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 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!

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.

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.

"Just one more time" are the words uttered by my two year old after we finish reading about "Kwela Jamela African Queen". Jamela's Dress is a unique representation of the simple joys in a child's life and how imagination can sometimes lead to trouble. Niki Daly's illustrations are a brilliant use of color that not only are appealing to the eye but also represent that of the African culture. This is definately a story that ties in a silly sence of children's adventure with a mother-daughter bond and cultural richness.

"I first saw this book in my book club magazine, I became really interested in it because I wanted a book that my daughters could enjoy. So I got it, and I loved it and then they did. One cannot help but love "Kwela Jamela, The African Queen" Basically, it is about a young girl who takes some cloth that her mother bought for a dress, and she marches up and down the streets with it only to find out that it became soiled and damaged. Despite that, the ending will leave a smile on yours and your kid's faces. I don't only see this as a ethnic book, the theme is universal and something that any child can relate to.

This is a vivid account of the interactions between a very unusual young Englishman, Adrian Boshier, and a culture basically unchanged since it was first described over a century ago by Livingston and Selous. It is a true story of Boshier's struggle with himself and survival in a dangerous land, and of the search, seemingly directed at times by supernatural events, that lead, before his death at age thirty-nine, to discoveries that have helped both rewrite Stone Age history and give us a poetic insight into the dignity of the Stone Age mind. It is the story of an adventure of the human spirit... of a man, magic and culture of the real Africa. I cannot remember when I have so enjoyed or felt bound to the fate of an individual more than in this beautifully written story.

The Lightning Bird has remained my very favorite book of all times. It captures how very different indeed the African mind and perspective is from our Western one. Beautifully written, this book is a must on African afishionados book shelf.

The Middle of Somewhere by Sheila Gordon is a fascinating story about apartheid, the system that kept whites and blacks apart. The book shows the determination and bravery of a young black South African girl's struggle to save her village. Nine year old Rebecca is terrified that bulldozers might come and demolish her house to build a village for white people. As Rebecca copes with her fears, her best friend moves away. That's when Rebecca's family joins the fight to save her village. The Middle of Somewhere illustrates how people in South Africa lived during apartheid. I recommend this book because it teaches an important lesson about life and people's attitudes about other people who are different. The lesson is that being prejudiced against other people is wrong. Also, this book is continuously suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat because something breathtaking was always happening. The author really makes apartheid come alive for the reader. Although the Middle of Somewhere is a moving story, it is not very long. However, the book has enough detail to draw you in. I am glad the author didn't use a lot of descriptive African words because I don't understand the local language. The Middle of Somewhereis a captivating story about apartheid, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this subject.

The book introduces the reader to the very serious issue of South African Apartheid while still conveying the authentic emotions of the characters in the story. Most remarkable is how the reader is immersed in the story and in the perspective of a nine-year old girl. The author makes the reader both sympathize and empathize with the sadness, confusion, and loneliness that Rebecca feels throughout the story. Also noteworthy is that Gordon does not answer every question that the reader may have which encourages further reading and research in the subject.

More children's books should be written about this very important and contemporary issue, since there are still issues about racial inequality in South Africa even after the alledged end of the Apartheid.

A great story for ages ten and up.

The writer does an excellent job filling in the background of apartheid and the actions of the South African government in the early 1900's and the 1950's when the most reprehensible government policies were created. The descriptions of the country's jails and Mandela's stay at Robbin Island makes you ill but increase your respect for Mandela and all other political prisoners. Meredith also does a good job describing the sulkiness of De Klerk and his disappointment at not being recognized equally as Mandela for ending apartheid...maybe if he had been in prison for 29 years...

So intersting to read.he is confident in his words.I recommand this book to any people that are idealizied

This book piece by piece debunks the myrhs surounding the Rhodesian war and sociaty.

Itshould be made compulsory reading for all the ex Rhodesian when-we's who live around the world today.

If only some body would write a book this good debunking the myth of Mugabes noble freedom fighters

"Rhodesians Never Die" is a comprehensive history of the European population that ruled pre-independence Zimbabwe. This book takes a cynical view of Rhodesia's struggle to maintain minority rule amid increasing outside and internal pressures.

