Cry, the Beloved Country

Rating:
Summary: Just didn't want to know the ending...
Review: The story was beautifully written. I refused to read the last 30 pages or so. I just didn't want to know how it ended. I just felt content not knowing.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written
Review: I loved this book I could not put it down! I think Paton did a brillant job in writting this magnificiant story. One will be drawn to the characters as Paton described each of them so well. This book will teach one to appreciate what they have or hope to have. And that my friend will have to discover it for themselves. I hope one will love this book as much as I have.

Rating:
Summary: A classic, but?
Review: I am not as impressed with this book as I thought I would be.
The story itself has some depth and is a story that should be told but I think Chinua Achebe did a much better job in Things Fall Apart. I know this was one of the earlier works on the plight of South Africa but I feel that the writing style was not strong enough to really convey the depth of the story.

I think I understand why there were other books assigned for this topic matter when I was studying English in high school in college but I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this selection.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant, beautiful book
Review: Yes, the writing style was a bit CHALLENGING but made it all the more authentic. (I was truly surprised to learn that Mr. Paton is a WHITE South African!) The message was so amazing. The story was so well crafted.
I would recommend this book to anyone. If you take the time to absorb it - and not "just read" it - then you will be the lucky one. This is not a quick read to check off your list, but a masterpiece to savor. (Nelson Mandela's biography is also fabulous reading!!)

Rating:
Summary: Emerging apartheid in a quiet, humble and humbling voice.
Review: The Reverend Kumalo is at the center of a social experiment that has destroyed tribes, families, societal values and human beings. He is a poverty-stricken minister, caring for his flock of villagers living in a drought-stricken area of South Africa. The drought and its devastating effects on the capacity of the already-poor to farm and provide for their families seems to be a metaphor for the human drought born of racism and emerging apartheid.

The land will no longer feed them, the young flock to already-teeming Johannesburg and they then get swallowed up in the further degradation of thievery, murder and prostitution. And the majority Afrikkaners then satisfy themselves with the proof positive that blacks are inherently weak, untrustworthy, lazy and are beneath dignity.

This novel both paints a devastating picture of everything that's wrong with racism and the ensuing apartheid while holding out hope that there are some among the white who see the problem as clearly as Reverend Kumalo and strive to do something about it. Unfortunately, however, those who advocate for the despised sometimes get destroyed in the process.

And that is exactly what happens to one idealistic young man, the son of a wealthy Afrikkaner landowner, who writes extensively and publicly advocates for those who have no power. But the young man is not destroyed by one of his own, who fears a change in the power balance, but by one of those for whom he advocates.

Each father mourns the loss of his son; the father of the murdered knows the white man's justice will prevail but will still leave him childless and the black man's father knows he has lost a son on two counts. One, he lost his son when Absalom left the village and broke all communication with his heartbroken parents. Two, for a black man who killed a white man, there is only the white man's justice.

Reverend Kumalo meets the good, the bad, the indifferent, the greedy and the generous. His dialogue is that of a humble man, loved by his townspeople, deeply respectful of others. While his demeanor is very self-deprecating, he cannot be mistaken for one who is servile. Reverend Kumalo's deep understanding of human beings, with all their inherent imperfections and machinations, is awesome. Despite this, he forgives.

Thankfully, despite his great personal losses, Reverend Kumalo witnesses a number of small miracles thanks to an unexpected source. His benefactor, and that of the village's, is the father of the young man who was murdered.

This is an eloquent book written by one who truly understood the evil and great destructive powers of any system that strips a people, any people, of their basic and fundamental rights to be
respected, independent and self governing.

Rating:
Summary: I Just Didn't Get It
Review: Overall, I thought that Cry, The Beloved Country was a good story. I really enjoyed reading about the kindness and unity of the people in the book, however, I felt I just could not relate to any of these characters so it was really hard for me to get into the story. I also thought that the writing was a bit choppy and was sometimes hard to follow along. Overall, this book did not impact me as much as I had hoped.

Rating:
Summary: The writing style spoiled the story.
Review: "Cry, the Beloved Country" had a very intriguing and educational plot, but Paton's writing style is what ruined it for me. The dialogue format was confusing at times and the switching of narration also put a damper on the story. Symbolism was strong, but easily spotted. If only the writing style wasn't so bad. I do not recommend.

