, powerful, and important story. I watched Cry Freedom several years ago and was inspired tolearn more about the subject, and I would recommend the same path, because the movie really brings the characters and issues to life. I would caution people who only want to learn the basics about the history of apartheid or Biko, that this is a very indepth and detailed book, that can be difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the subjects, so I might recommend a slightly more elementary book for a first experience.

Woods wrote this book to show the world how desperate the need for change was in south Africa. There is a vast seperation between the black natives and the whites in south africa, up until recently the country lived under a currupt white goverment which did not allow blacks to live in white towns as anything other then slaves, forcd them into awful getto which had awful living conditions, taught them in school only what they needed to know to serve the whites, and constently terrorised their neighborhoods. Steve Biko stood up peicefully, not demanding radical change, but understanding that he must change what has happened to his people. Black Contiousness was his approch. He wanted the natives of south africa to learn their own history at school and not the whites, he wanted them to have pride in themselves and understand their own humanity. Steve Biko was band and very liking killed for saying this. Blacks who stood up in South Africa always seemed to die in police custodity one way or another. After his death Woods was inspired to write this book, he was band in South Africa and risked his life to escape the country with his book. This is a must read for anyone who is not educated about the hardships of South Africa or Africa as a whole.

The number one element stopping Blacks today is the absence of consciousness and the Orisha Biko exudes that. His essays are honest and concise and he gives you a glimpse of what South Africa was like and the resistance by him and a number of other Africans. Blacks have to be leading the league in terms of 'liberation literature' but it doesn't matter because they don't read and when they do it's not material like this. Hence, the situation remains.

Despite the dramatic shift in the political climate of South Africa since his death, Biko's words and beliefs are every bit as relevant today. His Black Consciousness movement was as much a political force against apartheid as it was an indictment of self-inflicted notions of inferiority. This book powerfully tells the story of Biko's life, his beliefs and the circumstances of living in banishment in South Africa. In the absence of any physical memorial for Biko, this book is a powerful rememberance to a man who should not be forgotten, and a tribute to an author who bravely brought us Biko's story.

Is blood thicker than, well ..... diamonds! Wilbur Smith, writing in 1971, explores the rivalry between an estranged foster-child and heir to the Van Der Byl diamond fortune and his rival "brother" Benedict. Throw in the love of a woman and whammo you gotta adventure novel.

"The Diamond Hunters", while not Smith's best novel, is nevertheless a fantastic read. As Smith's has matured over the years his novels have become a bit more tedious. Not so with Hunters.

"The Diamond Hunters" comes right at you from the first page. There is action, adventure, love and scenery.

Just about every Wilbur Smith novel is good. This one will not disappoint you. It is fun, fast and entertaining. Well worth your time...

Densel Myers
Yukon, Oklahoma

I am sorry the books were a gift but the recepent gives great reviews and wishes to have more from that auther'

Wilbur Smith just proves how good he is this is a must read book with characteristics of betrayal and loyalty coming into the fray.The ending was not finished strongly but never the less another work of art by Wilbur Smith

This novel was written over 30 years ago. It is not as polished as his newer books but it contains all the elements that make Smith one of the masters of action and adventure. Exotic locale, unforgettable characters and a prose that takes you `there'.

Let Wilbur take you to a trip to Africa, you will be coming back for more.

I have seen Wilbur Smith novels on the bookshelves for years but for one reason or another none of them had ever really piqued my interest, but while browsing in an airport bookstore looking for something to read on a long flight I picked this one up and as I began to read I found that my flight was too short. I didn't want to be interrupted for something as trivial as changing flights. I intend to read more Wilbur Smith in the near future.

The way Smith builds the story of Johnny Lance being an outcast and the way that he discovers the truth about his childhood and the animosity that builds between him and his foster brother Benedict Van der Byle makes for a spellbinding read. Smith's descriptions of the African landscape and exotic locations are well written without being over-done. When he describes Thunderbolt and Suicide you can smell the salt air and see the foamy spray shooting skyward and hear the crashing of the huge waves against the unyielding rock formations.

Like all fiction stories this one is not for everyone, but if you enjoy action/adventure, emphasis on action you will find this a very enjoyable read.

Beverly Naidoo, the author of No Turning Back was born in Johannesburg South Africa 1943. She won a Newberry award and she has written many books such as Journey to Jo'Burg and Chain of Fire. In No Turning Back Sipho runs away from home to escape from his stepfather's horrible abuse. He meets a gang and he follows them around the city learning the ways to survive on the street. Sipho has to endure cold harsh nights sleeping on the freezing hard ground with an empty stomach. I think that this book is very interesting because the author wrote about her hometown and therefore she understands the setting. It also is interesting because it teaches people how other people live in poor countries, and why some children run away from home. It is also interesting because the main character goes though lots of trouble with drunk people, homeless people and police officers. The book No Turning Back is a good book because it is very exciting and action packed, I recommend this amazing book.

