short history of South Africa

In A Short History of South Africa, Gail Nattrass, historian and educator, presents the reader with a brief, general account of South Africa’s history, from the very beginning to the present day, from the first evidence of hominid existence, early settlement pre- and post-European arrival and the warfare through the 18th and 19th centuries that lead to the eventual establishment of modern South Africa. This readable and thorough account, illustrated with maps and photographs, is a culmination of a lifetime of researching and teaching the broad spectrum of South African history, collecting stories, taking students on tours around the country, and working with distinguished historians. Nattrass’s passion for her subject shines through, whether she is elucidating the reader on early humans in the cradle of humankind, or the tumultuous twentieth-century processes that shaped the democracy that is South Africa today. A must for all those interested in South Africa, within the country and abroad.

Gail Nattrass lectured in the history department at the School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for 20 years. She is the author of The Rooiberg Story (1983), the co-editor with S B Spies of Jan Smuts: Memoirs of the Boer War (1994) and a contributor to They Shaped Our Century (1999) and Leaders of the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 (2001).