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Un arc-en-ciel dans la nuit
10 millions de lecteurs18 éditions internationales80 000 lettres de lecteurs enthousiastesUne presse mondiale unanimeUn arc-en-ciel dans la nuitLa naissance tumultueuse de l'Afrique du Sudracontée à travers les destins héroïques des fondateurs de la nation arc-en-ciel.Par l'auteur de La Cité de la joie
401 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
57 people are currently reading
1130 people want to read
About the author
Dominique Lapierre
74 books349 followersDominique Lapierre was born in Châtelaillon-Plage, Charente-Maritime, France. At the age of thirteen, he travelled to America with his father who was a diplomat (Consul General of France). He attended the Jesuit school in New Orleans and became a paper boy for the "New Orleans Item". He developed interests in travelling, writing and cars and later traveled across the United States as a young man.
In the early 1950s Lapierre was conscripted into the French army. After one year in a tank regiment, he was transferred to SHAPE headquarters to serve as an interpreter. There he met a young American Army corporal, Larry Collins, a Yale graduate and draftee. They became instant friends. When Collins was discharged he was offered a job with Procter & Gamble. Two days before reporting to work, the United Press offered him a job as caption writer at their Paris office, for much less money than offered by Procter & Gamble. Collins accepted the offer and was soon picked up by Newsweek to be their correspondent in the Middle East. When Lapierre was discharged, he found work as a reporter for the magazine Paris Match. Several years later they decided to join forces to tell a big story which would appeal to both French and anglophone audiences. Their first bestseller Is Paris Burning? sold close to ten million copies in thirty languages. In this book they mixed the modern technique of investigation journalism with the classical methods of historical research.
After that they spent four years in Jerusalem to reconstruct the birth of the State of Israel for the book O Jerusalem!. Lapierre is proud that after spending a great deal of time in Jerusalem he knows each alley, square, street, and building in the Holy City intimately.
Two of Lapierre's books – Is Paris Burning? (co-written with Larry Collins) and City of Joy – have been made into films. Lapierre and Collins wrote several other books together before Collins' death in 2005.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award in the 2008 Republic Day honors list.
In the early 1950s Lapierre was conscripted into the French army. After one year in a tank regiment, he was transferred to SHAPE headquarters to serve as an interpreter. There he met a young American Army corporal, Larry Collins, a Yale graduate and draftee. They became instant friends. When Collins was discharged he was offered a job with Procter & Gamble. Two days before reporting to work, the United Press offered him a job as caption writer at their Paris office, for much less money than offered by Procter & Gamble. Collins accepted the offer and was soon picked up by Newsweek to be their correspondent in the Middle East. When Lapierre was discharged, he found work as a reporter for the magazine Paris Match. Several years later they decided to join forces to tell a big story which would appeal to both French and anglophone audiences. Their first bestseller Is Paris Burning? sold close to ten million copies in thirty languages. In this book they mixed the modern technique of investigation journalism with the classical methods of historical research.
After that they spent four years in Jerusalem to reconstruct the birth of the State of Israel for the book O Jerusalem!. Lapierre is proud that after spending a great deal of time in Jerusalem he knows each alley, square, street, and building in the Holy City intimately.
Two of Lapierre's books – Is Paris Burning? (co-written with Larry Collins) and City of Joy – have been made into films. Lapierre and Collins wrote several other books together before Collins' death in 2005.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award in the 2008 Republic Day honors list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
January 29, 2017
Basically this is a history book where history of South Africa has been narrated in a very interesting way (from the Dutch conquest in 1652 to elections in 1994).Some points have been omitted like Namibia's independence and end of sporting boycott in1991(so I deducted one star).But all in all,Dominique Lapierre provides an interesting way to learn history.I think it is must read for those interested in history of apartheid.
April 24, 2013
This is an accessible history of South Africa written by a well-known French journalist. The history is more complex than I thought. I found myself sympathetic to the Dutch traders and farmers in the 17th and 18th centuries sought their fortune—and a quasi-religious calling—to settle what seemed to be a largely unpopulated region of southern Africa. After centuries of harrowing battles with Zulus, the British, other Dutchmen and natural disasters, these “Afrikaner” country bumpkins trek around this area bringing their own racialized Calvinism as an ideological shield. Asserting they are the true “South Africans” these scary bullies perceive the British, Asians, Indians, and certainly blacks, as interlopers and aliens. By 1948, after training in Nazi Germany, the white leaders create a totalitarian police state based on the Bible, white supremacy and a laughable, cruel race science. This is not the only book you should read about South Africa but it will serve as a compelling overview.
December 14, 2018
Molto interessante: mi ha fatto conoscere aspetti della storia del Sud Africa ignoti (a me ovviamente). La lettura è stata piacevole anche se in certi punti le digressioni rallentavano troppo; per riuscire ad apprezzarlo in pieno ho sempre dovuto ricordarmi che non era un libro di storia (come lo stesso autore scrive) ma, dato che non è possibile considerarlo semplicemente un romanzo, la mancanza di un'identità chiara è, secondo me, il principale punto di debolezza. In ogni caso lo consiglio a chi è interessato a conoscere meglio il Sud Africa.
July 16, 2025
Bellissimooooo!
Una scrittura scorrevole e appassionante anche per argomenti che possono risultare un po' tediosi. In fondo è proprio vero che chi sa scrivere bene potrebbe anche scriverti la lista della spesa o le istruzioni per avviare la lavatrice nel modo più interessante e creativo possibile.
Ormai quasi 20 anni fa, avevo letto e amato "La città della gioia" e "Più grandi dell'amore" e anche questo romanzo, che parte nel suo racconto dalla metà del 1600 fino agli anni '90 dei giorni nostri, è riuscito a coinvolgermi davvero.
Incredibile come tutto sia partito al tempo delle colonizzazioni per merito di alcuni personaggi olandesi mandati a piantare un po' di insalata in Sudafrica. 😅🙃
Dovevano rifornire le navi che andavano in oriente con la Compagnia delle indie olandesi per commerciare spezie per fare si che i naviganti potessero mangiare frutta e verdura fresca e allontanare così la minaccia dello scorbuto, alla fine si sono insediati pian piano e hanno fatto del Sudafrica la loro terra.
La lettura di queste pagine mi ha fatto pensare anche al conflitto Israele-Palestina, quando arriverà il momento in cui si arriverà ad un accordo? Quando sarà finito tutto quell'odio? Pensare che in Sudafrica ci sono voluti 341 anni prima che diventasse un paese libero da continue lotte razziali e idee di superiorità non mi ha per niente rincuorata e anzi, mi fa pensare che sarà ancora una faccenda lunghissima. 😢😔
Ad ogni modo, è stata una lettura che mi ha fatto fare un piacevole viaggio in questa, anche se a tratti molto triste, storia di scoperte e conquiste.
