Official Review: For the People: A small town's struggle ...

[tracy19]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "For the People: A small town's struggle for freedom against apartheid" by Anelia Schutte.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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This book tells the true life stories of life for the South African people during apartheid. It follows social worker Owena Schutte’s struggle to help the underprivileged people and all that she saw and experienced as a social worker during apartheid. The book is told in the past and the present and we hear about the stories directly from the people who suffered through these hard times for Colored and black South Africans. How they had to live in squalor and without so many basic necessities, how they were moved around and evicted from their houses because of the color of their skin.

This is a book filled with lots of heartache and joy as many of the people in this book overcame the hardships they had to live through and got a chance to tell their story.

I really enjoyed this book and struggled to put it down. This book intrigued me and I could not wait to hear how everyone mentioned in the book lives turned out. As a South African I have heard of apartheid and of the pain and suffering the people in our country suffered, but this book really made me realize how bad it actually was for some. The book has a great story line that is filled with so much information directly from those that were there at the time when apartheid was at its worst. The book was so full of the emotions of love, hatred, heartache and moments of happiness. It made me realize how grateful I should be for all that I have in life, because the black and colored South African’s during Apartheid had to live with the bare minimum. This book gets to the heart of the story and shows us what an amazing person Owena is, how she tried to help all those in need without expecting anything in return.

I loved the authors writing style, I think she knows how to write a good book that captivates and keeps an audience entertained right to the end. The author is Owena’s daughter so she got to hear the story first hand from her mother’s point of view and how she personally saw all the pain that was experienced. Owena was the people’s hero, she was their Nobantu.

I would definitely recommend this book to all, it was a good read and worth the time it takes to read it. I would rate this book a 4 out of 4.

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[Samperry82]

I loved your review it was very formal. I was wondering if you could tell me how users review books and post their reviews?

[JenniferBoyce]

What a fantastic review! This definitely sounds like an interesting and powerful read. I will have to check this book out.

[ALynnPowers]

Just saw this on BOTD! Sounds amazing!

I am glad to see that you enjoyed the book, and I love the reasons for your rating. Over on this side of the world, we don't often hear about South Africa and the history, but it seems like something we should be more educated about.

[gali]

Thank you for your insightful review. Seems like an important book to read. It is good that the author managed to combine a great story and information in an interesting way. Congratulations to the author for the positive review!

[Joyreader]

Reviewed really well. And the book seems to be an emotional one

[ChrisKauf]

It sounds like a very emotional book and one that touched you personally. Very nice review. It should inspire many to read the book.

[1_2_5_am]

This is such an incredible review!! You gave me so much insight into this book! Oh, & I absolutely adore the fact that this story is told in the past/present!!

[Heidi M Simone]

Thank you so much for the well-written review! I actually didn't know much about apartheid. I love when authors can teach you something new. It's also wonderful that the author was willing to share her experiences!
Congratulations to the author for receiving such a positive review!

[Rachaelamb1]

It sounds like a touching book. I am unfamiliar with apartheid, but love books that teach you something. Thanks for the great review!

[HalcyonFlower]

Always looking to read African literature! South Africa is a place of interest to me, given the leadership of Nelsen Mandela, so this sounds like quite an experience. The protagonist being a social worker seems like it would add depth to everything. Thanks for the lovely review.