The Covenant: A Novel

by James A. Michener

Hardcover, 1980

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

General Fiction

Collection

Your library

Publication

Random House (1980), 877 pages

Description

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 Review… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member John5918

A good introduction to the history of South Africa, at least since colonial times, through a work of fiction.

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LibraryThing member santhony

Pretty decent, but not up to the standard of some of Michener's best.

LibraryThing member jwhenderson

In 1978 I spent six weeks in South Africa living in Johannesburg for business. So I was intrigued when two years later Michener's historical fiction about South Africa was published and I read it. I enjoyed the book and learned more about the history of the land I had visited but was not impressed

enough to become a Michener fan.

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LibraryThing member MarleneMills

I really enjoy historical novels and I think Michner's are generally very well done. At some points, I thought he dwelled on the European background more that I would have liked, especially since the book is over 1200 pages, but in the end I thought it was a great read. Our tour director said there

were some minor historical inaccuracies that would only be noticed by a South African.

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LibraryThing member WendyP1

The most fascinating book about Africa

LibraryThing member TimmyP

Michener really rocks. He must do an unimaginable amount of research for his books (I would assume he has a staff to help him) and, even though the Covenant is VERY long, you are still sad when it is finished. He writes the history of South Africa through different chapters corresponding to

different time periods with extremely interesting characters. When he gets to the more modern times, he shows us South Africa mostly through the eyes of the Afrikaans which I found very interesting. He in NO way defends Apartheid but you can get an idea of how it came about. If you like long, well written, historical fiction, then this book is for you.

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LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

South Africa is Michener's theme this time and he gives it his usual episodic treatment. The style is still competent, and there is stuff on the Boer war, and the modern pre-Mandela, apartheid state.

LibraryThing member maryreinert

Read for the second time and still a wonderful epic Michener saga. Beginning with the early San peoples of the region and ending with the story of Apartheid, this covers the history of South Africa through several families: one Dutch (Afrikaner, one English, one native). Over 1200 pages cover a lot

of territory, but there are few details that I would have omitted as this is an excellent blend of fictional characters painted over the factual history of the nation of South Africa.

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LibraryThing member zmagic69

Well I don’t think you can ever enter into reading a James A. Michener book lightly.
I had this book on the to be read shelf for the last 10 years, and last week I saw there were elections in South Africa and I decided to give the book a try.
I clearly knew nothing of the founding of South Africa,

the Dutch and British influence, Calvinism, the Old Testament, the different tribes that were already in the area, who the Boers were, how a people became Afrikaner. This book is wildly in depth and extremely fascinating.
In some ways it’s good that it came out in 1979 because while it doesn’t cover the last 40 years which have been significant in South Africa’s history it does do some detailed and accurate predicting.
Just like many of his other books prepare to learn so much along the way, and plan to have some late nights since the paperback edition is small print and 1200 pages.
This is an excellent book. It is too bad now still writes this type of book anymore.

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