A History of South Africa Leonard Thompson

A leading scholar of South Africa provides a fresh and penetrating exploration of that country's history, from the earliest known human inhabitation of the region to the present, focusing primarily on the experiences of its black inhabitants. For this third edition, Leonard Thompson adds two new chapters that describe the transfer of power and the new South Africa under the presidencies of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.

Leonard Thompson is Charles J. Stille Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University and director of the former Yale Southern African Research Program. He has written and edited many books, including The Political Mythology of Apartheid, The Frontier in History (with Howard Lamar), and South African Politics (with Andrew Prior), all published by Yale University Press.

"A history that is both accurate and authentic, written in a delightful literary style." Archbishop Desmond Tutu "An authoritative text by a distinguished historia." Beverley Naidoo, Times Educational Supplement "An admirably objective history of South Africa... will be most useful in contemplating the country's future." Lorna Hahn, New York Times Book Review "This is a work of insight and durability that is certain to assist South Africa's coming generation of nation-builders to reach a more objective understanding of their past." Foreign Affairs "This work has received universal praise from scholars and activists alike." Washington Post Book World"