Beyond the Miracle : Inside the New South Africa

by Allister Sparks

Book by Sparks, Allister

Genres: South Africa, Africa, Nonfiction, History, Politics

Paperback

First published April 30, 2009

About the author

Allister Haddon Sparks was a South African writer, journalist and political commentator. He was the editor of The Rand Daily Mail when it broke Muldergate, the story of how the apartheid government secretly funded information projects.

Sparks later wrote a number of critically-acclaimed books on South Africa's transition from apartheid, including Tomorrow is Another Country (1996), The Mind of South Africa (1991) and more recently Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa (University of Chicago Press 2006). Sparks founded the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism in South Africa and was its executive director from 1992 to 1997.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and accessible writing, as one would expect from a veteran journalist.
Fair-minded and clearly anti-racist, but without much depth of understanding about mass movements (and their aftermaths).

[Will Corvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of the myriad difficulties of starting a democracy. Super intriguing and one of the few nonfiction books that I have not been able to put down. Gives a great overview of South African history, the end of apartheid, or nationbuilding.

[Mjb237 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great guide to all the current social and political issues facing this country by one of it's most famous journalists. I highly recommend this to anyone traveling to South Africa.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book on the end of Apartheid in South Africa. Sparks gives amazing insights.

[Barry Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably expert and well-written historical account of South Africa at the cusp of democracy. It also has a good eye to the future.