An Autobiography--The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa

I enjoyed this book but was disappointed at the sudden ending. I was left with a need to know more about what happened when he left home and if he ever returned. It makes me feel such anger at the way apartheid was so accepted by the white South Africans.

My mother loaned me this book several months ago and I only finished reading it last night. It took me that entire time to read it; not because of illiteracy, boredom or indifference towards reading, but because I had to put the book down several times just to let my emotions quell before I continued reading again.

The term "Kaffir" in South Africa is equivalent to the “N” word in America. Kaffir Boy is an autobiography by Mark Mathabane chronicling his early life in Alexandra, South Africa, a ghetto of Johannesburg. For those of you like me, who had sparse knowledge about apartheid, will be reading for the first time about the true devilish machinations of apartheid. I had heard about apartheid at a young age and knew that it was a form of injustice towards Black South Africans but South Africa was so far away and not many people went into details about it.

What I learned from this book and the emotions that it evoked was tremendous. If anyone with a piece of a heart read this book he’d be moved. While America was progressing forward with integration and civil rights, South Africa was staunchly entrenched in a Jim Crow era. Mark Mathabane details this, not from a historical or political perspective, but from his perspective; the perspective of a young Black South African, the perspective of all of his people. He details the actual and real effects of apartheid on the people. It’s an amazing book and I’m glad that he was afforded the ability and opportunity to write it.

Kaffir Boy documents Mark Mathabane's amazing story of growing up in a shanty town in apartheid South Africa to become a tennis and academic prodigy. Mathabane illustrates the degree of segregation and racial oppression in that country, and it is an eye-opener with child prostitution, senseless killings by gangs, rampant poverty and disease, stark inequalities, institutional racism taught in schools (for both blacks and whites), and a government actively working to keep those inequalities in place while keeping the general public ignorant of real conditions for blacks.

The story is an interesting one to read against America's own struggles for racial equality. In the book, America is looked at as a dream land of equality--with the assassination of MLK and wins by Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe figuring in the book--and yet we know that isn't so. While blacks in the U.S. may not be subject to the humiliating bureaucracy described in Kaffir Boy, with the mass incarceration rampant in America's criminal justice system, there are some similarities worthy of reflection, with the police controlling the movement of black bodies and the progress of black lives, blacks segregated into ghettos, abuse of power, black fear of whites, black children turning to gangs as a form of family, autonomy, and agency, whites gunning down blacks with inpunity, and protest and looting against injustice in some communities.

Originally published in 1986, the book is badly in need an epilogue! When and how did apartheid finally come to an end? Was Mark Mathabane able to contribute to the fight against apartheid in any way? How was the book received in South Africa? Did it contribute to demolishing apartheid?

That said, this important book, is also longer than it needs to be at parts and could probably be edited.

Superb memoir of a black kid growing up in apartheid, hate-infected, punishingly-severe persecution and deprivation of So. Africa. His chances of achieving anything at all were surely minus zero chance.Through the force of his illiterate mother's determination that he go to school (perhaps she saw potential in where, where others just saw another kaffir), his discovery that he loved learning, and probably most importantly that he learned to play tennis well and loved it, he earned a series of scholarships to American universities. Mathabane went on to marry, father 3 children, become a best-selling author and lecturer.
The book dragged for me at the beginning and began to feel repetitious as perhaps 150-200 pages we spent detailing the horrors of growing up in Alexandra, where 100,000 impoverished people lived in 1 sq mile with no sewage system, electricity, transportation, joblessness, laws that kept the huge black population downtrodden and sequestered.
Okay, I got it. I got the message early on.
For me, the book really picked up momentum as he reached high school and formed his impossible dream of getting out of So. Africa and into America.
He achieved more than his mother could ever have imagined. Bravo.

I am currently in South Africa serving in the peace corps and this was a recommended book to read prior to coming here. It is a dark and somber tale but well worth the read. As someone who knew only the basics of apartheid, this book gave me an insight into what life was like for black South Africans during a terrible time. Life in South Africa is still complicated and reading this book gave a glimpse as to why.
It is also a great story of hope and success after a lifetime of adversity. Well worth a read!