"Quattro secoli dopo, l'odore di miele e di canfora che emanano i polloni degli alberi dai lunghi fiori azzurrognoli, continua a diffondersi nella campagna a sud di Città del Capo, eco lontana del primo atto di segregazione razziale perpetrato dai bianchi a danno dei neri del Sudafrica."
"Nella loro incarnazione africana gli afrikaner parleranno una lingua africana. Sia maledetto per sempre l'inglese dei governanti di Città del Capo, siano maledetti l'olandese delle origini, il francese, il tedesco degli immigrati. Da ora e per sempre gli afrikaner parleranno la propria lingua, che si chiamerà afrikaans.
Questo incredibile miscuglio di olandese, di creolo portoghese, di francese e perfino di khoi e di malese diventa rapidamente il cemento della loro identità africana e il simbolo della loro indipendenza culturale."
"Coloro che applicano il sistema dell'apartheid inventano un altro simbolo per costringere i neri a riconoscere il proprio stato di subumani. Si tratta di un libretto di novantadue pagine di colore rosso o verde, che ogni cittadino di colore, uomo o donna, deve essere in grado di presentare a qualunque rappresentante dell'autorità, pena l' arresto immediato.
Il pass contiene perfino un attestato, che indica il luogo in cui il titolare potrà essere sepolto."
"Ho consacrato la mia vita intera alla lotta del popolo africano per la conquista dei suoi diritti, ho lottato contro la dominazione bianca e ho lottato contro la dominazione nera. Il mio ideale più caro è stato quello di una società libera e democratica nella quale tutti gli uomini vivono in armonia con le stesse opportunità. Spero di vivere abbastanza a lungo per realizzarlo. Ma se è necessario, sono pronto a morire per questo ideale"
"Trecentoquarantuno anni, un mese e diciannove giorni dopo che l'olandese Jan van Riebeeck è sbarcato sulla punta del Capo per lanciare i carri dei trekker bianchi verso il cuore dell'Africa australe, stabiliscono la data delle prime elezioni generali sudafricane. Sarà il 27 aprile 1994."
Una scrittura scorrevole e appassionante anche per argomenti che possono risultare un po' tediosi. In fondo è proprio vero che chi sa scrivere bene potrebbe anche scriverti la lista della spesa o le istruzioni per avviare la lavatrice nel modo più interessante e creativo possibile.
Ormai quasi 20 anni fa, avevo letto e amato "La città della gioia" e "Più grandi dell'amore" e anche questo romanzo, che parte nel suo racconto dalla metà del 1600 fino agli anni '90 dei giorni nostri, è riuscito a coinvolgermi davvero.
Incredibile come tutto sia partito al tempo delle colonizzazioni per merito di alcuni personaggi olandesi mandati a piantare un po' di insalata in Sudafrica. 😅🙃
Dovevano rifornire le navi che andavano in oriente con la Compagnia delle indie olandesi per commerciare spezie per fare si che i naviganti potessero mangiare frutta e verdura fresca e allontanare così la minaccia dello scorbuto, alla fine si sono insediati pian piano e hanno fatto del Sudafrica la loro terra.
La lettura di queste pagine mi ha fatto pensare anche al conflitto Israele-Palestina, quando arriverà il momento in cui si arriverà ad un accordo? Quando sarà finito tutto quell'odio? Pensare che in Sudafrica ci sono voluti 341 anni prima che diventasse un paese libero da continue lotte razziali e idee di superiorità non mi ha per niente rincuorata e anzi, mi fa pensare che sarà ancora una faccenda lunghissima. 😢😔
Ad ogni modo, è stata una lettura che mi ha fatto fare un piacevole viaggio in questa, anche se a tratti molto triste, storia di scoperte e conquiste.
"Quattro secoli dopo, l'odore di miele e di canfora che emanano i polloni degli alberi dai lunghi fiori azzurrognoli, continua a diffondersi nella campagna a sud di Città del Capo, eco lontana del primo atto di segregazione razziale perpetrato dai bianchi a danno dei neri del Sudafrica."
"Nella loro incarnazione africana gli afrikaner parleranno una lingua africana. Sia maledetto per sempre l'inglese dei governanti di Città del Capo, siano maledetti l'olandese delle origini, il francese, il tedesco degli immigrati. Da ora e per sempre gli afrikaner parleranno la propria lingua, che si chiamerà afrikaans.
Questo incredibile miscuglio di olandese, di creolo portoghese, di francese e perfino di khoi e di malese diventa rapidamente il cemento della loro identità africana e il simbolo della loro indipendenza culturale."
"Coloro che applicano il sistema dell'apartheid inventano un altro simbolo per costringere i neri a riconoscere il proprio stato di subumani. Si tratta di un libretto di novantadue pagine di colore rosso o verde, che ogni cittadino di colore, uomo o donna, deve essere in grado di presentare a qualunque rappresentante dell'autorità, pena l' arresto immediato.
Il pass contiene perfino un attestato, che indica il luogo in cui il titolare potrà essere sepolto."
"Ho consacrato la mia vita intera alla lotta del popolo africano per la conquista dei suoi diritti, ho lottato contro la dominazione bianca e ho lottato contro la dominazione nera. Il mio ideale più caro è stato quello di una società libera e democratica nella quale tutti gli uomini vivono in armonia con le stesse opportunità. Spero di vivere abbastanza a lungo per realizzarlo. Ma se è necessario, sono pronto a morire per questo ideale"
"Trecentoquarantuno anni, un mese e diciannove giorni dopo che l'olandese Jan van Riebeeck è sbarcato sulla punta del Capo per lanciare i carri dei trekker bianchi verso il cuore dell'Africa australe, stabiliscono la data delle prime elezioni generali sudafricane. Sarà il 27 aprile 1994."
January 6, 2014
I don't know how to explain this book in a word. To be honest, I didn't know what to feel when I was reading this book. I can't believe this really happened in our history. This just seemed so surreal to me and I didn't want to believe this. Moreover, there were people that wanted to change this world to become better. There was Nelson Mandela. He didn't give up to find freedom for the people in South Africa. Even if he was put in jail, he stayed positive. I looked at myself, and I realised that I was complaining about things that didn't matter at all compare to what he had faced while living his life. What is it that I am doing for humanity? What can I do for the better future? : these are what I questioned myself.
September 13, 2014
This book gave an engaging overview of the history of South Africa. I had only read two textbook paragraphs on the country before reading this book and found it to be a very readable introduction to a terrible chapter of our world's history. Quite a depressing read that ends on a good note.
