Patti Waldmeir

A very good history of the negotiations between the ANC and the National Party as they ended Apartheid in favor of democracy. The book explains the reasons behind De Klerk's move towards the elections (vainity, and prestige as well as the understanding that apartheid was falling a part and the realization that the ANC weren't as much of a threat as they were in the past) and the change in the feelings of the Afrikaners (many of the educated whites were nire worried about economics and reputation in the world than keeping the apartheid state running). Also, did a good job explaining the mind set of the ANC and their leaders.

Overall, it did a great job of walking the reader through the negotiations and events that rocked ZA and the world during the late 80's and early 90's.… (més)

3047 Anatomy of a Miracle: The End of Apartheid and the Birth of the New South Africa, by Patti Waldmeir (read 19 Jan 1998) The author is a journalist, not a historian, and I believe I would have preferred an historical account. The author is a white woman who grew up in Detroit and spent the years from 1985 to 1995 in South Africa. She is clearly pro-AFC, but I would have preferred a more objective account.She tells the story and one rejoices that South Africa has become democratic. But a one page postscript takes the bloom off the story--that South Africa is a one-party state, with corruption dimming Nelson Mandela's achievement. I can't say this book was a success, but it does tell an important story.… (més)