Mark Mathabane spent the first eighteen years of his life living in conditions of unbelievable hardship under the South African apartheid system. Crowded with his family into a squalid dwelling in the township of Alexandra, he spent his childhood battling cold, rats and hunger and with raw sewage pooling just outside the family home. As he grew older and understood the bitter injustice under which his family and community lived, he became motivated to succeed both academically and to improve his increasing tennis skills; always dreaming of winning a tennis scholarship to an American university. He experienced at first hand the draconian pass laws, the institutionalised obstructiveness of petty officials and the fear felt by the black population for the state police and neighbourhood spies.

There are graphic accounts of the township riots and the death of so many children which make this a harrowing, though essential, read for anyone interested in the history of the twentieth century.

This book hits you right between the eyes. Having read some other works about South Africa, including books by Alan Paton, one of the best known writers produced by that country, about apartheid and the struggles associated with it, I was eager to read Mark Mathabane's story. He writes in a no-nonsense, incredibly honest way about the disturbingly unbearable conditions of life in the ghetto where he grew up in South Africa in one of the country's more turbulent times, the years prior to the formal dismantling of the brutally oppressive system of apartheid. By giving almost day by day, year by year recounting of the impossible odds he and his family faced, we get a true sense of the struggles of every black in the country; we feel deeply his struggle to overcome the sense of shame and guilt fostered by the Afrikaners who perpetuate the system; and equally his relief in encountering a very few sympathetic (liberal, as he calls them) whites who do their best to help him overcome the enormous odds he faced. The hate that this man encountered on a daily basis was painful to read about. However, this man was exceptional. Exceptional in his giftings, in every sphere, emotionally, intellectually and physically (he was the first black South African to obtain a tennis scholarship to the US), and his talent and drive obviously opened many doors for him. A very poignant moment is at the very end as he leaves his family and friends behind, not quite overtly stating perhaps the obvious fact that the less talented and opportunistic would continue to struggle in South Africa under the life-sapping system. I read this book in 2004. It was published in 1986, and obviously much has happened in that country in the past 18 years. I will be interested to read his later works, and see how his being removed from the system, and indeed the system being removed from his country, impacted his thinking, writing and life. He was a much younger man when this story was written, with a passionate heart, and I wonder (hopefully) whether he encountered the level of freedom and liberty that he so eagerly saw awaiting him in America as this story concluded.

Wow. I can't believe Mark Mathabane lived to write this book. Kaffir Boy is truly a tale of survival. Even more incredible to me is that he came away from his nightmarish childhood in South Africa unscathed enough to write about the experience in very lucid and calm prose. I am guessing if it were me in his place I would be beating on pillows in psychotherapy sessions for the rest of my life. Or taking some serious antidepressant medication. My interpretation of this book is that it reveals how patriarchal/matriarchal structures damage and destroy everyone that they touch. Obviously, these structures dominated South Africa's Judeo-Christian white minority and African tribal culture when Mathabane was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s. He has done a wonderful job at revealing how ugly the shame, violence, fear, and exploitation characteristic of patriarchal structures truly are. Everyone abuses everyone else from the top down in apartheid-archy South Africa. Unless you are fortunate enough to be a "bass" (white person in a position of authority), you suffer endless torments and tortures. In an odd way, Kaffir Boy reminded me of Orwell's 1984. Scarily, patriarchal structures allow situations like apartheid to happen in our world right now. All in all, I found this book to be well-crafted and beautifully written. The characters are very round and the entire plot just felt very real to me. A few criticisms: On a some occasions, the writing becomes very didactic--as if the characters are just mouthing Mathabane's philosophy about a this or that situation in South Africa, not being characters in a story. And, the character of Mathabane's mother sometimes confused me. On the one hand, she was supposed to be an illiterate person. But on some pages she came across like a university professor. Odd. Also, the character of Mathabane's father, very much prevalent for the first one hundred or so pages just seems to disapppear after that. And the book seemed to read very slowly for me. It is 350 pages, but often seemed longer. However, these are minor criticisms. This is a great book to read if you don't know much about South Africa's system of apartheid in the 1960s and 1970s and it is just a moving story altogether. As Mathabane says on the first page of the book, "Amandla! Awethu! (Power is ours!)." Words that every human being should feel proud to speak, regardless of race, culture, gender, or age.

Had always thought that the South Afrikaner Boers were a bit snobbish and were not running their country in top form. I had no idea of the strategies in place to 'divide and conquer' the Native populations.
I wonder what has become of the new South Africa since Nelson Mandella's rise to power?
Hopefully there has been some genuine progress in the realms of how the tribes get along with each other as well as with the Afrikaner minorities.
The book was very engaging and hard to put down. He wrote quite well, and captures the global frustration of dealing with stubborn bureaucracy, and paper pushers who thrive on abusing their peso of power.
Have here at the store.com learned that Junior High Students were 'required' to read this book. I do object to this, considering the graphic situations defined.
It is not suitable reading for anyone under 18.