For someone unfamiliar with the country's history, the author left many questions unanswered. In the modern portion of the book, M. Lapierre covers the political activity of the country, and then shares vignettes from Nelson Mendela, Helen Lieberman (a concerned white citizen who is brave enough to venture into a black township), and Christian Barnard (performs the first successful heart transplant). Lieberman and Barnards stories are presented as two of the brightest points in the country's history, doing much to bring down apartheid. But Lapierre doesn't give us a good picture of what was happening in the rest of the country. Were there any other do gooders fighting peacefully against apartheid? Did South Africa make any other great scientific contributions to the world?
The first section of the book covers the first Dutch settlers to South Africa; one quarter of the book covering 300 years of history. This story was very engaging but I also would have liked more details. And I was shocked by the presentation of Dutch Calvinism that resulted in their conquest of South Africa; I suspect that the author is oversimplifying the Voertrekker beliefs and quoting statements that moved the story along, while not logically making much sense. I would have liked more details about how the Dutch started thinking that they were the "chosen people" and started applying verses meant for the Israelites to themselves.
For someone unfamiliar with the country's history, the author left many questions unanswered. In the modern portion of the book, M. Lapierre covers the political activity of the country, and then shares vignettes from Nelson Mendela, Helen Lieberman (a concerned white citizen who is brave enough to venture into a black township), and Christian Barnard (performs the first successful heart transplant). Lieberman and Barnards stories are presented as two of the brightest points in the country's history, doing much to bring down apartheid. But Lapierre doesn't give us a good picture of what was happening in the rest of the country. Were there any other do gooders fighting peacefully against apartheid? Did South Africa make any other great scientific contributions to the world?
The first section of the book covers the first Dutch settlers to South Africa; one quarter of the book covering 300 years of history. This story was very engaging but I also would have liked more details. And I was shocked by the presentation of Dutch Calvinism that resulted in their conquest of South Africa; I suspect that the author is oversimplifying the Voertrekker beliefs and quoting statements that moved the story along, while not logically making much sense. I would have liked more details about how the Dutch started thinking that they were the "chosen people" and started applying verses meant for the Israelites to themselves.
September 1, 2010
A "hit the high points" overview of South African history with particular focus on apartheid & Nelson Mandela. The scope of the book is limited... but it was still riveting to read.
I would be interested in hearing another perspective on the role of the Protestant church and Reformed theology in both the development & dismantling of apartheid... the author has a bit of an ax to grind when it comes to the Christian faith.
I would be interested in hearing another perspective on the role of the Protestant church and Reformed theology in both the development & dismantling of apartheid... the author has a bit of an ax to grind when it comes to the Christian faith.
March 2, 2017
Mostly apartheid, not much detail of before then. Nearly nothing about the twenty years since.
December 21, 2021
Simplistic but engagingly written
March 5, 2022
Un'interessante saggio che non vuole essere un'opera storica, ma il racconto dell'epopea di una nazione e delle sue persone.
Semplicemente bello.
Semplicemente bello.
May 19, 2018
El más grande ejemplo mundial de un acuerdo de paz. Ellos pudieron perdonar a millones de blancos tras siglos de opresión. En otros lugares no perdonamos a miles.
February 26, 2017
A poignant, very well written history of South Africa's birth and rebirth after apartheid's end. A must read, if only for refresh ourselves on history's lessons in a day and age when fascism & divisiveness are starting to read their ugly heads again...
It even had lessons on Dictatorship 101 ;) - "For individuals or groups who resisted these (apartheid) expulsions or contested their legality by appealing to the courts, he came up with the Black Prohibition of Interdicts Act, which prevented the judiciary from opposing government action and authorized the use of force against any rebellion. Another law prohibited the disclosure of any military action"
It even had lessons on Dictatorship 101 ;) - "For individuals or groups who resisted these (apartheid) expulsions or contested their legality by appealing to the courts, he came up with the Black Prohibition of Interdicts Act, which prevented the judiciary from opposing government action and authorized the use of force against any rebellion. Another law prohibited the disclosure of any military action"
March 2, 2020
En 1652 jardineros holandeses desembarcan en la punta más austral de África con el fin de sembrar lechugas para tratar el escorbuto de los viajeros. Un hecho simple que se convirtió en algo que no estaba planeado: la conquista de ese territorio por parte de un puñado de blancos que se enfrentó a la población nativa para quedarse allí, fieles a su fe calvinista que indicaba que habían sido creados para reinar en el mundo. Este primer capítulo desemboca tres siglos después en una tragedia indignante: el régimen racista que instauró el Apartheid. Cuatro millones de blancos que privaron de todos sus derechos a los nativos, quienes fueron considerados un subproducto de la humanidad. Derramamiento de sangre de ambas partes, dolor y humillaciones, fueron la constante del régimen. Fueron la paciencia, la sensatez y el empeño de Nelson Mandela -encarcelado durante 27 años-, los que hicieron que terminara el Apartheid en el siglo XX. Con el despliegue del poder de su prosa amena, creíble y con el estilo impecable que acostumbra, Dominique Lapierre describe un período histórico importante para comprender lo que es hoy Sudáfrica, un conjunto de hombres y mujeres famosos o anónimos, blancos o negros, europeos o africanos que con sangre y muchas lágrimas dieron luz a esta nación “arco iris”
“La suavidad de su voz, que parece provenir de las profundidades de su pecho, y la sonrisa que flota como una aureola en torno a su rostro le dan una distinción natural que impone respeto. Su nombre le ha sido dado por el reverendo británico de la pequeña escuela del Transkei, donde aprendió a leer y escribir. Un día, millones de africanos aclamarán con delirio ese nombre como el de un mesías. El hombre que vive en el número 8.115 de OrlandoWest se llama Nelson Mandela”
“No son POBRES lo que he conocido esta noche. ¡Son gente que tiene MIEDO! No es HAMBRE lo que he visto; es MIEDO. Miedo al encontrarse de pronto frente a una mujer blanca, miedo de tener que alzar los ojos hacia ella, miedo de dejarla ver a sus hijos; miedo… ¡MIEDO! Michael, tú, yo, todos los afrikáners, somos culpables del crimen de haber obligado a todo un pueblo a vivir con el miedo en el cuerpo. Por eso no quiero permanecer en este país, Michael”
“Sudáfrica es el único país del mundo donde las bolsas de sangre destinadas a las transfusiones llevan una etiqueta en la que se menciona el color de la piel del donante. Es el único país donde el paciente puede elegir morir en vez de una transfusión si el donante no es de su misma raza”
“Este primer intento de trasplante de un corazón humano conmociona al mundo con un huracán de admiración. No hay un solo habitante del planeta que no esté inmediatamente convencido de que acaba de realizarse algo colosal por el bien de la humanidad en el maldito país del apartheid”