The author of No Turning back is Beverly Naidoo. She was born in Johannesburg South Africa in 1943. Her involvement with the anti-apartheid led her to be imprisoned in solitary confinement at age 21.
The main idea in the book is this 12 year old boy named Sipho that ran away from home because his stepfather abused him. When he was on the streets he joined a gang of homeless kids and ran into problems like being hungry, losing clothes and running away from strangers. My opinion on the book No Turning Back is that is a good thriller and it really develops the main character. The only thing I don't like about the book is the ending. I liked it because it was a thriller I couldn't put it down.

Beverley Naidoo was born in Johannesburg South Africa which is where the book takes place. She won a newberry award for the book Journey to Jo'burg. In No Turning Back, a 12 year old boy named Sipho runs away from his family after being abused by his stepfather in Johannesburg. He was homeless so he decided to join a gang. The gang went through many things like getting thrown in a lake and homeless people stealing their hideout. I like most of this book because it is action packed and there's a lot of events in this book. It's also not boring to read because all of the parts of the book are very interesting like the part where the gang got thrown into the lake at night. The book is also exciting because it has a lot of emotion in it. Even when the book gets to a part where it's calm, something suddenly will happen making it interesting. I recommend this book for people that like action packed adventures.

This is a novel about a boy in South Africa who runs away from home because of his abusive stepfather. In the beginning it is about the boy's life on the streets and his adventures with the Malude. This part of the book is interesting and exciting, but the second half of the book gets boring, because he starts to live with a family, just like a regular kid. Overall I thought that this book was not that interesting, and I would not recomend it.

Beverley Naidoo is an award winning author. Her book No Turning Back is exceptional. The story takes place in South Africa in the early 1990s, where a young black African boy of twelve years named Sipho makes a decision to leave home to avoid further abuse from his violent stepfather. Sipho makes his way to the streets of Johannesburg. Survival on the streets is sometimes just as hard and cruel as life with his stepfather. Learning who you can trust, hunger and cold nights are a few of the problems Sipho faces.
The author in my opinion touches base on many issues including homeless street children, drugs, racism and a country on the verge of change. The book shows many examples on how the South African's rose to support Nelson Mandela and his views of restructuring a troubled nation. The books realism gives readers a chance to become familiar with life in South Africa. Sipho struggles are those of everyday people in this region of the world. I would recommend this book as one not to pass over. You can follow Sipho from being alone, threw new friendships and his hopes for a better tomorrow.

Every now and then my life gets so jumbled, or my hormones rise or fall and depression sets in, and I just need a rousing good laugh. That's when I pick up this book. It has never failed to at least amuse or, more often, to induce a tears-in-my-eyes unrestrained laughing fit. While this can be disconcerting to co-workers in nearby cubicles, it nevertheless works wonders for my sour moods.

Totally loony in a restrained British (or in this case, South African) manner, this tale of apartheid, fetishism, gender role swapping, gigantic firearms and novocaine in the mythical South African town of Piemburg is quite simply a hoot.

That it works better than Prozac as a mood leveler (Fair warning-- I'm not a psychiatrist, I just play one on Amazon!) is a wonderful bonus.

This is political farce with a vengeance. The back jacket on the paperback says this book is not a political book in any imagined sense of that term and that's essentially true. The author's position on the old South African regime is pretty clear from the word "go" but it never dampens the fun.

The book is so over the top that its characters come off as cardboard cutouts of a caricature--yet, somehow, Sharpe still finds a way to imbue them with enough connective personality that we are drawn into the farce willingly. The book is extremely funny--I laughed out loud at least twenty times. It is a rather crude undertaking--but then again, so was the old South Africa, and this books achieves the unique aspect of being extremely sexually explicit while never actually rendering an actual sex scene--not for want of trying on the "heroines" part.

All in all a lot of fun is the crudity and explicitness don't put you off. If that's the case, seek humor elsewhere.

I enjoyed it enough that I have ordered another couple of Sharpe's books to see if they are as good. I have high hopes on that score.

This decidedly intemperate dark jewel has been criticized for, among other things, being short on a coherent logical plot. Fair enough. And saturated with unsympathetic characters. Point taken. So what? If you can find a better written rant of absurd, politically incorrect, howlingly hilarious black (as in motif, not ethnic) humor by all means set Riotous Assembly aside and go with your more entertaining discovery, and be so kind as to post its name here so that we may all partake.

Compared to Riotous Assembly, Mel Brooks' best sounds like a grim Savonarola tract.