Not much of an introduction needed here: the full title of the book accurately sums up the subject. This was a book that I bought in used paperback not certain whether I'd finish it, and found myself deeply engrossed in the story and in reflection upon Mathabane's descriptions of life under apartheid.
Mathabane shows a great many literary strengths here. His candid expression of his own feelings can't help but inspire the reader's respect and interest; the whole book feels 'spoken from the heart'. His prejudices, embarrassing moments, times of despair, moments of triumph, and peer relations are all here. Of particular interest to me (naturally, as a white non-South African) was the development of his views of white people--South Africans and foreigners--and how his understanding becomes broader as he meets a wider variety of people. I came away thinking that I'd probably really like Mark Mathabane in person.
His youth in fact makes a good story, one that builds nicely to a conclusion I won't spoil for you except to carefully mention that this is the story only of his youth, not of his whole life. And his descriptive talent, which painted such vivid and contrasting portraits of the life he led, is worthy of the great storytellers of the proud tribes of southern Africa from which he is descended. I would offer the caveat that the book contains explicit sexual and violent scenes that most people would consider inappropriate for children under 14 (and even then I'm assuming a pretty well-adjusted child). Mathabane is never himself vulgar, but some of his experiences certainly were, and he gets through them as quickly as possible but I see why he didn't omit them.
If you ever wondered what life was like for South African blacks under apartheid, particularly for a highly gifted member of that group striving upward against every barrier that several cultures could place before him, this'll be a revelation.

In an era of political correctness and overly sensitive focus groups, it is refreshing to read an honest rendition of a person's point of view.
Mr. Mathabane has created a simple, honest and brutally accurate description of Apartheid South Africa. He pulls no punches in his descriptions of life in the townships of S.A. and you will finish this book with a heavy heart. Yet, he tells the story with such honesty and sincerity that you do not feel as though you have been to a political rally when you turn the final page.
Very few books of this ilk manage to portray these sort of situations so accurately and with such plain language. As you read the book you are transported to his family's small shack and you feel the fear he felt when the 'sweeps' would take place. You can hear the angry cries of the mobs of children and feel the desperation that he must have felt.
Despite the horrid conditions imposed by the government the positive side of human nature shines through. The goodness of some of the white community and their desire to help this young man makes a huge difference in his life. The author's positive attitude allows him to make the assertion that people as individuals are good at heart.
The message that socialization, economic deprivation and government repression create evil in people shines through in this narrative. But the author's honesty and success shows that human perseverence and hope can overcome all obstacles.

KAFFIR BOY is a must read for anyone interested in what life was like for a young boy coming of age in Apartheid South Africa. Mark Mathabane describes in vivid detail the horror of poverty and brutality which was a way of life for black children and families living in the squalor city of Alexandria near Johannesburg, the affluent suburb in South Africa. His account is heartbreaking. Yet, Mark was able to do the unthinkable. He was able to escape (thanks to the support of men like Stan Smith), and lived to write about his horrifying experiences. KAFFIR BOY is interesting and important because Mark Mathabane writes in a style as if he is talking directly to the reader, thereby allowing the reader to fully understand what it was like coping with the cruelty and injustice of apartheid.

I thought that parts of the book could have been penned more concisely. Also, it was difficult at times to understand the character of Mark's mother and father. Yet, Mark Mathabane's powerful and profound account/message of life in Apartheid South Africa far outweighs the minor flaws of this book. I highly recommend this book.

