Covenant
James A. Michener
Mandarin Paperbacks, 1980 (Reprint 1997)
1080 pages
ISBN:0-7493-1161-4
Overall Rating: 5 Stars 
Readability: 4 Stars
Content: 5 Stars
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this book
As I sat in Cape town reading the Covenant, a South African man
sat next to me and proclaimed that the book unequivocally portrayed
the history of South Africa better than any other, fiction or
non, that he had ever read. He went further, stating that South
African schools should toss out their textbooks and have the students
learn the history of their country by reading the Covenant. While
his statements were a bit extreme, the man was not far off the
mark. In true Michener form, the covenant is a massive tome. Michener
delves into the history and mindset of the black tribes of South
Africa, Dutch explorers, the English settlers, and Afrikaners.
He deftly explores the hostile relationships between the separate
factions, providing startling insight into one of most horrific
national histories on Earth. While technically a fictional account,
many of the events in the Covenant are historically factual and
the events simply transpire through the eyes of a fictional character.
The Covenant is surprisingly easy to read and Michener is able
to sustain the reader's interest throughout a majority of the
book. However, there are times during the 1080 pages of the Covenant
that interest wanes and the book becomes a chore to read. But
if you are able to struggle through the slower portions of the
book, the Covenant will provide a valuable insight into the turbulence
of South Africa and leave you with a greater understanding of
the brutal history of an evolving nation struggling under the
burdens of ethnic strife.
