A great read that poses the difficult question: what ought to come first--one's children, or one's cause? Especially challenging when the cause is the end of apartheid. Gillian Slovo is bitter that she didn't have her parents because they were busy trying to free South Africa. Understandable from an individual point of view, but the contribution of the Slovos to the anti-apartheid movement was invaluable. I don't know the correct answer to the question, but I do know that this is a good and engaging tale.

This book is very well and sensitively written. It gives a very vivid picture of Ruth First and Joe Slovo, two very strong willed people who were dedicated to the anti apartheid struggle in the dark years of apartheid in the last 40 years before the first democratic elections in 1994.

Here we get a true picture of how ths couple had sacrificed their family life for what they had believed in and how this had effected their relationship with their eldest daughter (the author). One cannot help but empathize with the author who makes no bones about the neglect that her parents had towards her relationship with them and how she truly wanted to know more about her parents who were rather secretive towards her.

The book makes very exciting reading. My main criticism is that there is a tendency to jump backwards and forwards in the past. There seems to be a problem of continuity of style as passed anecdotes are retold at different stages in this biography.There is also a tendency to repetition. This tends to marr a rather good book which is recommended to all those who are interested in the history of the freedom struggle in South Africa.

This is a beautiful book, almost a coffee table type, yet it is also a scholarly work which involved enormous amounts of botanical field work. It's one deficiency in my opinion is a lack of adequate illustrative photographs. The color plates are impressive and of art quality but do not show the amount of variation within the genus nor what some species really look like. Otherwise a commendable effort.

Mr. van Jaarsveld has done all succulent lovers a great service by doing the botanical study and work necessary to present this modern taxonomic understanding of Gasterias.

This is a decent book because I love anthropology, ethnobotony, and learning about the Bushman. The beginning of this book was great, the author discusses how he and his group fall upon a thirsty group of Bushman. That part is great because it describes the interactions between the author and the Bushman. One of the author's mate on the trip, Dabe, a Bushman himself, also offers amazing commentary when they run into the Bushman.

However, in the middle, who knows what is going on. And the end was so confusing, but sorta okay. Van der Post discusses Bushman creation tales which are good in themselves because most books overlook the spiritual aspect of the Bushman--but the tales need more explanation--Van der Post talks over your head and says things don't need an explanation when they really do.

I would recommend reading 'Nisa, The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman' and 'The Harmless People' which both can be purchased online here!

Sir Laurens van der Post has a gift for story telling that we should all explore. The customs and myths of the Bushmen are simple, complex, spiritual, entertaining but always there is a lesson to be learned. This book will feed your mind and you will find yourself through Laurens' craft eager for more. If you have shut down your heart and your imagination, feel the beat of this book and get your pulse back.

In the Reagan years there were only two things about South Africa that radicals, liberals and conservatives would all agree upon without immediately hurling insults and solid objects at each other. First - Apartheid is a disgusting ideology, second - Undersecretary of state for Africa, Chester Crocker, is doing the wrong thing. The remarkable fact remains that this man stayed in office for eight years, he was with Reagan from start to finish. What exactly did he do to enrage the american public from left to right and get away with it for eight years? How come Reagan didn't part with him though Crocker was far from a die-hard Reaganaut? Part of the answer is to be found in this book. As undersecretary of state for Africa Chester Arthur Crocker was Reagans man in Africa from 1981-1989. Focusing on his late succes in negotiating a peace settlement in Namibia Dr. Crocker stubbornly refuses to reflect upon the failure of his brainchild, the concept of Constructive Engagement - a complex programme for US actions towards the Southern African region as a whole, aimed at speeding up the process of abolishing apartheid in South Africa. This makes the book most interesting for the things not included, that again means that you have to have an idea about what Crocker has excluded before the book becomes interesting, and this little chain of deductions leads us forward to the conclusion: This book is a must and not at all dull reading for students of US-African relations in the 80's. For everyone else it'll be a complete waste of time and money.

Dr. Crocker's lucid account of his eight-plus years as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs offers valuable insight into the complex world of foreign policymaking and diplomacy. His central achievement--and the focus of this book--is the Namibia-Angola peace process, an arduous series of events involving pariah states (Cuba and apartheid-era South Africa), guerrilla movements, ideologues and political opportunism. Crocker swam among these sharks for nearly a decade in order to produce the December 1988 agreements signed by Angola, Cuba and South Africa that resulted in the creation of an independent Namibia and the withdrawal of foreign forces from Namibia and Angola.

