Rating: 
Summary: Perfect and outstanding
Review: What a gem. A perfect novel. The characters are unforgettable. The writing is exquisite. The imagery is scenic, rich, resonant. Most important, the story is actually important. The novel made me grieve for the lost quality in so much modern literature, which often pales in comparison to this classic work. Can't believe I was never asked in high school or college to read this wondrous work. What a gem.
Rating: 
Summary: Horrific writing abilities for a potentially great novel.
Review: I was initially intrigued to read a South African historical fiction novel. However, I was extremely disappointed with this book. I frequently cringed when I read through functional dialogue, poorly written detail of scenarios, and rudimentary story structure. I couldn't believe that someone who held high ranking in a country actually published a book that was so bland. The dialogue, I must emphasize, is so bad that it's hilarious.I read about halfway through the novel and HAD to put it down. There was no way I could possibly waste my time reading something that made me think that anyone could get published. And an Oprah book? Did she even open it to read or did she just read the back cover?
Rating:
Summary: the author probably flunked 6th grade english
Review: The author needs to learn to use quotations. The reader has a really hard time understanding who says what. This whole book has grammar problems and there are many irrelevant conversations. Because of this book, I no longer trust Oprah's recommendations. I made it half way through the book and couldn't take it anymore.
Rating: 
Summary: I didn't cry, but it made me sad
Review: I'm not sure I really understood this book but Oprah said its good so I do to. It was equal parts hartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. The main part of the story is how Kumalu is apart (no pun intended) from his son and his search for him. Besides the larger philosophical and social issues it was also even more interesting on the personal level of the characters involved. Oprah you done it again girl. I would have gave it a extra star if it had lowfat southafrican recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Hurt, but still have hope
Review: Oprah's current book club selection is Cry, Beloved Country by Alan Paton. The book was first released in 1948. At the macro level, Paton presents a country that is beginning to enter into a crisis over racial equality. Because we have the vantage point of time we know how painfully and slowly it transpired in that country. Murmurs of discontent are beginning to reverberate through the black communities. The first signs of organization are beginning to appear to demand fairness and justice. Because this is a novel, he also illuminates the struggles at the micro level. He depicts characters whose lives and circumstances are poignant and heart-wrenching. Paton's novel will make your heart ache, but not give up hope.
Rating:
Summary: wonder what paton would think about s. africa now -
Review: south africa now has the highest crime rate in the world and a governing body which does not respect whites human rights any more than was the opposite situation in the 40's...is it any more fair to kill and hack one group to death, isn't that a hate crime when one group targets one other group because of skin color.
we often neglect (is it on purpose) to tell the other side of the story when it includes black and white people...
Rating:
Summary: A Review
Review: "Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much." This is an excerpt from the book Cry, the Beloved Country, which is about the story of a Zulu pastor named Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom in the troubled times of South Africa in the 1940's. A trend has been made in the small village of Ndotsheni, Natal that the youth migrate to the cities where they see more of an economic chance, for there is industry in big cities. They do not realize the dangers and crime which also lie in wait in the big city. Kumalo's brother, sister, and son all have journeyed to the "white man's town" of Johannesburg in search of a better life, only to be seized by the foul hand of impoverishment and discrimination. This being said, the tale is about Kumalo and his search for his son in the mazy streets of Johannesburg. Along the way Kumalo faces many trials and travails, including robbery, adultery, deceit, and miles upon endless miles of walking. This is the base of the direct plot, but there also is an underlying plot of love intertwined within this story. There lie messages of loss, guilt, and murder in this story. But through everything else, the most prominent message this book states is the love one man has for his people and most of all, his country. This book relays a message of unfailing love for human society sans racial barriers. I found it very interesting, although it was a bit tricky to read, as it was written without quotations and indications of who said what. Once you adjusted, it was a marvelous tale about the historic times of South African injustice, inequality, and Christianity of the mid-1900's.
Rating:
Summary: I discovered a great book...
Review: Excellent book about a black man accused of killing a white man in South Africa, during the time of apartheid. Paton's writing works on many levels, and the plot is not a simple one, but the portrait he paints of the time period in South Africa is a powerful one, and I believe that the book deserves the recognition it is finally getting as a result of Oprah's Book Club. I normally shy away from her selections, but as soon as she switched to the classics, I've been impressed with her choices of material. This is a book not to be missed--and I am glad that I discovered it after all of these years.
Rating: 
Summary: A gruelingly difficult read for such a good story.
Review: I have been trying to read this book for the last two months. Although the story itself is quite interesting, I am finding it very hard to follow Paton's writing style and that is discouraging. People keep telling me it is SUCH a good book (and I keep hearing people rave about it on "Oprah") so I'm forcing myself to finish it, but I feel like the ground-breaking steps that Paton took with this book have been set back by the difficult-to-read style of writing. He doesn't use quotation marks. Instead, he delineates a quote with a dash at the beginning and no ending mark... which makes it very hard to tell when someone stops speaking and the narration resumes. In addition, the South African dialect is difficult to follow (it reminded me of reading "The Color Purple" at times) although the appendix does help a little with some of the words. Those two things added together have equaled a disappointing experience for me with this book. I feel like it's such a shame because I can imagine many people get a few chapters into the book and put it down forever, missing out on a wonderful story and the first "real" look at South Africa for its time. My advice: get this one at your local library so if you have the same experience I have you won't have wasted your money.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty grueling to read...
Review: This book is based on an interesting concept, but the book itself is grueling to read. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone. I actually can't believe that this one is on Oprah's book club. Even more distressing is the fact that such a marginal book would spike in sales like it did when it hit Oprah's list. Get a mind of your own and spend your time reading a better book that you actually pick for yourself.
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