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Teacher's
Book Club

The Voices of Apartheid Over Time

Historical Fiction + Nonfiction

- Synopsis -

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton is a novel written at the time of the time period it explores that tackles the prevalent inequities in South Africa, prior to the National Party's initiation of Apartheid segregatory policies. The perspective of Stephen Kumalo, a native South African and black man, comprises the first and third parts of the book, where he pursues and attempts to emotionally reunite with his displaced son Absalom in the harsh and foreign atmosphere of 1948 Johannesburg, so different from his rural home in the Umzimkulu Valley. Meanwhile James Jarvis, a white man of colonist ancestry, explores the identity of his son lost to murder in part two, which connects unexpectedly to Absalom's journey. Thus, the stories of two South African men of two different backgrounds and lifestyles are juxtaposed so as to develop a lasting theme throughout the novel: the capacity for human empathy and connection, despite seemingly insurmountable racial differences and mutual fear.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about the conditions which led to the development of apartheid in South Africa, and interested in learning about them from the perspective of individuals in a society that had no idea what was yet to come.

Forbidden Mixed-Race Affair Leads To Questioning of Morality

Too Late The Phalarope
By Alan Paton
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: In Apartheid South Africa, police lieutenant, Pieter van Vlaanderen violates the strict South African anti-miscegenation law, the immorality act, concerning relationships between Blacks and whites, that he is sworn to uphold. In addition, it explorers the life of Stephanie, the black women whom Pieter engages in an affair with, and the morality of the decisions and the extent to which she will go to protect and keep her child. Told through the voice of his Aunt Sophie, the book explorers Pieter's struggles with his conscience, family, religion, and the state which he serves.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone who has read other books on apartheid, especially that of Alan Paton (such as Cry, The Beloved Country), who is interested into delving deeper into the complications of apartheid and South African History.

WARNING: This book is a difficult read, with explicit and morbid details.

Born a Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood
By Trevor Noah
Genre: Autobiography

Growing up mixed race in aparthied.

Born a Crime outlines the childhood of comedian Trevor Noah growing up under apartheid mixed. It highlights the social issues in South Africa towards the end of apartheid and what that was like for South African youth. Trevor talks about his friends and family, specifically his mother, through short stories that help the reader relate to his situation and provide historical context.

We recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about apartheid in an entertaining, funny, and easy to read novel that anyone can relate to in some aspect

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST

What is our podcast about?

In our podcast we discuss South Africa throughout apartheid and the differences in time period of each of the novels and the differences in society that presents. We discussed literary elements in each novel and how they add and expand the readers view.