Crocker's memoir is a rich history of a transformative era in southern Africa, but it also contains two valuable lessons for today's policymakers. First, a well-designed long-run strategy can work if pursued consistently and vigorously. Crocker outlined the bargain behind the 1988 agreements as early as 1981: Cuban troops exit Angola, South Africans end support for Angolan rebels, independent Namibia created. Although this strategy took nearly a decade to come to fruition, its logic and the diplomacy behind it never wavered. With today's policymakers treating six months as long-term, this persistence was amazing. The second lesson that Crocker brings out is the particular importance of regional dynamics in Africa. Perhaps more than any area outside of the Balkans, African conflicts readily spill over borders and inflame neighboring countries. One need look no further than today's Congo to see that this is still the case. Crocker demonstrated that it is possible to get all the relevant players involved without losing control of the process, if the strategy is sound and well-implemented. This regional dynamic can also work in a positive direction, as the increased stability in Angola, Namibia and Mozambique provided South Africa with a less-threatening external environment in which to dismantle apartheid.

Crocker makes all of these points in his compelling and readable book. Highly recommended.

I spent a year in South Africa in 98/99. The SA guide wasnt available before I left and I really wish it was. I saw it through others who came over after I arrived and it had current info and stuff you wouldnt find inthe other guides. Lonley Planet is good to have but I've found that a good chunk of the info is out of date. I'm going back to the area in June and the first book I got was the most recent edition of Lets Go South Africa. If your headin to southern africa get the Lonely Planet BUT dont forget to leave without your copy of Lets Go SA, its a tool you cant do without.

I visited South Africa in May of 2000. I had the Let's Go 2000 South Africa book with me and it was like my bible. It explained customs and suggested the best places to visit. I also visited Namibia and Botswana and this book was a tremendous help. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone visiting South Africa...you'll love it. You'll need it!

I ACTUALLY HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK YET, BUT I DO INTEND TO PURCHASE IT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I SAW SINDIWE ON THE BOOK CHANNEL FOR THE HARLEM BOOK FAIR I BELIEVE, IT WAS ON VERY LATE SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING THE FACTS..I WAS CONCENTRATING ON REMEMBERING THE TITLE OF HER BOOK. AND I MUST SAY SHE WAS THE CUTEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN, VERY CHARISMATIC AND FULL OF BEAUTIFUL GLORIOUS LIGHT. HER FIESTYNESS AND HUGE LOVING EYES INSPIRED ME SOMEHOW WITHIN. HER PERSONALITY ALONE ENCOURAGED ME TO BUY THIS BOOK. I WILL WRITE A REVIEW ONCE I READ IT THOUGH :) THANK-YOU ;)

This book provides different accounts on the difficulty of being a woman during Apartheid. Many of the stories are of African women who served as servants (very low paying and often demeaning work) to the white families living in a South African society under Apartheid. A few chapters describe the difficulty of being a white woman as well, being treated as second class citizens from their husbands and men. Racial predjudice is the underlying theme and the struggle just to survive day to day life is described in great detail. Children are also represented in this book, the African children's lives were often no better then their parents. This book is easy to read and is a great way to learn more about society during Apartheid.

In looking at race it's necessary to get perspective. Travel opens up new vistas. We perceive ourselves one way, others around the world see things differently. What countries come to mind when you think about racism? South Africa definitely; but now that the country has majority rule, it's immediately less racist. Austria, Japan and Yugoslavia also come to mind, but they're not multiracial societies. That Anthony Marx has chosen to compare racial policy in Brazil, South Africa and the US, seems to confirm the widely held world view that the US is one of the most racist nations in the world. Is this true? What do these three nations have in common in their history of segregation?

Marx states that the US and South Africa practiced policies of segregation principally for the purpose of "state and nation building". He argues that in both cases the ruling white elite were faced with crises; problems of prosperity and national order. In South Africa, following the Boer War of 1899-1902 there was no chance of unity among Afrikaners and British settlers. In the US, the experience of Radical Reconstruction following the Civil War, was, for some, akin to rubbing salt into fresh wounds. Marx states that in order to achieve accomodation among whites, blacks were made scapegoats. It's not surprising then to learn that the 1870's were when the first Jim Crow laws were passed in the US and the early 1900's saw the first South African Apartheid acts.

Where does Brazil fit in? Marx says that racism is as prevalent there as it is here but it's characteristics are different. There is a pervasive preferrence for 'whiteness', seen in attempts to 'Europeanize' the country through encouragement of immigration from the continent. Brazil however did not institutionalize racism as South Africa and the US did; interracial marriages were never illegal in Brazil. Also, because of multiple color categories of Brazilian citizens there was no possibility of the emergence of rigid, 'caste-like', color classifications that developed here. South Africa had 'coloreds' but they were caught in political 'no-mans-land' in the battle between the bantu majority and white minority.

