Finally, I completed this 1238-page behemoth. To be completely honest, I read this book many, many years ago. I was still captivated by the historical fiction crafted by James Michener for this reading. I gleaned a great deal more during this second encounter. It's an extremely fascinating account of how the Dutch arrive in a foreign land and, with the Old Testament as their guide, they believe they are carrying out God's work by exploiting and enslaving all those who are not of Dutch origin. The arrogance of these people and their mindset is simply astonishing to me. And I recall learning about the Apartheid policies of their government during my lifetime. It was not until Nelson Mandela was set free that this abhorrent way of life was finally brought to an end.

James Michener does an outstanding job of developing the history of South Africa by interweaving the histories of three distinct South African families and how they interacted throughout the course of this rich narrative. The Nxumalos, natives of this land from the very beginning of time until Daniel Nxumalo is sentenced to prison on Robben Island for having the audacity to challenge the apartheid policies. The Saltwoods, an English family, journey to SA from their home near Stonehenge. Hilary, the preacher who battles against the slavery way of life and maintains his integrity even as he makes no friends in SA. Richard, Hilary's brother, who supports him from the security of being a member of parliament. A couple of generations later, Frank Saltwood marries Maud Turner and they do their utmost to assist the non-Dutch people, also known as the Coloureds. They also become highly unpopular with the SA Boer population during the Boer War period and into the WWI era. Later, Craig Saltwood, in the 1960s, perceives the writing on the wall and flees SA with his wife and children under the guidance of his mother, Laura Saltwood. Laura, who also envisions a bleak future for Craig if he remains in SA, is later "banned" for challenging the apartheid way of life. In parallel, Philip Saltwood, a distant American cousin, works as a geologist in search of gold and diamonds in SA, meets Laura, and offers her some solace in her banned lifestyle.

Finally, there is the multi-generation and vivid Van Doorn family. They are the main protagonists of this story. And their interactions with the Nxumulo and Saltwood families are long and captivating. Willem arrives in SA, even as his brother Karel disapproves of how Willem loves the Malaccan girl Deborah and they give rise to the Coloureds of SA. Hendrik, Adriaan, Lodevicus the Hammer, Tjaart, Jakob, Paulus de Groot (the fighting Boer and Sybilla), Detleef (and his sister Johanna) survive the Boer War concentration camps and despise the English for the remainder of their lives. Detleef is the architect of Apartheid and indoctrinates the way of life to his granddaughter Susanna. Philip Saltwood desires to marry Susanna (Sannie) but loses her to the apartheid mentality. Marius, Detleef's son, is not a great advocate of apartheid, due to his education in Oxford.

This massive book contains such a rich blend of personalities, histories, and tales. I'm delighted I read it again. It's like watching a great movie for the second time. A great deal has been learned anew. It's a very good book by JM.

The Covenant is an outstanding book that chronicles the evolution of all the diverse lands, animals, tribes, immigrants, and faces of South Africa.

It is truly a pity that Michener completed this book in 1980, long before the conclusion of apartheid. Nevertheless, it remains an astonishing read, and like all his works, it is meticulously researched.

Michener possessed a remarkable talent for taking extensive stories and making them accessible to the average fiction enthusiast. Make no mistake, this is indeed fiction. However, he seamlessly blends his fictional characters with factual information, to the extent that you frequently find yourself looking up specific names and places, simply to ascertain if they truly existed.

It is highly recommended for anyone who is even contemplating a visit to the unique, beautiful, and embattled country of South Africa.

A panoramic novel that spans centuries unfolds before us. At its core is the tragic heroine, Mother South Africa, whose children struggle to live in harmony. How I wish my school history books had been written in this captivating way, with fictional characters interwoven to bring life and story to what is usually a dull narrative.

After a preface on the early Bushman who inhabited the land since prehistoric times, the story follows the lineages of the Afrikaner Van Doorn, English Saltwood, and Zulu Nxumalo families. It begins with the arrival of the first Europeans in the mid-17th century and extends to the end of the 1970s. The dominant members of each family both shape and are shaped by the history of the country. There are dozens of stories within this 1100-page book, ranging from tragic and dramatic to humorous and downright inhuman, all of which are extremely interesting and well-rendered. The novel seems to aim to capture the history of South Africa, with characters quickly entering and exiting along with their stories. Only a few, like Tjaart and Detleef Van Doorn, Hillary and Laura Saltwood, Jonathan and Daniel Nxumalo, and the timeless General Paulus De Groot, leave a more lasting impression.