“Con acento solemne, casi reverencial, Frederik de Klerk hace saber que su gobierno «ha tomado la decisión irrevocable de liberar (sin condiciones) al señor Nelson Mandela». Son las cuatro y media de la madrugada del domingo 11 de febrero de 1990”
“La suavidad de su voz, que parece provenir de las profundidades de su pecho, y la sonrisa que flota como una aureola en torno a su rostro le dan una distinción natural que impone respeto. Su nombre le ha sido dado por el reverendo británico de la pequeña escuela del Transkei, donde aprendió a leer y escribir. Un día, millones de africanos aclamarán con delirio ese nombre como el de un mesías. El hombre que vive en el número 8.115 de OrlandoWest se llama Nelson Mandela”
“No son POBRES lo que he conocido esta noche. ¡Son gente que tiene MIEDO! No es HAMBRE lo que he visto; es MIEDO. Miedo al encontrarse de pronto frente a una mujer blanca, miedo de tener que alzar los ojos hacia ella, miedo de dejarla ver a sus hijos; miedo… ¡MIEDO! Michael, tú, yo, todos los afrikáners, somos culpables del crimen de haber obligado a todo un pueblo a vivir con el miedo en el cuerpo. Por eso no quiero permanecer en este país, Michael”
“Sudáfrica es el único país del mundo donde las bolsas de sangre destinadas a las transfusiones llevan una etiqueta en la que se menciona el color de la piel del donante. Es el único país donde el paciente puede elegir morir en vez de una transfusión si el donante no es de su misma raza”
“Este primer intento de trasplante de un corazón humano conmociona al mundo con un huracán de admiración. No hay un solo habitante del planeta que no esté inmediatamente convencido de que acaba de realizarse algo colosal por el bien de la humanidad en el maldito país del apartheid”
“Con acento solemne, casi reverencial, Frederik de Klerk hace saber que su gobierno «ha tomado la decisión irrevocable de liberar (sin condiciones) al señor Nelson Mandela». Son las cuatro y media de la madrugada del domingo 11 de febrero de 1990”
August 10, 2021
Although not perfect, it is a worthwhile and educating read. It's told from one perspective of many possible eyes from which the story could be observed, and some indivodual stories are chosen over many others who also played a significant role in the becoming of South Africa. But for the purpose of giving an overview of a complex history, it does a decent job and draws enough of a compelling narrative to make you want to seek the fuller picture of the various people and events it touches on. The narrator was EXCELLENT except for the pronunciation of all non English words which would understandably be hard for anyone not familiar with the various South African languages :)
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Its a VERY tough history and some moments I had to take a break to process the emotional turmoil it conjured.
This book is included in the Audible catalog for members.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Its a VERY tough history and some moments I had to take a break to process the emotional turmoil it conjured.
This book is included in the Audible catalog for members.
February 23, 2023
It took me a while to complete this book. Was difficult to get through initial 50 pages but then later it held my heart. I wanted to understand how difficult it was made for blacks to live and survive. Shivers ran down me while reading some of the incidents and knowing the ugliest states and conditions that they had to go through. It was absolutely an eye opener and filled me with gratitude that we live in free world today. People have given up on their lives and fought for the freedom of their countries.
September 21, 2022
Dominique Lapierre décrit de façon simple et claire l’histoire de la naissance de l’Afrique du Sud et les mécanismes qui ont amené la population blanche à imposer l’Apartheid dans le pays.
Dommage qu’il n’expose pas davantage les difficultés du pays pour sortir de la criminalité et de sa mauvaise réputation.
Dommage qu’il n’expose pas davantage les difficultés du pays pour sortir de la criminalité et de sa mauvaise réputation.
January 15, 2022
Excelente historia de Sudáfrica
June 18, 2023
Livre prêté. Épatant de suivre l’Histoire de l’Afrique du Sud dans ce style
November 7, 2022
I can’t comment on the factual accuracy of the book, I think other comments have handled that.
But the author has a great literally style which is always to joy to read
But the author has a great literally style which is always to joy to read
July 30, 2020
At the basis of this book there is a severe flaw that limits its enjoyment reading after it was published. The author really wants to make Nelson Mandela seem like the savior of his country, but this is a book that does not age well at all. The reasons why this book does not sit well are complex, but much of it has to do with the tediously leftist approach of the author in general, who seems to believe that it is only through being a race traitor that one can salvage the honor of one's people if one happens to be a white South African. Even as someone who believes apartheid to have been unjust, that is just not an acceptable approach. This is an author who appears to believe that to not be racist one has to be anti-racist, and that in order to be anti-racist, one has to be racist against a society that is ruled and governed by whites. That is quite plainly false, and that false note makes it impossible to appreciate this work as much as one might want to given the author's evident support of Mandela's pragmatism in dealing with race in post-apartheid South Africa.
This book is an average sized one of about 250 pages or a bit more, with a few large chapters. The author begins with a note as well as some maps of South Africa and the Great Trek. After that the author discusses the Boer search for a new promised land that involved the Boers in a tragic conflict with the English that left a lot of scars in the people concerning the way that the British treated them during and immediately after the Boer war (1). After that the author discusses the bulldozers that sought to destroy all evidence of racial harmony within South Africa through the rigid separation of white and black with a high degree of violence directed by the state against blacks and race traitors (2). The author pivots from this discussion to a focus on a couple of whites who, in the author's mind, served as a light to recover the honor of Afrikaaners, Helen, a nurse and volunteer teacher, and Chris, a heart surgeon who pioneered heart transplants (3). After that the author discusses Mandela and his rise to power as a sign of God's blessing to Africa (4), after which there are numerous gossipy appendices that follow the epilogue and that precede the image credits, acknowledgements, and index.
What is the price of elevation for blacks in South Africa who have long been oppressed? In the aftermath of the fall of apartheid, the external limits to the success of blacks in law have largely been addressed. But, as has been the case for blacks in the United States, one can remain enslaved to false systems of dependency and entitlement through mistaken beliefs and worldviews that lead to systematic failures to thrive even when formal barriers to elevation are not lacking. Mandela was wise enough to realize, thanks to the example of nearby Zimbabwe, that the flight of whites would lead to economic disaster for South Africa. It remains to be seen whether contemporary South Africa is willing to maintain that understanding, and whether other nations are able to learn about the folly of adopting the views of structural racism that are so popular among the clueless revolutionary left. South Africa, for all of its struggles, reminds the United States and other nations about what happens when one panders to black activists, and that is a sobering lesson indeed that ought to help us prevent the same mistakes here about the desirability of trying to appease even a black minority.
