A Rainbow in the Night: The Tumultuous Birth of South Africa
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"Publishing in English for the first time, an eminently readable account of the human story of modern Africa, by the author of The City of Joy. The 100th anniversary of the country's union is celebrated in 2010 and it is hosting the World Cup of course."
--The Bookseller, December 2009
--The Bookseller, December 2009
Product Description
Now for the first time in English, this international bestseller - telling the tragic and heroic story South Africa - is published as the Rainbow Nation hits the headlines once again. April 6, 1652. A boatload of Dutch gardeners disembarks at the southernmost tip of Africa. Their mission: to grow vegetables that would prevent the sailors of the powerful Dutch East India Company from succumbing to the scurvy that threatened to decimate their fleet. Dispatched to fulfill a strict mission, these men were instructed to turn their backs to the continent, and have no ambitions of colonial conquest. Yet the settlers, and the immigrants who would join them later, soon defied not only the will of their patrons in Amsterdam, but the land itself - inhabited by savage animals, disease-carrying insects, and of course, native people - to penetrate to the heart of the continent. They would write the first chapter in the history of a nation that did not yet exist - South Africa. Convinced by their strict Calvinist faith that they were among the 'Elect', chosen by God to rule over the world, these first colonists would, over time, take on the black tribes, fortune-hunters in search of diamonds and gold, and the scarlet-clad regiments of Queen Victoria. Their saga, bloody, ferocious, and fervent, would culminate three centuries later in one of the greatest tragedies in history - the establishment of apartheid, the racist regime in which a white minority would subjugate and victimize millions of blacks, which only ended with the liberation from prison of one of the moral giants of our time, Nelson Mandela. Lapierre spent three years researching in order to write the chronicle of these men and women - famous and obscure, white and black, European and African - who have, with their blood and tears, brought to life the South Africa that is today known as the 'Rainbow Nation'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
We are going to live in South Africa soon and I wanted to read up on the history before going. The great thing about this book is that it does help you to understand why apartheid was introduced, it does give you the background to the feeling of supremacy and it also is a fantastic read. I want to know more now......
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is among the best I have ever read. An extremely interesting insight into the interminable struggle for freedom in South Africa. I couldn't believe the extremes that white people were (and probably still are) prepared to go in order to assert their "superiority". An excellent fast moving and riveting read, difficult to put down.
Format:Hardcover
It is not much use learning history if we do not also feel the sensation and emotions of the protagonists at the time they enter history. For this reason, it is never easy writing history. Detailed academic accounts tend to be cold and uninspiring. On the other hand, the ones that sensationalize are often inaccurate. Dominique Lapierre's account covers almost four centuries of the history of South Africa - from the time Van Riebeeck landed there to grow lettuce to the handing over of the reigns of power by de Klerk to Mandela. In a fast moving, yet seamless account he showed that man's oppressive nature can be contained and overcome only by the spirit of man. This book is probably the best for the reader who has heard about apartheid but does not know how it started or how it ended, and more importantly, what went on under its policies. This book is for the reader who has heard about Nelson Mandela but is not sure why this man is great. This book is for the reader who believes that the human spirit is strong but not am not quite sure how strong it can be.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fascinating read
I knew very little about the history of South Africa, but this book gave me an insight into the evolution of this country in a clear and concise way. Read more
Published 21 months ago by F. Vignon
Intense and brilliantly written
A deep insight in the history of South Africa. Lapierre has the talent of making history easily readable and enjoyable. Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2010 by Chiara Garzoni
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