It's an interesting and thoroughly reasoned proposition that Marx developes and expounds on in his book. The comparisons between the US and South Africa are nothing new, but the addition of Brazil as a counterpoint to the others is rather unique.

Anthony Marx's comparative study on the construction of race in the United States, Brazil and South Africa is promising if one wants a general historical overview about how race was constructed in each setting. Marx emphasizes how each state, in its own process of state building, constructed racial/racist ideologies to unify the white power structure at the expense of Blacks. He explores the institutions of colonialism, slavery and apartheid to make his case. He also explores how the ideology of black nationalism emerged as unifying response among Blacks to resist white domination. The book is a good read, however his historical account is completely male biased. Marx fails to consider the role gender played in the construction of these racial ideologies. His account is state-centered, which effectively excludes other important social and political factors in the formation of race identity. This becomes painfully clear in the chapter on Black racial identity, mobilization and reform in the U.S. Also, Marx relies too heavily on secondary sources, which dampens the reliability of his analysis.

Victor Smith was a young man with an adventurous spirit when he flew across uncharted areas of Africa in the early 1930's. Today he would be calles irresponsible but he helped pioneer todays airline routes.

Victor flew in an era when modern day aviators with the romance of flying in their blood would love to have flown. It is a forgotten era but with Victors book the memory of those wonderful days lives on. Those wishing to persue aviation as a carreer or a hobby need to read this book as a background to appreciate the great courage of the airmen of that day, and the incredible advances in technology that have made flying what it is today. The book is in its second print and is available at exclusive books or direct from Vivienne at vivbw1@mweb.co.za Captain Wally Waldeck SA

Margot de Campion, a beautiful Huguenot orphan, lives in eighteenth century Holland with the Fabarez couple. The woman, Sylvie, treats Margot like a daughter, but Monsieur Fabarez is none too happy to have Margot in the house. After a tragic occurrence, Margot flees from the only home she has known for most of her life. She decides to travel on a ship. Through trials and triumphs, Margot is courageous and faithful to God.
After reaching Africa, Margot takes a cleaning job at the governor's mansion. There she meets Jan van der Kemp, who visits the mansion. She warns him about a man she previously knew and whom Jan's sister wants to marry, but he rebuffs her.
Then, Monsieur Fabarez arrives, seeking to destroy Margot on hideous charges. The governor does not believe Fabarez's claims, but due to Margot's previous "disruptive behavior," the governor sends Margot to work in a slave compound.
Through a series of exciting and heart-wrenching events, Margot and Jan are drawn closer together and closer to God.

I love all of Jack Cavanaugh's books, and this one was very interesting. I also liked how it a lot of it was from Margot's viewpoint, since I'm a girl. =o)

Now I may be a bit biased, because, not only do I personally know the author, but my name is in the dedication. However, let me say that I was pleasantly surprised. I do not often read Historical Fiction, not to mention Christian Historical Fiction, but The Pride and The Passion was excellent. The story was intriguing, the characters were engaging, and despite the historical context, Jack Cavanaugh managed to portray an highly racist period in history with compassion and insight. To anyone who loves history, adventure, or even just a good strong love story, this book comes highly recommended.

The descendants of the van der Kemps struggle against British control and warring tribes. Christiaan van der Kemp is a peacemaker, but few others share his views.
His daughter, Sina, has a big crush on the neighbor boy, Henry Klyn. Sina's good friend, Karel, advises her against pursuing the relationship with Henry. . . . And Sina advises Karel against the relationship he is pursuing with Deborah van Aardt. Karel and Sina, despite their differing opinions, have been friends for most of their lives.
Jama, a descendant of Ding (the van der Kemp's slave in the first book), is struggling to find his place among the Dutch Afrikaner, or Boers as they were commonly called. He doesn't feel accepted by anyone but the van der Kemps, and he longs to marry, but finds no one he can relate with. So, at the urgings of the Xhosa tribe king, Jama joins with their ranks.
After the Xhosas attack the Boers and leave the houses decimated, the van der Kemps, along with others, decide to leave South Africa and seek land by a peaceable arrangement with the Zulus. Through hardship and heartache, the van der Kemps are victorious only by the Lord.

It did start slowly, but I still found it interesting. Besides, the rest of the book more than makes up for it! There was one part I especially liked--the imagery was so gripping and vivid (and scary, particularly if you're reading it at night like I was), but I won't give it away. =)

I must say I was looking forward to this book by Jack Cavanaugh, after I had read the first book, The Pride and the Passion, which I highly recommend. I was a bit disappointed though, with the sequel, because it starts out slow, and is slow through half of the book. Then it picks up and is a good read, a page-turner, with more character development, and growing. Don't get me wrong, I liked this book, but gave it four stars for its slow start! By the end of the book, I was looking forward (again) to the next one.