This book is an average sized one of about 250 pages or a bit more, with a few large chapters. The author begins with a note as well as some maps of South Africa and the Great Trek. After that the author discusses the Boer search for a new promised land that involved the Boers in a tragic conflict with the English that left a lot of scars in the people concerning the way that the British treated them during and immediately after the Boer war (1). After that the author discusses the bulldozers that sought to destroy all evidence of racial harmony within South Africa through the rigid separation of white and black with a high degree of violence directed by the state against blacks and race traitors (2). The author pivots from this discussion to a focus on a couple of whites who, in the author's mind, served as a light to recover the honor of Afrikaaners, Helen, a nurse and volunteer teacher, and Chris, a heart surgeon who pioneered heart transplants (3). After that the author discusses Mandela and his rise to power as a sign of God's blessing to Africa (4), after which there are numerous gossipy appendices that follow the epilogue and that precede the image credits, acknowledgements, and index.
What is the price of elevation for blacks in South Africa who have long been oppressed? In the aftermath of the fall of apartheid, the external limits to the success of blacks in law have largely been addressed. But, as has been the case for blacks in the United States, one can remain enslaved to false systems of dependency and entitlement through mistaken beliefs and worldviews that lead to systematic failures to thrive even when formal barriers to elevation are not lacking. Mandela was wise enough to realize, thanks to the example of nearby Zimbabwe, that the flight of whites would lead to economic disaster for South Africa. It remains to be seen whether contemporary South Africa is willing to maintain that understanding, and whether other nations are able to learn about the folly of adopting the views of structural racism that are so popular among the clueless revolutionary left. South Africa, for all of its struggles, reminds the United States and other nations about what happens when one panders to black activists, and that is a sobering lesson indeed that ought to help us prevent the same mistakes here about the desirability of trying to appease even a black minority.
January 11, 2016
There was a time when I chanced upon the Indian passport of one of my uncles lying on the table. I was a student then and I opened the little black book with curiosity. There was an epistle from the President of India appealing to persons anywhere in the world to extend wholehearted help and cooperation to my uncle whose photo was pasted on the facing side. On the next page however, a curiosity awaited me. A seal in indelible blue ink proclaimed that the passport is valid for travel to any country except the Republic of South Africa. I was intrigued. Why a country is singled out like this? What would happen if my uncle happens to land at the border post of South Africa while on his journey and which is to be traversed to reach his designation? Then began my enquiry on why this country on the southern tip of Africa is discriminated against by the international community. I heard the term ‘apartheid’ for the first time. Dominique Lapierre, who needs no introduction, has told the story of how South Africa was born and the inhuman racial segregation made deep scars on its social life. South Africa’s history in invariably linked to that of Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of the country, but had to spend 27 years of his life in a white prison. In an inimitable style Lapierre begins his story in 1652 when a group of Dutchmen landed at the Cape of Good Hope with an assignment from the Dutch East India Company – to plant lettuce and other vegetables in the Cape and to sell it to sailors who rounded it on their journey to India and the Spice Islands in an effort to rid them of the curse of scurvy, the disease caused by deficiency of fruits on a sailor’s diet. The book ends with Mandela assuming power after its first multi-racial elections. The book is a page turner like the author’s all the other titles.
Part One of the book covers the period of three centuries between the Dutch men Jan Van Riebeeck setting foot on the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 and the ascendancy of the National Party to power in 1948. The whites were few in number as compared to blacks who were the original inhabitants of the country but divided into prominent tribes like the Zulu, Xhoa, and Khoikhoi. The Dutch men were adherents of Calvinism and had escaped from their motherland to evade Catholic persecution. They established the Dutch Reformed Church in their new piece of land. Deeply religious and regular church goers, the Boers, as they were called, were diehard racists who believed in the supremacy of the white race over all others. Taking theological justification for the practice of slavery from the Bible, the Boers strictly separated the races with the blacks and the coloured people treated as sub-humans. Much to the chagrin of them, the British landed in the country in 1795 to outsmart the post-revolutionary French forces. Then started a century long game of hide and seek between the old and new settlers. The Boers called themselves Afrikaners and heroically established rich provinces like Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The land was rich in coal, diamond and gold – a deadly combination. The British slowly annexed territories that were developed by Afrikaners. The frequent migrations generated a spirit of fellowship. A new language, Afrikaans was developed and jealously guarded as the medium of cultural identity of the original settlers. The Boer war (1899-1902) saw much bloodshed, but the British wiped off Boer resistance and assumed overloadship for the whole of South Africa. The Whites then organized political movements that drew inspiration from Hitler’s Germany. Finally they won power in 1948 by a narrow margin. Only 20% of the country’s inhabitants were whites, the only people who could vote. The National Party won a little over half of these white votes. Thus, with a vote share of slightly above 10%, the party changed the laws and constitution by making South Africa subscribe to apartheid. A similar electoral outcome was that of the Soviet Union, where the communist’s vote share was less than 20% but could hijack the country to a miserable destiny till they were kicked out in the 1990s.
Lapierre explains the period between the promulgation of apartheid in 1948 to the beginning of 1980s when chinks were observed in the regime’s armor in the next two parts. African National Congress (ANC) and its leader Nelson Mandela parted ways with peaceful protest and slowly degenerated into violent ways. This immensely helped the authoritarian govt which had the southern hemisphere’s most efficient police force at its disposal. Mandela and his associates were taken into custody at Rivonia for their alleged plot against the government. In a bout of good luck, they were not sent to gallows, but were awarded imprisonment for life in 1964. Mandela spent the next 27 years of his life in the maximum security prison at Robben Island off the Cape of Good Hope in a somewhat similar predicament as the protagonist in the classic fiction, “Count of Monte Cristo”. Meanwhile South Africa’s dignity and prestige had been lost in international fora. The state had become a pariah, with many countries severing diplomatic problems with it. Its business reeled under crippling sanctions and boycotts. The Afrikaner movement relented little by little until it was no longer possible to keep Mandela in prison. He was released in 1991. But the leader’s release from prison also saw the parting of ways with his wife Winnie after she was accused of murder and infidelity.
The book includes narratives of two prominent whites who defied apartheid to practice what they deemed right in their hearts. Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first heart transplant. This illustrates the state of advance South Africa’s medical system had reached in spite of racial segregation. Helen Libermann was a speech therapist who transformed herself into a social worker with the mission to emancipate black neighborhoods from the chronic problems like illiteracy, health, hygiene and empowerment of women. These are noble examples of white people rising above the level of intolerance and hatred towards the Blacks, Coloured and Indians. Lapierre presents these cases in a bid to balance the story to its proper point. Otherwise the readers would have reached the outrageous conclusion that all whites in South Africa were united in their brutal suppression of the natives, who are the original inhabitants of the country. But this detour takes some interest out of the main narrative.
One of the many interesting finds is the credibility of the claim put forward by Afrikaners on the country of South Africa. The Boers made the country as it stands today by the sheer dint of their hard work. Even though corrupted with religious ideas that pampered them as God’s chosen people, a lot of blood was spilt by the whites as well in erecting the foundation of a modern state. They made a paradise of the semi arid wilderness. Having accumulated the combined effort of ten generations on the land, and seeing it all go to others is a miserable experience. But the draconian laws they put in place that effectually treated blacks like animals prevent humanists from extending sympathy to the Afrikaners. Another point to note is the failure of ANC to develop peaceful methods of protest, which they learned from the work of Mahatma Gandhi in the country during early in his career. They very soon lost confidence in those practices and turned violent.
