Short description
The term "African Renaissance", first used by liberation leaders in the early 1960's, has been revived by South Africa's new president, Thabo Mbeki, as a rallying call for the re-birth of pride and prosperity on the continent. With the flowering of democr
Long description
The term "African Renaissance", first used by liberation leaders in the early 1960's, has been revived by South Africa's new president, Thabo Mbeki, as a rallying call for the re-birth of pride and prosperity on the continent. With the flowering of democracy in South Africa, there is an awakening sense of pride in being African, in all it's dimensions. "African Renaissance", from the camera of renowned photographer Peter Magubane, celebrates something of what it means to be African. His insightful eye explores not only fast-disappearing traditional cultures, but also the developing customs of modern Africa, an amalgam of the ancient and the contemporary. The guide is arranged by theme, covering subjects such as dress and adornment, rites of passage and homesteads. The section on dress and adornment examines beadwork, headgear and traditional dress, while the section on rites of passage takes a look at various initiation ceremonies, and at traditional and modern weddings.;South Africa's major groups, the Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Pedi, Ndebele, Tswana and Swazi, are depicted in many of the chapters, along with glimpses in the lives of lesser-known groups such as the Bantwane.
Review
This is a rather discouraging book no matter how sincere its intentions and undemonstrative its presentation. In the first place, James Donovan fully covered and documented in greater detail the story of Colonel Rudolph Abel, the Russian spy (master or just technician?) in Strangers on a Bridge (1964). Donovan was his defense counsel. In the second place the author here, along with her collaborator - a painter who was a friend of Abel's during his brief residence in Brooklyn - hoped that he would "assume flesh and blood." In the end after 2O years research including a trip to Russia (they never caught up with him there after his exchange for Gary Powers) they concluded that "the more you learn about him, the less you know." This in part then is the story of Burt Silverman's recollections of Abel when he lived next door to him (always likable and equivocal) and in part a re-run of the arrest, trial and return to Russia. Ultimately it is the reader who is still out in the cold. (Kirkus Reviews)