Godwin and Hancock put together an amazing amount of information in this work that includes even the smallest detail. "Rhodesians Never Die" chronicles every event, argument, article and demographic affecting Rhodesia for more than a decade.

The only drawback to this exhaustive work is its critical view of Ian Smith and Rhodesia's so called 'way of life'. Reading this book I got the impression that the authors arrived with preconceived conclusions about Rhodesia that weren't supported by their arguments. This could be due in part to the fact that this book does not relate Rhodesians to international influences or to the black population. I would liked to have seen a more classical argument and counter-argument to Rhodesia's problems.

Nonetheless, those who read this book will be greatly surprised to see how moderately the authors portray Rhodesia's Prime Minister. Even though 'Old Smithy' is not shown favorably, he wasn't the extremist as he is so often labelled. That role was played by other segments of Rhodesia's political spectrum.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read Peter Godwin's "Mukiwa" or would like to learn more about the politics of southern Africa. This book was well worth the wait.

Basil Davidson was a pioneering Africanist when the study of Africa, or at least from the perspective of Africans, was unfashionable even laughed at. This English socialist was on the front-line for over 50 years and nothing can take that away from him. This book is a selection of his writings and a good intro to Davidson. However, there are a few dissappointments. His prediction of what was to happen in SA was out (OK, predictions are a dangerous game). What really dissappointed me was his support for people like Bernal and Diop whose work has been exposed as inaccurate and wrong. This reluctance to "face facts" when it comes to the bad side of Africa means that Davidson exhibits an almost naive optimism in Africa that just doesn't square with happened/is happening. Nonetheless, Davidson was a great Africanist and this book should be read.

There is so much more to Africa than ever makes it to the news and the school books. This book is a survey of Davidson's main interests: Africa's rich pre-colonial history, the manufacture of the ideology of racism by European intellectuals to justify the atrocity of the Atlantic slave trade, and the courage and success of African freedom fighters against staggering odds.

Mrs Bessie Head's work reflects her quick adaptation with the Ngwato circles. Born in Petermaritzburg, South Africa in 1936 she came to Serowe as an exile in 1963 and lived among the Bangwato. In her books she interviews the eminent personalities of Serowe. The tittle Village or raqinwind may not only talk about the prevailing climatic condition as dictated by the geographic location but may represent the many upsurps Serowe has transformed.

Serowe was Established in 1902 by King Khama III. It is the third large Ngwato Capital after Shoshong which was deserted in 1889 for Palapye. Even before Khama moved his capital to Serowe he habited the area as one of his cattleposts. During the dispute with his father Sekgoma and Kgamane in the 1870s Khama moved with his followers to Serowe just temporarily.

When Palapye capital proved to be a drier land, Khama led his tribe on another nomadic expedition just 25 miles west towards the Manonnye Streams. There he enjoyed relative tranquility surrounded by Swaneng hills.

The "rain-wind" of Serowe continued after Khama's death in 1925. He was suceeded briefly by his once prodigal son Sekgoma II who died in 1925. Tshekedi, Sekgoma's half brother ascended the throne as a regent for Sekgoma's minor son Seretse in 1926. A legalistic strategist Tshekedi transformed the Bangwato nation into a modern nation. Among his major achievements was the construction of the first College in the country, Moeng. Throughout his reign Tshekedi was faced with three major battles, his royal relatives, the South African government and his British overlords. He fought tooth and nail against the incorporation of High Commission Territories into the Union of South Africa. He presented the Namibian question to the U.N.

Tshekedi's reign came to an end during a dispute with his nephew Seretse over his marriage to a white woman. He went on exile to Rametsana and later top Pilikwe taking with him a section of loyals. After his death in 1959, whaat he fought and worked for got destroyed.

Seretse Khama, Sekgoma's son and Tshekedi's nephew became the first president of the Republic of Botswana in 1966. His son and Heir was installed as paramount Chief of Bamangwato in 1979. He was then the the Deputy Commander of Armed Forces. He rose to being Commander and is now the the fourth Vice President.

Serowe has bred many Educationalists and Entrepreneurs.

This book changed the way I saw Africa. It's one of those rare books you come upon that makes you a better citizen of the world. If you haven't read it yet, read it and then read MARU also by B.Head. Serowe is a difficult book to hunt down but it's well worth it.

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.