Reading For My South African Vacation

I wanted to read these three books for some time and decided that a vacation to South Africa was an apt time. I do wish I had read them before, instead of during and after.  First, I would have been, conversationally, better prepared; secondly, there is not much time to read when traveling with a child for whom you are his only playmate.

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The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.  Fiction, 369pgs. This is a favorite of a colleague and friend of mine, Sandra Goodrich. I like to read people’s favorite books to see what all the fuss is about. Set at the outbreak of WWII in South Africa, it is the story of a young boy named Peekay who must navigate life in a nation with a very complex history. A history and culture that affects his everyday existence. I read this first, which was good because it gave me a strong sense of the history and culture of South Africa.

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                                                                                       to purchase click on image of book

Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane. Autobiography, 399pgs. First, DO NOT ever use the word “Kaffir” anywhere in Africa. It is the same as using the N-word in the US. I had an issue at customs at Tambo Airport when I was searching for my boarding pass, and threw this book on the counter. The customs agent did not understand why the book was titled as it was, and felt obligated to educate me on use of this word. This book DETAILS the life of Johannes “Mark” Mathabane who grew up in one of the poorest townships, Alexandra, outside of Johannesburg in the 1960’s and 70’s. This is an unrestrained biography of apartheid as seen through the eyes of one child and one family.  The de facto and de jure racism that black Africans faced everyday under apartheid made me cry. I am amazed that any human being could withstand and survive in that environment.

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Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Madela. Autobiography, 656pgs. I did not meet one person in Africa, white or black, that did not hold Mandela up as a hero. Long Walk to Freedom is the story of an activist and his movement. I like a book that describes the episodes in one’s life where a lesson was learned. I guess that is possible to recall these events when one has 27 years in jail to reflect one’s life. What struck me most was how long this struggle, to end Apartheid, lasted…1912-1994, with first democratic elections in South Africa. Also, like most social movements, the world associates a movement with one person. In this case, the end of apartheid is credited to Mandela, but in fact there were many people fighting to end apartheid. His celebrity was invented as a highly successful “Free Mandela” media campaign by the African National Congress (ANC). This book also reinforced the harsh sacrifices an activist’s family must endure. 

The juxtaposition of reading three books about the same country from different perspectives, while visiting that country gave me comprehensive insight into the history and culture of a people.  The Power of One gave a glimpse into colonial South Africa, while Mathabane’s and Madella’s respective biographies showed different hues of the policy of Apartheid.