The book is recommended.
Part One of the book covers the period of three centuries between the Dutch men Jan Van Riebeeck setting foot on the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 and the ascendancy of the National Party to power in 1948. The whites were few in number as compared to blacks who were the original inhabitants of the country but divided into prominent tribes like the Zulu, Xhoa, and Khoikhoi. The Dutch men were adherents of Calvinism and had escaped from their motherland to evade Catholic persecution. They established the Dutch Reformed Church in their new piece of land. Deeply religious and regular church goers, the Boers, as they were called, were diehard racists who believed in the supremacy of the white race over all others. Taking theological justification for the practice of slavery from the Bible, the Boers strictly separated the races with the blacks and the coloured people treated as sub-humans. Much to the chagrin of them, the British landed in the country in 1795 to outsmart the post-revolutionary French forces. Then started a century long game of hide and seek between the old and new settlers. The Boers called themselves Afrikaners and heroically established rich provinces like Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The land was rich in coal, diamond and gold – a deadly combination. The British slowly annexed territories that were developed by Afrikaners. The frequent migrations generated a spirit of fellowship. A new language, Afrikaans was developed and jealously guarded as the medium of cultural identity of the original settlers. The Boer war (1899-1902) saw much bloodshed, but the British wiped off Boer resistance and assumed overloadship for the whole of South Africa. The Whites then organized political movements that drew inspiration from Hitler’s Germany. Finally they won power in 1948 by a narrow margin. Only 20% of the country’s inhabitants were whites, the only people who could vote. The National Party won a little over half of these white votes. Thus, with a vote share of slightly above 10%, the party changed the laws and constitution by making South Africa subscribe to apartheid. A similar electoral outcome was that of the Soviet Union, where the communist’s vote share was less than 20% but could hijack the country to a miserable destiny till they were kicked out in the 1990s.
Lapierre explains the period between the promulgation of apartheid in 1948 to the beginning of 1980s when chinks were observed in the regime’s armor in the next two parts. African National Congress (ANC) and its leader Nelson Mandela parted ways with peaceful protest and slowly degenerated into violent ways. This immensely helped the authoritarian govt which had the southern hemisphere’s most efficient police force at its disposal. Mandela and his associates were taken into custody at Rivonia for their alleged plot against the government. In a bout of good luck, they were not sent to gallows, but were awarded imprisonment for life in 1964. Mandela spent the next 27 years of his life in the maximum security prison at Robben Island off the Cape of Good Hope in a somewhat similar predicament as the protagonist in the classic fiction, “Count of Monte Cristo”. Meanwhile South Africa’s dignity and prestige had been lost in international fora. The state had become a pariah, with many countries severing diplomatic problems with it. Its business reeled under crippling sanctions and boycotts. The Afrikaner movement relented little by little until it was no longer possible to keep Mandela in prison. He was released in 1991. But the leader’s release from prison also saw the parting of ways with his wife Winnie after she was accused of murder and infidelity.
The book includes narratives of two prominent whites who defied apartheid to practice what they deemed right in their hearts. Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first heart transplant. This illustrates the state of advance South Africa’s medical system had reached in spite of racial segregation. Helen Libermann was a speech therapist who transformed herself into a social worker with the mission to emancipate black neighborhoods from the chronic problems like illiteracy, health, hygiene and empowerment of women. These are noble examples of white people rising above the level of intolerance and hatred towards the Blacks, Coloured and Indians. Lapierre presents these cases in a bid to balance the story to its proper point. Otherwise the readers would have reached the outrageous conclusion that all whites in South Africa were united in their brutal suppression of the natives, who are the original inhabitants of the country. But this detour takes some interest out of the main narrative.
One of the many interesting finds is the credibility of the claim put forward by Afrikaners on the country of South Africa. The Boers made the country as it stands today by the sheer dint of their hard work. Even though corrupted with religious ideas that pampered them as God’s chosen people, a lot of blood was spilt by the whites as well in erecting the foundation of a modern state. They made a paradise of the semi arid wilderness. Having accumulated the combined effort of ten generations on the land, and seeing it all go to others is a miserable experience. But the draconian laws they put in place that effectually treated blacks like animals prevent humanists from extending sympathy to the Afrikaners. Another point to note is the failure of ANC to develop peaceful methods of protest, which they learned from the work of Mahatma Gandhi in the country during early in his career. They very soon lost confidence in those practices and turned violent.
The book is recommended.
June 3, 2024
A brief and humanistic history of South Africa which shines at times but suffers from some shortfalls. I for one found this book valuable in its presentation of the key moments that would be foundational to the Afrikaner identity; a garrison identity of God-given right to land and dominion, paired with a sense of victimhood leading to fervent revanchism. Placing the development of this sense of national identity within its historical context, Lapierre sketches how the shifting political and economic conditions of South Africa allowed Afrikaners to hedge their positionality within the British imperium and broader world, and translate their initial status as rural and industrial proletarians to acquire disproportionate wealth and influence through Apartheid (pre- and post-legal enshrinement), which facilitated the exploitation of the vast majority of the population.
Along with this context, the book offers moving glimpses of individual struggles under and against Apartheid, as well as hopeful scenes of life in multi-ethnic enclaves such as District Six in Cape Town and Johannesburg's Sophiatown. However, these sections are disproportionately focused on big names and peaceful actors, which, alongside the book's nearly absent treatment of militant actions by the ANC and other groups, prove to be some of A Rainbow in the Night's biggest shortcomings. Too little time is spent on the on-the-ground militant struggle against Apartheid within South Africa and elsewhere on the continent, and virtually no time is spent on BDS movements abroad, lending to a naïve implication that Apartheid was overturned purely by peaceful protest and not a united front of diverse tactics. Likewise, Lapierre falls into the same dead end of lauding Peace and Reconciliation as a success while ignoring the failure of the commission to provide victims with redress or substantively fight institutionalized patterns of wealth accumulation or access to upward mobility among non-white communities, who get shoved under a monolithic umbrella that fails to go into much detail about unique national groups.
Despite the shortcomings, this is a decent primer to the broad strokes of South African history, and is a moving account that encourages the reader to delve deeper into the topics the book raises that strike the reader's interest.
