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The Covenant, Volume 2 of 2 (1980)

by James A. Michener

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1661163,252 (3.67)24
Fiction. Literature. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:James A. Michener??s masterly chronicle of South Africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness. From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners. The Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation. And the wealthy Saltwoods are missionaries and settlers who join the masses to influence the wars and politics that ravage a nation. Rivalries and passions spill across the land of The Covenant, a story of courage and heroism, love and loyalty, and cruelty and betrayal, as generations fight to forge a new world.
 
Praise for The Covenant
 
??A prodigious endeavor . . . Nowhere else could an American reader unfamiliar with South Africa get so full an understanding of its problems in so engaging a form.???The New York Times Book Rev
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Information from the Dutch Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Noot van de auteur: Dit is een roman en het zou onjuist zijn dit boek anderszins te beschouwen. De plaatsbeschrijvingen, de personen en de meeste gebeurtenissen zijn verzonnen. Trianon, De Kraal, Venloo, Vrijmeer en Vwarda bestaan niet. De families Nxumalo, Van Doorn, De Groot en Saltwood bestaan niet. Enkele personen die werkelijk bestaan hebben - onder andere Van Riebeeck, Shaka, Cecil Rhodes, oom Paul Kruger en sir Redvers Buller - treden even naar voren, waarbij het door hen gesprokene betrekking heeft op de te boek gestelde geschiedenis. De slag bij Spion Kop is evenals de voornaamste gebeurtenissen van de Grote Trek nauwgezet bekort. Groot Zimbabwe is in het licht van recente inzichten nauwkeurig weergegeven. In het hoofdstuk over apartheid zijn alle feiten - waarvoor de auteur instaat - uit onderzoekingen van hem alleen. HET VERBOND eindigt begin december 1979 en kon derhave geen rekening houden met latere gebeurtenissen, zoals de onafhankelijkheid van Zimbabwe en de zich uitbreidende onlusten in Zuid-Afrika, die plaatsconden terwijl deze bladzijden gecorrigeerd werden. Naar kan worden aangenomen zal het verhaal de lezer voorbereiden op deze en komende gebeurtenissen. Het was onmogelijk bepaalde, een algemeen maar nu als kleinerend beschouwde benamingen te verrmijden: Bosjesmannen (in plaats van San of Khoi-san); Hottentot (in plaats van Khoi-khoi); inboorling, kaffer en Bantoe (in plaats van zwarte). Kleurling wordt hier met een hoofdletter geschreven omdat het in Zuid-Afrika een wettelijke classificatie aanduidt.
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Speciale vermelding - Mr. Errol L. Uys, een thans in de Verenigde Staten wonend eminent Zuid-afrikaans redacteur en journalist, heeft zich buitengewoon behulpzaam getoond bij de voorbereiding van dit manuscript. Met een zeldzaam voorkomend inzicht omtrent zijn geboorteland en de bevolking ervan was hij in staat historische en sociale omstandigheden welke een buitenstaander verkeerd zou kunnen uitleggen te verduidelijken, taalgebruik te corrigeren en de juistheid van moeilijk te controleren gegevens na te gaan. In een twee jaar durende samenwerking hebben wij het voltooide manuscript te zamen zevenmaal - waarvan tweemaal hardop - doorgelezen: een zeer veeleisende taak. Ik dank hem voor zijn medewerking. James A. Michener - St. Michaels, Md. - Kerstmis 1979
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It was the silent time before dawn, along the shores of what had been one of the most beautiful lakes in southern Africa.
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Fiction. Literature. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:James A. Michener??s masterly chronicle of South Africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness. From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners. The Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation. And the wealthy Saltwoods are missionaries and settlers who join the masses to influence the wars and politics that ravage a nation. Rivalries and passions spill across the land of The Covenant, a story of courage and heroism, love and loyalty, and cruelty and betrayal, as generations fight to forge a new world.
 
Praise for The Covenant
 
??A prodigious endeavor . . . Nowhere else could an American reader unfamiliar with South Africa get so full an understanding of its problems in so engaging a form.???The New York Times Book Rev

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Adventurers, scoundrels, and missionaries. the best and worst of two continents care an empire out of the vast wilderness that is to become South Africa. For hundreds of years, their rivalries and passions spill across the land.
  • From the Java-born Van Doorns spring two great branches of the family. One will create vast, lush vineyards. The other will settle the interior and become the first Trekboers and Africakners.
  • From the Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, come those who will unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation and intertwine forever with the Van Doorns.
  • From the Saltwoods, wealthy spice merchants, come missionaries and settlers who join the colored masses and influence the wars and politics that will change a nation forever.

The Covenant: generations of people who forge a new world in a story of adventure and heroism, love and loyalty, cruelty and betrayal.
    --------------------------------

NXUMALO - By the side of Shaka, the great Zulu warrior, Nxumalo sees enough of killing. But one more killing will be needed if there is ever to be peace. Shaka must die.

WILLEM VAN DOORN - At the tip of Africa, in a camp menaced by animals, Bushmen, and lawlessness, he struggles to found the Van Doorn line.

ANNATJIE - A Dutch orphan, she is shipped on consignment by the government of the Cape, where women are in short supply. Marthinus van Doorn is happy to have her.

DETLEV VAN DOORN - He had seen his mother and sisters perish at the hands of the English. When the time comes, he will vindicate the cause for which they died - apartheid.

PHILIP SALTWOOD -  Philip, of the American Saltwoods, comes to South Africa in search of diamonds. He finds instead the courage and the torment of his Cape relatives.

MAUD TURNER j- Maud, Frank Saltwood's wife, infuriates the greatest English generals by her concern for the Dutch during the Anglo-Boer War.

PRINCESS RADZIWILL A noble con artist of Polish-Russian aristocratic lineage, she comes to the frontier in search of a man worthy of her, the wealthier the better.
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