The clash of white and black cultures is evident from the moment the Europeans land in Cape Town in the mid-17th century and migrate north over generations. Meanwhile, the blacks, in the form of the resident Hottentots, the Xhosa from across the Great Fish River, and their northern Zulu cousins separated by the Drakensburg range, all drift south in search of boundless grazing land for their herds. The Dutch Afrikaner and his nomadic cousin, the Boer, are portrayed as fierce and independent individuals, willing to fight against insurmountable odds. In their Calvinistic faith, they believe that this land was given to them by God's covenant and that the different races should not mix, like the different colors of jelly. The English, who arrive in 1805, are more interested in empire and the abolition of slavery, while the blacks simply want their land back, and the Coloureds reflect the sin of miscegenation. Mixed in with the fictional characters are real-life individuals, particularly Shaka of the Zulu, Cecil Rhodes, and Lord Kitchener, who, in their misguided attempts to maintain order, wreak havoc in the country.

Loyalties shift between the ethnic groups during each generation as they vie for pole position. There are even times when the Afrikaners side with the Germans during the two world wars of the 20th century to rid themselves of the British, while the Xhosa starve themselves to death under the illusion that the Russians are coming to their aid after the Crimean War. The British are no better, opening concentration camps at the end of the Boer War where many women and children die of typhoid, dysentery, and other diseases.

All this evolution leads to South Africa's darkest phase when the Afrikaner Nationalist Party gains control in 1948 and institutes a form of Nazism called Apartheid. Horrible things occur during this time: whites must carry Life Books detailing every incident in their lives to protect their racial purity, Coloureds are deprived of their vote, blacks are given "Bantustans" (segregated homelands), transgressors of any color are "banned" from public life indefinitely, and suspicion rules the land. Ironically, when racial investigations are initiated, even the "purest of the pure" are found to have some miscegenation in their family trees, making the whole issue of racial purity in a land where early European male settlers had difficulty finding wives a bit of a joke.

It's a pity that Michener ends his narrative in 1979, with Apartheid at its worst. Scores of the best and brightest are fleeing the country for places like Canada and Australia, blacks are massing for revolution in Mozambique, and 400 years of evolution have led the country to its worst boiling point. God's Covenant, indeed - Calvin would be turning in his grave!

We all know that Apartheid ended in the 1990s and South Africa is still struggling to find its feet under its new balance of power. Therefore, this story has no ending yet. Michener shows hope, however, when he parallels Phillip Saltwood's tireless search for diamonds, which finally yields the possibility of a find, to the search for peace in the land by its various leaders who are mining for diamonds in their fellow citizens' souls.

As for the fate of the panoramic novel, I think it has less hope than South Africa. Given the shrinking attention spans these days, it took me nearly a month to finish this book, despite its engrossing nature. I'm unlikely to pick up another Michener tome for a long time to come. Mich would have to drastically alter his writing strategy if he were still alive today.

The novel is firmly set in South Africa, a land that is home to five distinct populations.

There are the Bantu, which are the native Black tribes with their rich and diverse cultures.

The Coloured population is the result of generations of miscegenation between the white Afrikaner and the Bushmen populations, creating a unique ethnic group.

Then there are the English and the Afrikaner populations, each with their own languages, traditions, and historical backgrounds.

Finally, there are the Indian, Chinese, and other foreign workers who have also made South Africa their home.

The novel takes the reader on a journey through time, tracing the history, interaction, and conflicts between these populations.

It starts from prehistoric times, when the different groups first began to settle in the area, and follows their stories up to the 1970s, a time of great social and political change in South Africa.

Through the eyes of the characters in the novel, we see how these populations have influenced and been influenced by each other, and how their relationships have evolved over the centuries.

The novel provides a fascinating and in-depth look at the complex and diverse society that is South Africa.

I have spent a total of 2 years in South Africa.

During this time, with the invaluable help of James A. Michener, who so vividly provided the historical backdrop for this truly beautiful part of the world, I gradually developed an enduring and profound love for the country and its diverse and wonderful peoples.