Rating:
Summary: My Review on Cry, The Beloved Country
Review: Cry, The Beloved Country, by Alan Paton is truly a compelling novel. It is brilliantly written and had me intrigued throughout the entire novel. The rich text captures the moments and allows me to feel and be a part of all the chaotic activity.
It made me think about how fortunate we are today to have diversity in our neighborhoods and in schools. We really don't think about it until we are forced to; whether it is by coincidence or by intention. It made me sad to think about how we concentrate on little bothers and miss out on the huge issues like the ones in the novel, including racial discrimination and the struggles between justice and the law.
The way Paton has formatted his text gives a stronger feel to it. It's excellent how he puts a great deal of emotion and detail throughout the entire novel. Some examples of this are when he writes about the great valley of the Umkomaas. He describes it by saying, "the soil is sick, almost beyond healing." It gives you a clearer picture of how the soil really was. Another example is when John Kumalo speaks about raising the wages in the mines. Paton wrote, "The crowd stirs as though a great wind were blowing through it. Here is the moment, John Kumalo, for the great voice to reach even to the gates of Heaven." He states the point but adds a little kick to it and makes the statement more understandable. By putting emotions and details into his novel it drew me more into it.
The intensity in the events was so great that it took me to places I've never been before. Like whenever Paton raised the intensity, it felt like I was right there with his characters. Almost like I was Mr. Kumalo going through all of those troubles. It was very powerful to me. My mind has opened up to new ideas that I would've never thought of before. Such as maybe white people weren't always racist against blacks. That blacks and whites sat in the same churches. Also that by one man's doing, a whole world can change. Like when Jarvis helped out Kumalo's land, by giving those supplies that were desperately needed.
I would definitely recommend this book to whoever likes intensity and purity in a novel.

Rating:
Summary: More than just a classic novel¿
Review: REVIEW: CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTY

As a seminarian, let me first say this: "Cry, The Beloved Country" taught me more about being a true, compassionate Christian minister then from all I've learned in my short time in seminary. How can I make such a statement? Because the author, Alan Paton, does more to illustrate the power and truth of Christian charity than the best Sunday sermon could ever hope to achieve.

Like all truly great literary works, this book works on multiple levels, the highest being theological. One could write a doctoral dissertation on the Christian theology which pervades every single page of this novel. And yet there is very little preaching, and only a tiny handful of Bible quotations. We are not being talked down too, we are not being lectured; rather, we are being invited into a world where the best virtues are illustrated, not commanded.

Those looking for a political treatise on the evils of apartheid will be sadly disappointed, as this book was written before those laws were put in place. (In fact, the word "apartheid" never appears once in the story.) However, one can easily see the evil seeds being sown that will bear a bitter harvest in years to come.

There are three main characters in this story: the old Zulu Anglican pastor Stephen Kumalo, the wealthy white farmer James Jarvis and the country of South Africa as it was in the early to mid 1940's. The way in which these three characters interact with each other is truly remarkable, and sometimes quite surprising. I could say much more about the plot and characters, but it will be much more fun for the reader to discover these things on his own. It is well worth the effort.

As I write this review, the book is the current selection of "Oprah's Book Club." While I've always taken that label as a warning to avoid a work of fiction, this time it proved to be an invaluable guide to a book I would have otherwise overlooked. The book club's new emphasis on "the classics" is an excellent idea. The first two choices of "East of Eden" and "Cry, the Beloved Country" are outstanding selections. Much credit goes to Oprah Winfrey for steering us out of the gutter of contemporary fiction, and helping us to enjoy the rich, powerful treasures from our recent past. You go, girl.

I read a tremendous amount of books, more so than anyone else I know. So you can truly appreciate how significant it is when I say "Cry, The Beloved Country" is one of the top ten best English language novels I've ever read. Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Multidimensional
Review: I thought this book did a good job of presenting characters that were very multidimensional. The characters displayed traits both positive and negative. As the reader, I felt sometimes encouraged, oftentimes sympathetic, and every once and a while disbelief at the actions of the main character Stephen Kumalo. However, I would have enjoyed knowing a bit more Kumalo's son journey while in Johannesburg.