The Covenant (Volume 1 of 2)
by James A. Michener
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 493)
recommended to Jill by:
my parents!??!?!?!
This is tied for first in the "My Favourite Book" category.
It's historical fiction (my favourite), it's about South Africa, going back as far as thousands of years BC, starting with the San Bushmen of southern africa. It finishes around the Apartheid generation.
It took me a year to read it, but not because it isn't riviting and unbelievably brilliant... but rather because I moved countries and didn't have enough reading time at that point. (It's thousands of pages)
I will r...more
It's historical fiction (my favourite), it's about South Africa, going back as far as thousands of years BC, starting with the San Bushmen of southern africa. It finishes around the Apartheid generation.
It took me a year to read it, but not because it isn't riviting and unbelievably brilliant... but rather because I moved countries and didn't have enough reading time at that point. (It's thousands of pages)
I will r...more
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Read in January, 1988
I read this book years ago after I snagged it off my mom's shelf. I think she would have thought it alittle "mature" for me... I remember enjoying it thoroughly, and this led to an on-going fascination with Michener's historical/ generational/ fiction genre that I've never gotten over.
The one thing that stands out after all these years is this book helped me to "get" what apartheid was all about. And, how both black (and to a lesser extent, white) were caught in a cultu...more
The one thing that stands out after all these years is this book helped me to "get" what apartheid was all about. And, how both black (and to a lesser extent, white) were caught in a cultu...more
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I had to read this book for a History class in college and I am very glad that I did. I have never read a historical fiction book before, but what a treat this book was to read. Exploring and learning about the history of South Africa was very interesting and fascinating. The rise of the Danes, English, and disruption of African tribes of varying ethnicities creating an educational opportunity to learn more about the melting pot that this nation has become and the unique issues it currently f...more
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The first 800 pages were the best....that is the book's strength and its weakness, because 1238 pages is long, even for Michener! The early history of Africa was fascinating, all the way through the 1700's and early 1800's, but the more recent history did not hold my interest. The characters weren't as well developed as the earlier ones and I quit in the latter part of the 1800's. Classic tale of the clash of cultures and what happens when Europeans invaded, conquered native peoples and destro...more
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Read in January, 1990
My favorite Michener. The story behind South Africa. And when I say behind, that is truly Michener's style. He starts with the beginning of time, how the earth was formed, the first people to populate the area, and on to the present day. An incredible amount of information, but entertaining to read as he masterfully follows several families whose lives cross again and again over centuries.
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Read in November, 2005
I am going to call this book the anti-Jane Goodall, or possibly "Reason for Despair". This book is filled from front to back with evil and human tragedy with very little respite. If you don't mind the death, destruction, and poorer look at humanity, it is filled with interesting historical facts and events, and easy to read. In my mind its one redeeming moment (all too short) was a crazy wanderer who forged a deep rough and tumble friendship with a hyena -- Swartz -- that reminded me s...more
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Read in January, 1982
I read this when we moved to South Africa and it really helped me understand the culture of all the people there. I also loved reading Joy Packer's novels about the mixed cultures in South Africa but they seem to be out of print. I read everything she wrote while living there and watching apartheid end, 1980-87. What an amazing time. This book, The Covenant helped me appreciate all my mixed cultured friends and what everyone had been through to get to where it was then. I highly recommend i...more
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A bible of a book - both in terms of size and contents - that retells the history of South Africa through the stories of both fictitous and historic characters. A truly ambitious endeavour in true Michener style, which had a profound effect on me when I read it at the age of 16 - and still does! The book ends in the 1980s, and I am still amazed at Michener´s insight into the shaping of post-apartheid South Africa.
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
historical fiction lovers.
If this is "accurate" historical fiction--embellishing the details but capturing the broader themes truthfully--then I now know about the formation of South Africa, a country of which I had been completely ignorant. A grand, epic novel, my only cautions are his graphic descriptions of violence. On the whole, he does treat sexual themes with tact.
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recommends it for:
History Buffs
Again, this is a fantastically interesting book, but those who aren't too interested in anything historical would probably not get too into it. It's a VERY long book, so it's a major investment of time for anyone wanting to go through it.
It provides a really fantastic history of Southern Africa, in a novel form.
It provides a really fantastic history of Southern Africa, in a novel form.
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Donna by:
Susanrecommends it for: historical fiction readers
Excellent book about the history of South Africa. It took forever forever to read--but it was well worth it. The chapters about apartheid were both insightful and disturbing. My only complaint is that it was published 1980. I would love it if there was a sequel that addressed the last 25 years.
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It took a long time to get through the 1000 + pages but I sure learned alot about South African history. I've always wondered why it is such a volatile region and I didn't care to pick up the heavy history books to find out why but this one gave great insight with some fictional characters.
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I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book. It's 1238 pages of small print, so it's going to be a while. It was really slow after the first chapter so I put it down for a bit. But as I continue through the book it keeps getting more and more interesting! So far, I'd recommend it!
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Harrowing review of South African history, eye opening and foundational for understanding today's country but chilling and disheartening in many ways as yet another example of human's confounding ability to stigmitize and ostracize each other.
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The history of South Africa told in stories of individuals down through the generations.
Very effective for understanding the modern situation although it stops short of Mandela and democratic elections since it was published before these happened.
Very effective for understanding the modern situation although it stops short of Mandela and democratic elections since it was published before these happened.
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Read in January, 1997
My favorite of the 4 Michener novels that I have read. I learned from my mistake with Poland, and read the Covenant before I went to South Africa. There's noting quite like Michener for entertaining histories of places.
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Read in September, 2007
recommended to Angela by:
Dad
A very looong read, but I'm glad I stuck it out. This is a historical fiction, extremely rich in African history. My dad's recommendation of this book came as a result of my inquiring about the Apartheid.
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Not sure if I have read Mitchner before. I like historical novel of development of South Africa. I am a 1/3 the way in book and still interested but a long book and will see if it holds up.
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Read in January, 1998
This book has a gazillion pages and took me a year to read, but what a book! This book tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the history of Africa and more. Time well spent!
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Read in January, 2006
This is one of my all-time favorite books. It is extremely long, but it details the history of South Africa. I found it fascinating and think about it constantly to this day.
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