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 84
who was unhurt , was left crying alone the whole night in the house , apparently because he did not know what to do with the bodies ... Neighbours said they heard shots fired at night but they did not take any notice .
who was unhurt , was left crying alone the whole night in the house , apparently because he did not know what to do with the bodies ... Neighbours said they heard shots fired at night but they did not take any notice .
Page 91
Are you planning to spend the whole evening sitting in your lounge waiting , gun in hand , like a bloody Voortrekker ! ' We both look at the gun . The barrel is rusted and spiders ' webs are dangling from it . We laugh .
Are you planning to spend the whole evening sitting in your lounge waiting , gun in hand , like a bloody Voortrekker ! ' We both look at the gun . The barrel is rusted and spiders ' webs are dangling from it . We laugh .
Page 179
You had to strip in front of a whole range of policemen making remarks about your body . Women had to do star - jumps naked , breasts flying , Fallopian tubes were flooded with water until they burst , rats were pushed into vaginas .
You had to strip in front of a whole range of policemen making remarks about your body . Women had to do star - jumps naked , breasts flying , Fallopian tubes were flooded with water until they burst , rats were pushed into vaginas .
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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 |