- Hardcover: 701 pages
- Publisher: Overlook Press (24 Nov 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1590204107
- ISBN-13: 978-1590204108
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.2 x 5.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,228,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
South Africa's Brave New World
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'South Africa's Brave New World is both a tour de force and a tour de horizon of South Africa's uneven journey since 1994 and the ascent of the ANC to government. It is a tale, told with verve and in no-holds-barred style which lifts the lid on a range of topics which have been semi-buried by the miasma of political correctness which has engulfed the country since the advent of democracy. Parts of the tapestry which Johnson stitches with expertise and eloquence is variously inspirational, harrowing and even disturbing and shocking. The journey encompasses the pinnacles of high achievement and very often the precipices of low politics and skulduggery in high places. An essential contribution to South Africa's history-in-the-making.'
-- Tony Leon --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
-- Tony Leon --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Johnson names names and spells out amounts ... there are landmines scattered throughout ... not a comfortable wrap up'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What has to be recognised at the outset is that nothing in this book provides (or seeks to provide) an apologia for Apartheid. The demise of whites only rule in South Africa remains an inspriring chapter in the annals of human social development. However, much less inspring and detailed here, is South Africa's decline into a land mediocrity, corruption, low expectations, criminality absurdist political posturing and in-fighting. The character of Thabo Mbeki takes centre stage in this sorry tale: a man with chips on both shoulders, a hugely inflated sense of his own intellect and a paranoia that would brook no political opposition. That the ANC have discarded him can only be seen as positive and we can only hope that Zuma's new dispensation sees some return to the optimistic dreams of ninety-four.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am one of those thousands of health professionals who left South Africa and headed for the " Bright Shores " of England. This does not make me happy. Reading this thoroughly researched volume , I cannot classify it as anything but a blistering indictment on past and present ANC governments . I fear the future appears even more bleak .
You can feel the pain of the author as he describes , sometimes in exhaustive detail , the widespread incompetance , indifference , self serving egotism permeating through the land we love . I would be very curious to find out the reaction to this book in SA.
I feel nothing but sadness reading this book . The Beloved Country is no more .
You can feel the pain of the author as he describes , sometimes in exhaustive detail , the widespread incompetance , indifference , self serving egotism permeating through the land we love . I would be very curious to find out the reaction to this book in SA.
I feel nothing but sadness reading this book . The Beloved Country is no more .
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Johnson doesn't hold back in this book. It is the work of a sincere, anti-apartheid liberal who has grown profoundly frustrated at the mis-rule of the ANC. He analyses the ANC's failings in very great detail, at times perhaps too much detail for a non-South African reader unfamiliar with all the various actors. At times, the negativity can seem somewhat relentless and one occasionally wonders whether Johnson gives the ANC too little credit for South Africa's successes since 1994, most notably the relatively sensible economic policies of Trevor Manuel.
The book is most enlightening when analysing Thabo Mbeki's psychological make-up. Johnson outlines a disturbed, paranoid individual whose "colonial mindset" prevented him from confronting reality. Those puzzled by Mbeki's AIDS-denialism and refusal to confront Robert Mugabe will find their answers here.
The book is most enlightening when analysing Thabo Mbeki's psychological make-up. Johnson outlines a disturbed, paranoid individual whose "colonial mindset" prevented him from confronting reality. Those puzzled by Mbeki's AIDS-denialism and refusal to confront Robert Mugabe will find their answers here.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A book that answered all my questions!
This book not only answered my questions but it allowed me to see into the future of South Africa. This book is a "must read" for any South African who wants answers as to why... Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. Pretorius
South Africa's brave new world
It took me quite some time to read this book. The amount of detailed knowledge of the author relating to the recent developments in South Africa is absolutely amazing, I would say... Read more
Published 16 months ago by helmut
1994 and all that
The book is a coherent, relentless, instant history- nothing new if you have read the newspapers, no Wikileaks here, but with many references in support. Read more
Published 17 months ago by D. B. Tootill
A gripping read
A well-constructed book which dishes the dirt on the Mbeki regime.
You need to be at home with South African political acronyms (not all of which are in the glossary)
You need to be at home with South African political acronyms (not all of which are in the glossary)
Published 21 months ago by AndrewP
South Africa's Brave New World
So far extremely interesting and very well, punchily, written. I have not yet finished reading it.
Published on 19 Nov 2009 by Simon Alexander
Reality Check for Radicals
Of the brace of new books available on the new South Africa, only two or three are remarkabe for their insights and penetrating political analysis. Read more
Published on 18 July 2009 by Selim Yusuf Gool
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