The richness of the narrative in Michener's works is simply astonishing. It is coupled with an incredibly fascinating and in-depth insight into the trials and tribulations of the characters. This combination kept me completely absorbed and engrossed on those cold winter nights in Cape Town.

I have already read the book twice, and I am certain that a third reading must be patiently waiting in the wings, ready to offer me even more profound understandings and emotional resonances.

South Africa, with its unique charm and the stories brought to life by Michener, has truly left an indelible mark on my heart and soul.

A book of such enormity surely deserves a few words of review.

In this epic work of 1150 pages, Michener manages to convey the complexity, nuance, and beauty of South African history through the intertwined stories of three families. All the players come to the fore (Khoisan, Xhosa, Zulu, VOC traders, Boers, English, Afrikaners, Coloureds), showing how the history of South Africa cannot be read in terms of good and evil or black and white. As a reader, you learn an incredible amount about this history, but it never comes at the expense of the development of the story and the characters. Fictional characters like Willem van Doorn, Nxumalo, General de Groot, or Philip Saltwood are just as real as Jan van Riebeeck, Paul Kruger, or Shaka Zulu. Michener wrote this book in 1980, before apartheid was finally abolished. Yet, in this book, you can read that even in 1980, hope and change were in the air. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the complexity of South Africa and, at the same time, be entertained.

Here are some quotes that I thought were worth the effort:

"It was a journey any young man would want to make, five hundred miles due north across the heart of Africa, crossing wide rivers, sharing the pathway with animals innumerable, and heading for a city known only in legend."

"There were in South African life two events that struck terror in the hearts of ordinary men: when two bull elephants raged in low scrub, knocking down trees in their feud; and when two Boers engaged in a business deal."

"But if we read the Old Testament too grimly, we miss the lovemaking, the adventure, the wild triumphs, the dancing and the sound of flutes."

"Detritus, that's the word. The awful accumulation of wrong decisions, improper turns. You scrape away the excrescences of history [...] and maybe you get down to the bedrock of human society, where diamonds hide. God of my fathers, how I wish we could bring in the psychological drills and probe down to bedrock."

The Covenant by James A. Michener is an epic and captivating tale.

It transports the reader back to the earliest days in South Africa, delving into the San tribal customs.

The story then follows the growth and development of the region through the experiences of several key families, all the way up to and including the era of apartheid.

It serves as a personalized history lesson, making a profound impact as you journey with each generation of the involved families.

The Covenant is truly a remarkable piece of work, striving to present all aspects of an incredibly complex and difficult situation.

It offers the reader valuable insights into issues that many of its own countrymen still struggle to fully understand.

When the Dutch first occupied South Africa, their intention was to establish a shipping link and a restocking port to combat scurvy and other sea-related issues.

After building a fort, they assumed ownership of the land, believing it to be uninhabited by civilized people.

However, this concept was challenged when it was discovered that Zimbabwe was built by the natives and not of Phoenician origin as initially thought.

This made it harder for the Dutch to argue that the natives needed them to civilize and bring them out of the dark ages.

By the time the next set of immigrants, the Calvinists from France fleeing religious persecution, arrived, the Dutch already had a strong foothold on the Cape.

The Dutch wanted all traces of French culture to be left behind, and racial disparity was already present.

When the English took over South Africa, they had similar intentions.

They wanted all South African people to follow the Queen and forget their own heritage.

English was to be the language of school and Sunday worship, leading to inevitable disagreements.

Many Dutch chose to leave their homes and trek deeper into the wilderness to protect their way of life.

The population in South Africa increased significantly when the English emancipated the slaves.

The Dutch, who believed in a hierarchical racial order, opposed giving blacks the same rights as themselves.

Soon, it became clear that for the Dutch to effect change, they needed to become part of the government and work from within.

They educated their young in school and about their history and the Bible's old testament.

The next generation managed to get a foothold in government, and changes began to occur.

One man, Detleef van Doorn, found himself in charge of Racial Affairs and soon introduced policies such as segregation, racial separation, and the gradual reduction of rights for colored people in South Africa.

This marked the beginning of apartheid.

This story is about human rights, love, freedom, and enslavement.

It is an ongoing land and language dispute that persists to this day.

It is a well-told story that leaves the reader with much to contemplate and reflect upon.

This is not a new book, but I'm truly glad that I've managed to find it. James Michener is indeed a master storyteller.