Kaffir Boy is set in South Africa during apartheid in the 1960's; it is an autobiography of the life of Mark Mathabane who tells the ups and downs of his life. The story begins with a bang as the SAP (South African Police) journey uninvited into Mark's house looking for his parents to check his passport. This happens many times throughout the book and Mark begins to adapt it as a well of everyday life. Mark also encounters poverty when his father is arrested for not having his passport in order. His family results to near starvation for months until his grandmother is able to help them get back on their feet until Mark's father returns from prison. Mark's next step lands him in school, although his father is completely bent against him going his mother is able to provide for his education. Mark ends up being at the top of his class and gets a scholarship to a college. He begins to pick up tennis and plays with more white players around the world; he begins to idolize Arthur Ashe and watches one of his matches. Mark ends up being a class act tennis player and making friends with several white people. At the end of the book Mark changes as a person, he didn't like whites at the beginning but learned that all whites were not bad and he also felt like he had completed all his goals coming out of a ghetto.
The reason I give the book 4 of 5 stars is really the length and content of the book. I feel as though more information then necessary was given sometimes. I see where Mark was coming from though, trying to give the raw details of the ghetto so readers from a suburban neighborhood would understand what it was like in the 1960's but I also feel like some of the mentioned material was much too explicit. Mark was able to catch my attention though and no other book before has been able to do that, it is a great autobiography to say the least. I recommend it to readers 16 years old and above and anybody with a lot of free time on their hands.

I never had the slightest idea of what "apartheid" was until I read this book. I had thought it might just be segregation. But it was so much more than just segregation.

Mark Mathabane introduces us to the horrors of his childhood growing up in South Africa, from family problems, to gangs, and the unjust Pass Laws. He learns the value of education and shows just how hard it is to persevere when oppressed by whites who believe Africans to be inferior.

Starting from the 1960's, it provided an in-depth look at the Apartheid from a victim's point of view. It amazed me that it was all real...all the killing and poverty.

It was a very powerful novel. It gave me good sense of the meaning of "apartheid". I would suggest it for those who want to get a good idea of the type of thinking and enduring that went on in South Africa during apartheid. Because it doesn't quite focus on the events of history, but is a personal account of a youth's hardships, the book is very effective in evoking emotions, portraying hardships, rather than just stating the facts.

I really was able to take away a lot from this book. I finished it with a greater sense of the power of perserverance, hopes, and achieving goals.

In the beginning of Kaffir Boy in America by Mark Mathabane, I thought it started at just the right age to where a child would start to notice the injustice happening around him. Mark Mathabane was seven years old when the book first began; by the age of eleven Mark had endured a lifetime of hardships. The many events Mark describes in the book at such a young age draws your attention to each and every experience he decides to share. You start to feel sympathy for Mark and root him on throughout the book. As you continue to read through the book you sometimes forget that it’s a seven-year-old dealing with abuse, apartheid, racism, poverty, and starvation because he was being a more responsible man at the age of ten then his father. Mark had to deal with his drunk and abusive father that loved gambling and hated the “white people”, and constantly made life hard on Mark. Only once Mark started to succeed in academics would his Father try to take credit for being the brains behind giving his child an education. Even in the middle of the night Marks father woke him up asking for bus fare because he had gambled all his money away the night before.
Mark then happened to meet some white families that put him on the right path towards a good life. He got very involved with tennis and it took over, as reading had earlier in his life. Mark is a courageous and brave young boy that had a dream/goal and he got there on his own will. This book incites passion in the reader and drags you into the reality of the injustice that was happening in South Africa. It is a good book that I would recommend.

-Cameron Ashmead

Mr. Mathabane makes a part of history something personal. I was criminally unaware of Apartheid, except in a vague sense, and Mr. Mathabane let me see it from the inside out. I don't think I'll look at things quite the same ever again. Kaffir Boy gave me a renewed appreciation for what I have, for what I can be, and for what I've been given.
Mathabane's style is eloquent in its simplicity, and stark without being vulgar, no matter how vulgar the situation.
The true worth of an author is to affect their reader. I defy anyone to read Kaffir Boy and not be affected. This is no light read, to be sure, not a bedtime story for the kiddies, but it is a lesson in history, a journey of the heart, and a saga of hope and faith. In total, it is an incredibly "human" work.

This is apartheid through the lucid eyes of a young, intelligent black boy. It seems more authentic perhaps because it is not seen through white lens, because although many white South Africans may have detested apartheid, they could not have felt it like the black South Africans did.
This book makes one wonder why movies like CRY FREEDOM lionized a white South African while over-looking the thousands of everyday heroes in the black community. People who lived from day to day under a system that saw them as sub-human, as unworthy of simple common decency.
The prose is fluid and immediate and the story is, thankfully, full of a pure, beautiful human anger and a keen desire to truthfully reflect a devastated people and community. Mathabane does not shy away, either, from indicting the black elite in addition to the white oppressors.
This book is an example of The System overcoming The Person. Sometimes it is impossible for that `pulling yourself up by your bootstraps' idea to work because in many ways, we can excel largely only as much as the system under which we live allows us to. Also, a system can, by depriving people of dignity, turn them, like Mathabane's father and thousands of other black men, into the Living Dead.

