And another one

On another literature note, Tomorrow is Another Country by Allister Sparks is a terrific unpacking of the events that transpired from 85-94 in South Africa. Sparks is a prominent journalist in SA who has written a few highly regarded books on Apartheid, transition, and the new country. Tomorrow is Another Country is fast-paced and chock full of detail (a bit overwhelming in some cases!). However, it reveals a myriad of details on the unprecedented negotiation of power from an all-white to a mostly-Black government in South Africa. Sparks has a knack for latching onto personalities, and characters (major and minor) are finely sketched. Being a first-rate journalist, Sparks was also in and around the action. One particular personal account of being caught in police's gunfire onto protesters is quite shocking and riveting.
Reading this book one gets a real sense of how compromise can be utilized to good measure. However, it does underpin some of the more romantic notions of mass struggle producing change. While of course, without the agitations of citizens both in SA and internationally the Apartheid government would not have felt the pressue of impending collapse. Yet according to Sparks, it was the leaders at the top of the ANC and the National Party that argued, schemed, and finally decided upon the fate of the nation. Regardless, a really intriguing read for those concerned with the nitty-gritty of how it all went down.

Here is the Amazon page of the book.