Along with this context, the book offers moving glimpses of individual struggles under and against Apartheid, as well as hopeful scenes of life in multi-ethnic enclaves such as District Six in Cape Town and Johannesburg's Sophiatown. However, these sections are disproportionately focused on big names and peaceful actors, which, alongside the book's nearly absent treatment of militant actions by the ANC and other groups, prove to be some of A Rainbow in the Night's biggest shortcomings. Too little time is spent on the on-the-ground militant struggle against Apartheid within South Africa and elsewhere on the continent, and virtually no time is spent on BDS movements abroad, lending to a naïve implication that Apartheid was overturned purely by peaceful protest and not a united front of diverse tactics. Likewise, Lapierre falls into the same dead end of lauding Peace and Reconciliation as a success while ignoring the failure of the commission to provide victims with redress or substantively fight institutionalized patterns of wealth accumulation or access to upward mobility among non-white communities, who get shoved under a monolithic umbrella that fails to go into much detail about unique national groups.
Despite the shortcomings, this is a decent primer to the broad strokes of South African history, and is a moving account that encourages the reader to delve deeper into the topics the book raises that strike the reader's interest.
March 29, 2019
Audiobook.
This was strictly a history book based on the author’s (who is a journalist, not a historian as far as I know) research over the years. And, since it’s pretty short and covers more than 350 years it’s certainly not all encompassing and does not cover any of the events in depth. So it’s very accessible for those interested in learning about the fascinating history of South Africa.
For someone who is much more well versed in the history, like me, it’s not quite as satisfying. However, I did enjoy the way the author brought the stories to life and added little tidbits to make it interesting and not dry historical. And I thought the parts about the very early days of the Dutch colonization were especially well done. All the high points are covered (should they be called low points considering??). However, I will note that this history if South Africa is VERY white-centric. Not in a way glorifying whites and their actions, but in that it starts the day Jan van Riebeeck sets foot in the cape up until the day of elections in 1994. Nothing before, and only a short epilogue covering 15 years after. And the characters profiled in depth are almost all white (the Mandela’s being the exception). So, it’s a history of whites - and indeed, mostly just the Afrikaners - in South Africa with a few short forays into the founding of the ANC, the Mandela family’s struggles, and Steve Biko. So if you’re looking for something that will cover the other side of the story? This is definitely NOT it. And if you’re looking for a comprehensive history of the British in South Africa, this is not it. And if you’re looking for a deep history of the afrikaners, well... this isn’t it either (go read Afrikaners: A biography of a people...which I still haven’t finished). But if you’re looking for an easy to read taste of the afrikaners and how things turned out the way they did in South Africa, well, then this works very well.
In the end, I did find it enjoyable to read and I did learn a few things, too.
As for the audiobook, it was decently well done. But I was a little surprised to hear it read by an American (well, an American accent) so when he tried at times to do a 1/4 South African (or worse, Mandela) accent... it sounded a bit strange.
This was strictly a history book based on the author’s (who is a journalist, not a historian as far as I know) research over the years. And, since it’s pretty short and covers more than 350 years it’s certainly not all encompassing and does not cover any of the events in depth. So it’s very accessible for those interested in learning about the fascinating history of South Africa.
For someone who is much more well versed in the history, like me, it’s not quite as satisfying. However, I did enjoy the way the author brought the stories to life and added little tidbits to make it interesting and not dry historical. And I thought the parts about the very early days of the Dutch colonization were especially well done. All the high points are covered (should they be called low points considering??). However, I will note that this history if South Africa is VERY white-centric. Not in a way glorifying whites and their actions, but in that it starts the day Jan van Riebeeck sets foot in the cape up until the day of elections in 1994. Nothing before, and only a short epilogue covering 15 years after. And the characters profiled in depth are almost all white (the Mandela’s being the exception). So, it’s a history of whites - and indeed, mostly just the Afrikaners - in South Africa with a few short forays into the founding of the ANC, the Mandela family’s struggles, and Steve Biko. So if you’re looking for something that will cover the other side of the story? This is definitely NOT it. And if you’re looking for a comprehensive history of the British in South Africa, this is not it. And if you’re looking for a deep history of the afrikaners, well... this isn’t it either (go read Afrikaners: A biography of a people...which I still haven’t finished). But if you’re looking for an easy to read taste of the afrikaners and how things turned out the way they did in South Africa, well, then this works very well.
In the end, I did find it enjoyable to read and I did learn a few things, too.
As for the audiobook, it was decently well done. But I was a little surprised to hear it read by an American (well, an American accent) so when he tried at times to do a 1/4 South African (or worse, Mandela) accent... it sounded a bit strange.
July 18, 2024
"A Rainbow in the Night: The Tumultuous Birth of South Africa" by Dominique Lapierre is a captivating and poignant account of the turbulent history of South Africa, especially during the era of apartheid. Lapierre skillfully weaves together historical facts, personal stories, and political insights to create a compelling narrative that sheds light on the immense challenges faced by the people of South Africa during this dark period.
Key Historical Events:
1. The establishment of apartheid policies in South Africa, which institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination.
2. The Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, where peaceful protestors were shot by police, leading to international condemnation.
3. The Rivonia Trial in 1963-1964, where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists were sentenced to life in prison.
4. The Soweto Uprising in 1976 was a pivotal moment in the struggle against apartheid, led by black students protesting against using Afrikaans in schools.
5. The release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 marked the beginning of the end of apartheid.
Racist Ideas:
Throughout the book, Lapierre explores the profoundly ingrained racist ideas that underpin the apartheid system in South Africa. These included:
1. Beliefs in the superiority of the white race and the inferiority of black South Africans.
2. Justifications for segregation based on racial stereotypes and prejudices.
3. Systematic discrimination against non-white populations in all aspects of life, including education, employment, and social opportunities.
Overall, "A Rainbow in the Night: The Tumultuous Birth of South Africa" is a powerful and thought-provoking book that delves into the complexities of South Africa's history, highlighting the struggles against racism and oppression. Lapierre's storytelling prowess and deep research make this book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the challenges faced by the people of South Africa in their quest for freedom and equality.
Key Historical Events:
1. The establishment of apartheid policies in South Africa, which institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination.
2. The Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, where peaceful protestors were shot by police, leading to international condemnation.
3. The Rivonia Trial in 1963-1964, where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists were sentenced to life in prison.
4. The Soweto Uprising in 1976 was a pivotal moment in the struggle against apartheid, led by black students protesting against using Afrikaans in schools.
5. The release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 marked the beginning of the end of apartheid.
Racist Ideas:
Throughout the book, Lapierre explores the profoundly ingrained racist ideas that underpin the apartheid system in South Africa. These included:
1. Beliefs in the superiority of the white race and the inferiority of black South Africans.
2. Justifications for segregation based on racial stereotypes and prejudices.
3. Systematic discrimination against non-white populations in all aspects of life, including education, employment, and social opportunities.
Overall, "A Rainbow in the Night: The Tumultuous Birth of South Africa" is a powerful and thought-provoking book that delves into the complexities of South Africa's history, highlighting the struggles against racism and oppression. Lapierre's storytelling prowess and deep research make this book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the challenges faced by the people of South Africa in their quest for freedom and equality.
