Country of My SkullEver since Nelson Mandela dramatically walked out of prison in 1990 after twenty-seven years behind bars, South Africa has been undergoing a radical transformation. In one of the most miraculous events of the century, the oppressive system of apartheid was dismantled. But how could this country - one of spectacular beauty and promise - come to terms with its ugly past? How could its people, whom the oppressive white government had pitted against one another, live side by side as friends and neighbors? To begin the healing process, Nelson Mandela created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, headed by the renowned cleric Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Established in 1995, the commission faced the awesome task of hearing the testimony of the victims of apartheid as well as the oppressors. In this book, Antjie Krog, a South African journalist and poet who has covered the work of the commission, recounts the drama, the horrors, the wrenching personal stories of the victims and their families. Through the testimonies of victims of abuse and violence, from the appearance of Winnie Mandela to former South African president P.W. Botha's extraordinary courthouse press conference, this award-winning poet leads us on an amazing journey. |
From inside the book
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Page 31
Ms GOBODO - MADIKIZELA : How do you feel , Baba , about coming here to tell us your story ? MR SIKWEPERE : I feel what – what has brought my sight back , my eyesight back is to come back here and tell the story .
Ms GOBODO - MADIKIZELA : How do you feel , Baba , about coming here to tell us your story ? MR SIKWEPERE : I feel what – what has brought my sight back , my eyesight back is to come back here and tell the story .
Page 88
The stories often make use of direct speech , seldom have more than two characters per scene and quickly switch from one episode to the next . ... But in his story he also presents himself as a friend – to Hechter and Mamasela .
The stories often make use of direct speech , seldom have more than two characters per scene and quickly switch from one episode to the next . ... But in his story he also presents himself as a friend – to Hechter and Mamasela .
Page 217
He remembers it , as the subsequent story makes clear , because that was the day when his entire life's philosophy , his perception of the world and his own place in it , was destroyed . Without this perception , his life is not ...
He remembers it , as the subsequent story makes clear , because that was the day when his entire life's philosophy , his perception of the world and his own place in it , was destroyed . Without this perception , his life is not ...
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - LibraryCin - LibraryThing2.5 stars Shortly after Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Committee was formed to listen to victims and perpetrators of apartheid. If perpetrators applied ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - patrickgarson - LibraryThingCountry of My Skull is an astonishing book. Krog's attempt to embrace, explicate, and bear witness to South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission is complicated, creative, flawed, distressing ... Read full review
Contents
They Never Wept the Men of My Race | 1 |
None More Parted than Us | 14 |
First Hearings | 22 |
Copyright | |
22 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
Afrikaner already amnesty answer Apartheid asked become blood body bring busy called changed child coming Commissioners Committee crying death don't door eyes face fact father feel fire force four front give Government hall hand happened head heard hearing honour human it's journalists keep kill kind later leader leave listen live look Mamasela Mandela means months morning mother murder never night offices Party past person police political questions reconciliation remember responsibility says shot someone sound South African speak stand started Stompie stop story taken talk tell things thought told took town Truth Commission turned Tutu victims voice waiting walk week whole wife woman wrong
Bibliographic information
| Title | Country of My Skull |
| Author | Antjie Krog |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape, 1999 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 13 Sep 2008 |
| ISBN | 022405936X, 9780224059367 |
| Length | 286 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |