South Africa

This volume is a fascinating collection of pieces by South African journalist Nomavenda Mathiane. Unlike much that is written about South Africa, these pieces are very personal observations and reflections based on day-to-day experiences. They range from descriptions of the horrors of 'necklacing' (the practice of placing a car tire about the body of an alleged informer or collaborator and setting it afire with gasoline), to the joy of a new birth, to the heartbreak of a mother whose son murders a neighborhood peer. Ms. Mathiane's analysis of politics and education is must reading for anyone who cares about the effects of apartheid. Her frequently pungent and controversial views have won for her an ever-widening audience in South Africa and other African countries. She deserves to be better known in other countries as well.