September 11, 2017
Takeaways
1795 - British galeons appear for the first time. They conquered the Cape Town to prevent it from falling on French hands. They abolished slavery and anhiliated afrikaners by issuing laws that considered equal rights for all. Including blacks, natives
1852 - the British crown recognizes the independence of the city/nation of Pretoria (afrikaners)
1912 - afrikaners win the elections and quickly pass the "native land act" dividing the nation into areas allocated to blacks and areas allocated to whites. There were 12 times more blacks than white however they only received percent of the land. Blacks were prohibited from acquiring land beyond their allocation which didn't include the gold and diamond mine areas.
1912 - African National Congress (ANC) was founded
1918 - Brøderbund was founded
1922 - urban area act - black ghettos (called townships) were created close to the industrial heartland to provide labor to the white opened businesses
1938(?) - 4 million whites vs 24 million blacks by the time apartheid was conceived
Education:
1385 grand a year per white pupil
593 colored
192 in black child
1963 - The Rivonia Trial took place in South Africa between 9 October 1963 and 12 June 1964. The Rivonia Trial led to the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela and the others among the accused who were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life at the Palace of Justice, Pretoria.
1795 - British galeons appear for the first time. They conquered the Cape Town to prevent it from falling on French hands. They abolished slavery and anhiliated afrikaners by issuing laws that considered equal rights for all. Including blacks, natives
1852 - the British crown recognizes the independence of the city/nation of Pretoria (afrikaners)
1912 - afrikaners win the elections and quickly pass the "native land act" dividing the nation into areas allocated to blacks and areas allocated to whites. There were 12 times more blacks than white however they only received percent of the land. Blacks were prohibited from acquiring land beyond their allocation which didn't include the gold and diamond mine areas.
1912 - African National Congress (ANC) was founded
1918 - Brøderbund was founded
1922 - urban area act - black ghettos (called townships) were created close to the industrial heartland to provide labor to the white opened businesses
1938(?) - 4 million whites vs 24 million blacks by the time apartheid was conceived
Education:
1385 grand a year per white pupil
593 colored
192 in black child
1963 - The Rivonia Trial took place in South Africa between 9 October 1963 and 12 June 1964. The Rivonia Trial led to the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela and the others among the accused who were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life at the Palace of Justice, Pretoria.
June 15, 2017
In anticipation of a trip to South Africa, I jugatedwanted a readable history of the country and apartheid. Lapierre starts with the 1652 arrival of Dutch farmers - sent to the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch East India Company. The sole purpose was to grow vegetables (preventing scurvy) for their supply ships rounding the Cape. These settlers, driven by their strong Calvinistic faith believed that their goal was more than farming: they believed that they were God's chosen people to settle and rule the continent. After 3 centuries of wars - over sovereignty, native tribes, foreign gold and diamond seekers, and the British army, the resulting regime created an apartheid nation. A white minority subugated and victimized millions of blacks.
Lapierre ends his historical retelling with the election of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa in 1994. While there were many good/bad guys on both sides of the struggle against apartheid, Lapierre mentions only a few - names easily recognizable by most with any knowledge of South African history. He may not be telling the entire story, but as an introduction to the country's history - it is a very readable book. Appendices can lead interested readers to more in-depth books on the people involved in the introduction and to the end of apartheid in South Africa.
Lapierre ends his historical retelling with the election of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa in 1994. While there were many good/bad guys on both sides of the struggle against apartheid, Lapierre mentions only a few - names easily recognizable by most with any knowledge of South African history. He may not be telling the entire story, but as an introduction to the country's history - it is a very readable book. Appendices can lead interested readers to more in-depth books on the people involved in the introduction and to the end of apartheid in South Africa.
July 23, 2018
Former Paris Match reporter and philanthropist Lapierre writes a passionate and lively history of South Africa from the landing of the Dutch East India Company’s small group of lettuce farmers under the direction of Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 to the election of Nelson Mandela as the first black president of a multi-racial country in 1994. The emphasis is on the twentieth century, what happened after the Great Trek of the Afrikaners into the interior and their bloody battles with the British, the Zulus, and the other native inhabitants. It tells of the foundation of the Nationalist Party, and an inner group of them, the Broederbond, inspired and taught by the Nazis in Hitler’s Germany, gained control of the government in 1948 and immediately started its harsh form of segregation called apartheid separating the races with no pretense of equality. Lapierre recounts the struggle against this regime interspersed with the stories of Nelson Mandela and those of Christiaan Barnard and Helen Lieberman two upper class whites who ignored the legal restrictions of apartheid by actively working to aid their fellow black and colored residents of South Africa. The history is by no means impartial, Lapierre communicates his own points of view throughout the text. He does not spare the exclamation points! This however, just enlivens his text.
October 20, 2024
Perfect specimen of the delicious narrative style of history writing by Lapierre. The book presents the story of the modern history of South Africa through the personal lens of various pivotal characters. Apart from the political personalities like Nelson and Winnie Mandela, PW Botha, FW de Clerk and Desmond Tutu, an interesting aspect of the book is the exploration of apartheid era through the stories of Helen Liebermann, the mother Teresa of South Africa, and Christiaan Barnard, the heart surgeon who performed the first transplant.
While the modern history of South Africa had always fascinated me, the book still enriched me by deep-diving into the early history of the Afrikaaners and the build up towards the apartheid era. In particular, the contrast between the ultra-capitalist and relatively egalitarian British, and the highly religious and conservative yet nature-loving Afrikaaners was really nuanced.
As always, this may not be a perfectly unbiased book, but there is no doubt that it's a great read for a pretty complicated topic. A good starting point for an outsider.
While the modern history of South Africa had always fascinated me, the book still enriched me by deep-diving into the early history of the Afrikaaners and the build up towards the apartheid era. In particular, the contrast between the ultra-capitalist and relatively egalitarian British, and the highly religious and conservative yet nature-loving Afrikaaners was really nuanced.
As always, this may not be a perfectly unbiased book, but there is no doubt that it's a great read for a pretty complicated topic. A good starting point for an outsider.
March 30, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book - I realized as I started that I knew nothing about the history of South Africa. The book was frightening and appalling, realizing the ways that humans can treat one another. As I prepare to take a group of students to South Africa this summer, I think that what I read in this book will prepare both them and me for what we will see and experience.
Reading this book with the Civil Rights Movement in the back of my head, I realized what horrible ways blacks have been treated, and it makes me want to do more to stand up for the rights of all people in our country today.
Reading this book with the Civil Rights Movement in the back of my head, I realized what horrible ways blacks have been treated, and it makes me want to do more to stand up for the rights of all people in our country today.
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