In many respects, apartheid South Africa provides a great setting for farces and satirical novels. Tom Sharpe ably exploits the possibilities in this tale involving an interracial affair, a bishop who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a murder investigation by irredeemably dumb and racist Afrikaner policemen.
Parts of Riotous assembly are very funny and Sharpe maintains the hectic pace of the narrative throughout. But in the end, I was disappointed with this book. My dissatisfaction had nothing to do with being an Afrikaner or with an aversion to dark humour. Carl Hiaasen is one of my favourite authors, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie version of Sharpe's Wilt. My problem was with the characters, who seemed to have no personalities whatsoever beyond the stereotypes they represent. To truly enjoy a book (even a farce), I have to develop an interest in or establish some kind of rapport with the characters, and in the case of Riotous assembly this never happened.

If you're ever in the mood for a hugely over-the-top farce about apartheid-era South Africa, well, this is the book for you. Sharpe spent a decade there before being deported as a subversive, and after reading this unrestrained comic pummeling of the RSA, one can only wonder why it took the authorities so long to give him the boot. Indeed authority is target number one in this fast-paced story set in the small city of Piemburg. It all starts when an elderly semi-aristocratic Englishwoman calls the police to report that she's shot her Zulu cook. Refusing police Kommandant van Heerden's best attempts to cover up the matter, she reveals that the cook was also her lover, which so appalls him that he immediately declares a state of emergency and mobilizes the entire police force. And so begins a massive comedy of errors, in which a "Kaffir-Killer" Konstabel Els plays a large role, as does the slimy Luitenant Veerkamp, and matters take a turn for the utterly bizarre, as rubber fetishes, bondage, a drunken bishop, porno films, cross dressing, and penile novocain injections are all introduced to the plot. As one might surmise from such a litany, the plot spins ever more wildly out of control until events come to a head at--appropriately enough--the insane asylum. All the antics are intermittently funny, and it's somewhat refreshing to see the horrors of apartheid treated with rather less than the usual gravitas. Worth a read if you've got a special interest in South Africa or a soft spot for broad farce, otherwise not all that noteworthy

This book was very interesting and very easy too read. My only advice is DO NOT CHOOSE THIS BOOK FOR A RESEARCH PAPER!!! I found it close to impossible to find critical analysis on this book. I enjoyed the story though.

Alan Paton masterfully scripts a young man's descent into a sin that in segregated South Africa was the worst of all sins. Paton writes the narrative from the main character's (Pieter's) Aunt perspective and splices in first person narratives from Pieter's perspective. The Aunt is something of an all-knowing narrator with some limitations.

The novel sort of begins by revealing the conclusion that is also apparent from the novel's description or cover--that the white Lt. commits this grave act. It builds and builds to the final climax of total personal destruction and familial destruction. Paradoxically, there are hints of some type of liberation within the main character that are not really elaborated enough to be more than just hints.

Paton includes much foreshadowing and foreboding leading up to the final act. So it is not a surprise what happens; although, the enormity and devestating effects are.

What Paton has geniusly accomplished in the novel is the absurdity of the lives so many lead that appear moral, noble and successful but are hiding both depravity and suffering. His insights into the relationships and observations of people are a great lesson on male and female souls.

This is disturbing to read but worth it; although the feelings and thoughts I was left with were quite different than I had after reading Cry, the Beloved Country though just as profound.

Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays

A wonderful, wonderful, beautifully written book. It portrays with compassion, grace and understanding, the state of aparteid in South Africa.

In 10th grade I had to read two books for Global studies and one book for english. For one of my Global books I picked "Too Late The Phalarope". It was a good book, so good in fact that I read it in one day during a car trip. I found the book to be a bit confusing because of the writing style but the plot of the story is what kept me reading. I enjoyed the book so much I will not mind having to go through it a second time so I can take notes on it! This is one book I will look forward to reading again, even if it is just to take notes!

Until I read "Too Late the Phalarope," I could not imagine a novel richer and more rewarding than "Cry, the Beloved Country." Alan Paton obviously loved South Africa. In "Cry" he wrote of the wretched lives and condition of the black South African. But he imagined a better world through the lives of his major characters.

In "Too Late the Phalarope," published in 1953, five years after "Cry," Paton shows exactly how apartheid negatively affected whites, as well. Instead of murder the central crime in this novel is immorality. Yes, crime. It was on record, meaning against the law, for a white man to have sexual relations with a black South African.

The main character, Pieter van Vlaanderen, taller, stronger, smarter, and more successful than the average Afrikaaner, has a secret sin, a secret guilt: He is attracted to Stephanie, a black South Afrikaaner. What sets Pieter apart from others is his record as a war hero, an efficient lieutenant in the police force, and a celebrated soccer player from his region.

