a few friends insisted I read a great historical fiction (barely sorta fiction actually) before I go to the dark continent.
The book was written in 1980 in two volumes. "The Covenant" by Michener. This is the guy that wrote South Pacific and holds a Pullitzer. The book tells the story of Southern Africa from the dawn of man through Apartheid. It's an excellent read.
I understand that it is banned in some African countries for what I can only surmise is that it symapthizes with all humanity and paints no saints nor villains.
The punchline is everyone murdered, everyone stole land, everyone had the propensity for racism, and in every culture there were remarkable but flawed people. If you're a lover of history and want to understand the layers of complexity that cause the problems of Africa we see today, you'll enjoy this book immensely.
Anyone else read this book? Agree or disagree with my summary?
The book was written in 1980 in two volumes. "The Covenant" by Michener. This is the guy that wrote South Pacific and holds a Pullitzer. The book tells the story of Southern Africa from the dawn of man through Apartheid. It's an excellent read.
I understand that it is banned in some African countries for what I can only surmise is that it symapthizes with all humanity and paints no saints nor villains.
The punchline is everyone murdered, everyone stole land, everyone had the propensity for racism, and in every culture there were remarkable but flawed people. If you're a lover of history and want to understand the layers of complexity that cause the problems of Africa we see today, you'll enjoy this book immensely.
Anyone else read this book? Agree or disagree with my summary?