In our history classes, we were only taught bits and pieces of our history. So, it's extremely interesting to see how all those fragmented details fit together seamlessly.

This historical novel is clearly based on facts, yet the author has cleverly interwoven his own storyline. It provides a comprehensive account of how South Africa came into existence, including the different role players involved and the dynamics of this multi-cultural and multi-faceted country.

It's an absolute must-read for those who wish to understand this complex country. It offers a deeper and more nuanced perspective that goes beyond what we learn in the classroom. Through Michener's vivid descriptions and engaging narrative, we can gain a better understanding of the rich history and diverse culture of South Africa.

What a mammoth of a book!!!

Not only is it long, but it also tackles numerous issues and social complexities.

Starting long before the common era, it traces the various peoples who inhabited South Africa and left their indelible mark on the country.

The story truly begins when the Dutch decide to use the site of present-day Cape Town as a replenishment base for their ships bound for Java.

From the mid-1600s to the present day, we follow the slow settlement of the Cape and its subsequent outward spread to other areas of the southern tip of Africa.

The journey is truly fascinating.

I have read the entire Courtney and Ballantyne series by Wilbur Smith, which are set in the same area and more or less during the same time period. However, "The Covenant" gave me a much better understanding of the social structure of South Africa and why it developed in such a markedly different way from other countries, ultimately leading to the official Apartheid policy in 1948.

I never realized that the old Dutch Reformed Church played such an important role in structuring this society and effectively making it a theocracy.

The book was published in 1980, long before the fall of Apartheid. It is a pity that it couldn't have included the final years of Apartheid and its eventual collapse. That would have been an amazing story to read!

One thing that surprised me very much is that Nelson Mandela is not mentioned even once. How can one write about South Africa in the second half of the 20th century and not bring him up? It's a mystery.

South Africa has a rich and intricate history, which James Michener vividly portrays through his fictional characters in this 60-hour audio book. His masterful storytelling takes the listener on a captivating journey.

Reading this book was an invaluable introduction to South Africa before my recent visit. It provided me with a deeper understanding of the diverse cultures and the people who have settled in this land. Michener also delved into the question of what led to apartheid and other issues that South Africa still grapples with today.

This paragraph not only offers insights into the why of human behavior but also reveals the reason behind his choice of "The Covenant" as the title of his South African historical novel.

"What they did not realize was that men and women are always free to enter into a covenant with God, but that does not mean that He is obligated to enter into a covenant with them, especially when they have determined unilaterally the terms of the covenant." This profound statement adds another layer of depth to the exploration of South Africa's history and the complex relationship between its people and their beliefs.

If you have even the slightest inclination to understand the intricate history and the complex psychology of the people of South Africa, this is an absolute must-read.

Particularly, it delves deep into the Afrikaner and English struggle to establish themselves in South Africa. The customs, psyche, and those crucial historical tipping points, along with their profound impact on South Africa's history, are vividly captured.

However, it should be noted that the African, black population is somewhat overlooked. It would be truly wonderful to have a sequel to this meticulously researched book. In this sequel, the focus could be on the heroic anti-apartheid struggle and the remarkable humanity of its leaders.

This is a substantial book that requires a significant investment of time to read. But make no mistake, it is an essential piece of literature in the South African context, despite being written by an American. It offers valuable insights and perspectives that are not to be missed.

So as a teen, I delved into Michener’s Fires Of Spring. It was a lengthy book that centered around a rather unheroic character who trudged through the first half of the 20th century.

What truly astonished my youthful mind was the fact that I took such a liking to it. Up until then, I had been an avid reader solely of the fantasy and sci-fi genres.

Here was this extremely long book about the ordinary and mundane, yet I found it captivating. A few years down the line, I picked up Michener’s Space. However, having already read The Right Stuff, Michener’s work seemed like a rather pointless imitation.

Thirty years later, I found myself revisiting Michener with Covenant. The reason? I desired to learn about South Africa, but I also wanted to be entertained to some extent.

This turned out to be a remarkable book that masterfully wove together a dozen novellas into an epic tale of South Africa, its people, and its land.

Michener is a true storyteller, and his most successful formula lies in his refusal to turn any of the groups - Zhosa, Hottentots, Zulus, Boers, Uitlanders, Huguenots - into mustache-twirling, arch-evil doers.