Cry, the Beloved Country

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Summary: Overcoming the racial difference
Review: I am an 18 year old student who just graduted from high school. I hardly sit down and finish a book because I wasn't interested. However, from the page one of the book, I was hooked on. I can't stop reading. This book is very beautifully written. I feel that Part I on the book is from Stephen Kumalo's point of view of Johnnesburg. Part II is James Jarvis's point of view of Jhnnesbur. Part III, Alan Payton combined their two different point of views and make a conclusion. There are a lot of great quotes in this book that we can use in our daily life. I really encourage all of you to read this book

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Summary: interesting story!
Review: its a very good story to read if you are in high school i recomend it! it teaches you a lot about life!!

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Summary: Cry the Retarded Country
Review: An overly sympathetic view of apartheid in South Africa, this poorly written book proves that philosophers should remain philosophers, and not writers. For the majority of this book, Stephen Kumalo merely whines and moans about his misfortunes and while providing a true insight on the suffering of Africans, proves to be frustrating to an avid reader. Don't get me wrong, I fully understand and appreciate the messages conveyed by Paton, yet his style of writing tries my patience. Furthermore, his abandonment of quotation marks is an annoyance. Those who read for enlightenment rather than pleasure will appreciate this book.

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Summary: provocative, rasing awareness
Review: Although this book was an assignment for English, I found it stimulating and incredibly interesting. The plot is average and action does not present itself on every page; however, the characters are dynamic (including the land which acts as a main character in the story) and the writing is beautiful. It was definately thought provoking, giving me new insight into the treasured land of South Africa and the tragedies that plague this beautiful country.

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Summary: Amazingly close to home, no matter where that is.
Review: I enjoyed reading this book so much. I felt like I was there in S.A. looking out at the hills and valleys. I love the way Paton wrote it. I read this book for my grade 11 english class. This is the best book I have ever read in school and I will actually enjoy doing work on it. This book touched me and gladened me to know that my views on racism and segregation are not so ridiculous. I feel this book applies to everyone everywhere. There is sure to be some issue that you can trace to your own living room.

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Summary: Paton touches a nation 's soul.
Review: I have read this novel twice. It is truely a work which challenges the reader on various levels. At times you are locked in a wonderful lyrical poem; the descriptions of South Africa are vivid and so authentic that you are there. Paton is wise enough to pace the action in a previous time. There is no one that is naive enough to keep the heart wretching drama in the past. It is prehaps these fact that everyone can relate to in the pathos of Rev. Kumalo in his journey to reunite the tribe and his gradual awakening to the fact that there are changes that are occurring that his compassion and tears can do nothing for. Indeed this is worth the reading. The only complaint I have is that there is not enough attention given to Gertrude. But this criticism does not decrease the value of the book. One can still see Mr. James Jarvis in the delipated church as the rain washes away his hatred and it is replaced by compassion. "Cry The Beloved Country" is not just a novel about South Africa but about the social injustices we all see around, or at least we should be able to see .

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Summary: An unusually uplifting novel set in South Africa
Review: Many classics can move a person. Rarely, however, is any book uplifting, in that it replenishes the soul. Alan Paton's novel, "Cry, the Beloved Country" not only satisfies spiritually, it also provides a faithful representation of a past reality in South Africa.

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Summary: Moving
Review: Superlatives are the only words thant can be used to describe ths novel.
It is remarkable that written words could make me, or anyone else who reads this book, feel the scope of emotions that they will incure while reading it. I fell in love with Kumalo, and had so much respect for the man who is slain, yet with a depth of simpathy for Absolom, that normally would have been near imposible for me to feel for a murderer. And I felt grief for the father of the man whose son wan murdered.

To put a summerize my thought on this novel I was touched

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Summary: Beautifully written!
Review: Alan Paton writes eloquently about personal struggles, triumphs, and losses. Almost biblical, the lyrical dialogues and descriptions draw you into the reality that is South Africa and don't let you go. Stephen Kumalo becomes a hero and a friend to empathize with and admire. As a college student, I have read this book 5 times and written papers on it for English, History, and Sociology classes. (I got A's on all of them!) I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys great literature and a great story. The 1995 movie with James Earl Jones was superbly done and was the first of the three versions made to be filmed in South Africa. The last scene with Kumalo on the mountaintop was so beautiful and moving it made me cry

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Summary: Beautiful prose tells heart-wrenching story of hope.
Review: The opening chapter of this book is the most beautiful English-language prose I have ever read. It begins a sad tale which is full of the hard truth but full of hope and forgiveness as well. The dialogues among people who are in different worlds in South Africa are simple and moving. You will not only not permit yourself to put it down before you finish; you will feel the same way again when you pick it up a second, third, and fourth time. It is a book to own, to put on your coffee table, talk about, cry over, and rejoice at.