It is not a spoiler if I tell you that Pieter will be destroyed and the family ruined when Pieter is accused of immorality, then proven guilty. One way Paton avoids any description of this ill-gotten pleasure is to have an innocent narrator tell the story. Pieter's aunt, an unmarried woman, never loved by a man, is the narrator. Pieter's journal fills in details the aunt could not know.

Paton raises all sorts of ethical questions in his novel. Can a wife drive a man to another woman if she is unwilling to participate fully in the marriage bed? Does a man develop a weak character, although hidden, because his father is cruel and withholds love? The main question raised several times is this: If God fully forgives, if God gives grace, why then can't the state in crimes such as this? Not only is Pieter ruined, but so is his family, although grace does come into effect in this.

I found "Too Late the Phalarope" (a Phalarope is a bird and no, I cannot explain its meaning in the title), a richer novel than "Cry." It needs an immediate second reading to capture those nuances that run all through the novel that may elude the reader on first reading. And those ethical questions. This is the kind of book that would make an excellent choice for discussion in a book club.

Great book, and web site that comes with book purchase is great too. Helps plan out a great trip to disney

I've been to Walt Disney World several times (5>10) and have used several guides over the years. However, none has come close to "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". It is by far the best guide I've used. It is complete with maps, touring plans (that can save you hours of standing in line for rides), and tips and tricks that are tried and true. Remember, it is a guide, and the suggestions are just that; but the suggestions are spot on every time. If you only have a couple of days or two weeks to spend at Disney, you'll get 10x your money's worth from this book in the amount of time and headaches it will save you. The book is incredibly thorough and addresses issues such as visiting WDW with children, newlywed/first-time visitors, or if it's your 50th anniversary... there's information specific to just about every age group or touring group size imaginable. Read it before you go. Take it with you into the park (there are pocket-sized pull-out guides in the back of the book), and make your own notes for future visits. There's also a supporting website with last minute changes and updates that keeps up with the Official WDW information. Personnaly, I don't think you can go wrong with this book. Highly recommended, especially for first-time visitors to WDW in Orlando FL.

This is a great book on Disney. We had one for 2007 when we went also and it listed everything we needed to know. There's actually so much info you need to skip over certain areas or you'd never get through the whole book. We also bought Birnbaums book which has less info but was easier to read and look at. This year they added some pictures which made the book nicer. I would recommend it if planning a trip to Disney.

I think this is a "must read" for someone visiting Disney World, particularly if you are not terribly familiar with Disney World. It includes both the good and bad and a lot of money saving tips. It is a nice (and large) book to have if you want to learn more than what the Disney folks tell you. It also provides a wealth of resources to get even more information. As an added bonus, it is rather fun to read. Definitely worth the money!

As the writer of Walt Disney World® with Disabilities I wanted to show my support for this fantastic guide book. I have to agree with every last thing Julie Neal, author of The Complete Walt Disney World said in her review. I also wanted to share some of the other things we love about this book.

As Julie pointed out, some may think that our book is in competition with the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. However we confidently recommend it in our book as an excellent adjunct to Walt Disney World with Disabilities. While Walt Disney World with Disabilities focuses on supporting those with minor to major health issues, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World includes a wealth of information that will support anyone planning a trip to Disney.

When planning our trips over the years we've always referred to the restaurant section for help with choosing our dining options. There are so many restaurants at Disney that it can be challenging to pick among them. This guide gives some great information you won't see anywhere else. For each restaurant you'll see service, quality, value and even friendliness rated. We find the Reader-Survey rating number to be particularly helpful. Readers give either a thumbs up or thumbs down rating for each restaurant. The rating gives you a sense of how many diners really enjoyed the experience and how many did not. We've found that these ratings tend to be consistent with our experiences.

I've got to say that I find the author's comments to sometimes be hilarious as well as informative. The reader comments have also been so helpful for us. I love that they show opposing opinions. One thing I've learned while authoring Walt Disney World with Disabilities is that there will be as many opinions as guests. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World does a great job at choosing comments that represent the majority of visitors. This approach is used for the attraction descriptions, and it really enhances the readers understanding of what they're actually getting into when they commit to a ride or show.

Concerning the accuracy of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, as a Disney World guide book writer I've learned several things. First, anything and everything at Disney can change in an instant. Since it's such a dynamic environment we find that even Disney can't keep up. The Disney staff and the Disney World information resources are often sharing outdated information. There are thousands and thousands of facts in The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, and the authors do an outstanding job of keeping as current as possible.

Overall, it's a well organized book, and one of our very favorite resources for planning a great trip to Disney World.