10 used & new from £0.30

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa
 
 

Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa (Paperback)

by Allister Sparks (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


1 new from £102.95 9 used from £0.30

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

My Traitor's Heart

My Traitor's Heart

by Rian Malan
4.9 out of 5 stars (13)  £6.84
The Mind of South Africa

The Mind of South Africa

by Allister Haddon Sparks
Tomorrow is Another Country: Inside Story of South Africa's Negotiated Revolution

Tomorrow is Another Country: Inside Story of South Africa's Negotiated Revolution

by Allister Sparks
Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall

by Hilary Mantel
4.0 out of 5 stars (109)  £8.49
Citizen Kane [DVD] [1942]

Citizen Kane [DVD] [1942]

DVD ~ Orson Welles
4.2 out of 5 stars (25)  £4.38
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Profile Books Ltd (28 Aug 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1861973373
  • ISBN-13: 978-1861973375
  • Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 13.4 x 3.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 651,245 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Product Description

South Africa has undergone a revolution in 15 years which has been largely unnoticed. It has been transformed from an apartheid state cut off from the rest of the world into an open multi-racial democracy. It has been a peaceful transformation, almost without parallel in history anywhere in the world. Compared to Russia's change after communism it has been a triumph. But of course there have been problems: the AIDS pandemic that threatens all Africa's future, and in education, expectations have far exceeded the difficult reality. Crime is a horrible problem and the economy, now prey for the first time to globalisation and the whims of international investors is faltering. But it is one of the most vibrant and exciting places in the world, and a microcosm of the rest of the world: this is the multi-cultural society that Europe is becoming through immigration and this is a country where the impoverished poor meet the super-rich every day. This is an exceptional book by the greatest living commentator on South Africa.


About the Author

Allister Sparks is one of the most distinguished journalists and commentators in South Africa. He ranks with Donald Woods as one of the most courageous anti-apartheid campaigners and played a major part in the reform of the media after Mandela came to power. He is a visiting professor at universities in South Africa and the US. This is his third book.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

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)
 
thabo mbeki
south african history
apartheid

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa
89% buy the item featured on this page:
Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa 4.5 out of 5 stars (2)
Tomorrow is Another Country: Inside Story of South Africa's Negotiated Revolution
11% buy
Tomorrow is Another Country: Inside Story of South Africa's Negotiated Revolution

 

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Faith in the new South Africa, 12 Sep 2003
An informative and thought provoking review and discussion of the ten years of South African democracy, from the inauguration of Nelson Mandela through to the current issues of the day such as HIV/AIDS and Zimbabwe. The overall assessment is not a rose-tinted one, no-one will argue that South Africa has many serious issues to resolve that threaten the young democracy. At the same time, the progress that has been made, and indeed continues to be made every day, is cause for great hope in the future of our beautiful country. A highly readable book that South Africans and people with a keen interest in Africa will find particularly enjoyable.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Biased, but great, 10 Nov 2004
By Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
In this fascinating book, author and journalist Allister Sparks takes us inside South Africa, ten years after the miraculous end of Apartheid. Though many inside the African National Congress (ANC) expected that this would be the beginning of their "Happily Ever After," South Africa continues to face many challenges, many of which they did not expect. But, this is not a doom-and-gloom, pseudo-exposé of South Africa, instead it is a hopeful look at a country in transition - facing daunting problems, but moving towards a brighter tomorrow.

Now, what can I say about this book? First of all, I was quite saddened that the author brought along a bag full of biases to his analysis. He has an orthodox Leftist viewpoint which he spills out all over the book. For example, in his view all of South Africa's problems are either holdovers from the Apartheid era, or are caused by outside factors over which the ANC has no control.

But, if you bear in mind that the author is a journalist, rather than an objective sociologist, you can let yourself ignore his analysis, and get down to the real strength of the book - the author's penetrating report on the state of South Africa today. The author does an excellent job of looking at the political and social changes that are redefining South Africa, and explaining them in a clear and easy to read manner.

It is hard to find resources that discuss modern, post-Apartheid South Africa, but this is one that is really great! So, if you want to know what South Africa is like today, ten years after Apartheid, then this is a great book to start with.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject


Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.