KAFFIR BOY; "Inspiring beyond belief"
This is an autobiography written by Mark Mathabane. It tells of his struggle to survive and make some-thing of himself against the odds in Apartheid South Africa. The book tells many stories of day to day horrors he faced ,and most importantly, what kept him going and what kept his faith. This book will make you laugh and cry. After reading it you'll want to jump up and save the world, or maybe just have the inspiration and the courage to help yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone that's open-minded, open-hearted, and willing to be ` inspired for life'. This book would probably be aimed at ages 15 and up.

This is an autobiographical account of life in South Africa during the days of apartheid.It puts a human face to the horrors of apartheid.It is the story of how a boy and his family cope with life in the shantytowns that blacks were forced to live in.It details his experience during police raids,riots during the apartheid struggle and how the system limited the lives of 80% of South African citizens.He also details his experience in school and how he was saved from a life of drudgery and no opportunities by a tennis scholarship to the united states.It is also the story of family.It details the triumph of the human spirit.I recommend this book to anybody interested in knowing what life actually was during apartheid.

Great words. Wonderful plot. Awesome characterization. All of these things can be found in Mark Mathabanes exciting autobiography, Kaffir Boy. This autobiography combines the vileness of South African apartheid and one young lad's struggle for freedom with astonishing results. Kaffir Boy takes an aggressive look into the wickedness of apartheid and the ravishing affects it can take on the future in an engaging manner that lures the reader into the plot.
Within Kaffir Boy, the plot blossoms through magnificent character development, guided by Mark. The story is encapsulated within an autobiography format- as the characters grow, so does the plot- as shown when Mark first realizes apartheid, and the detrimental effect it has on black society. By showing this truth, the reader has the opportunity to look into the world of a black South African drowning in the havoc of apartheid. The honest viewpoint shared an unbiased hope of life that kept the reader hooked. Along with this, Mark and his family build on to the story with details from daily life and family tradition. It really opened up a new viewpoint of world cultures as I felt myself being drawn into the characters lives, struggles and achievements. The character development in Kaffir Boy was a flawless, exciting addition to this book.
Along with character development, Mark's true life story unfurls through the plot a wicked twist on your feelings, emotions and beliefs that will make your morals shout out from the sidelines. The events in this book that I liked the least were the racism shown to the blacks in South Africa. The ways blacks were treated throughout this work really gave me a culture shock. Although the white's actions were horrible, Mark's actions and the persistent drive behind them shone like a candle in the night, as a hero in a sorrow filled world. The event that I liked the best was when Mark was freed of the bonds of apartheid through his talents and hard work, the theme was shown strongly through his actions and I admire his die-hard attitude. Also, the motif was very encouraging and kept me hooked. The plot of Kaffir Boy was exciting and will keep any reader thirsting for more.
Bright work or boring bummer? I encourage you to read this fabulous book and decide for yourself. Kaffir Boy astonished me with new viewpoints and aspects within the menacing world of apartheid. Make sure you add this five- star choice to your bookshelf- Kaffir Boy.

After reading Marks' books, all of them! I felt well prepared for my trip to South Africa. I traveled there this Fall of 2011 and the insights and information from Kaffir Boy and Meriam's Song were still valid. I could understand conversations with the locals and interpret my impressions clearly, thanks to Mark's books. I have also met the author in person and found him a very well informed and compassionate person, passionate about the well being of people of all backgrounds, anywhere in the world. I highly recommend this book.

I truly enjoyed this book. Even though his life was so very hard. I found many similarities. I found this book thought provoking. I found my mesmerized by the narration. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

Stark and poignant, Mark Mathabane shares his autobiography of life under South African apartheid until the miracle of his escape to the United States in Kaffir Boy (Free Press, 350 pages). Mr. Mathabane's story is told in three parts. The first, The Road to Alexandra, offers a description of the appalling squalor and violence found in a black ghetto under fourth-class citizen status. How children learn to survive, let alone attempt to carry on any type of hopeful existence, defies any common understanding of humanity and pulls at the reader's heartstrings. The challenges, frustrations, and sacrifices that confronted Mr. Mathabane and his family are documented throughout the second section, Passport to Knowledge, where education, religion, and tribal affiliations swirl as possible solutions to combat the Influx Control Law and other forms of white-minority separatist rule. Passport to Freedom, the third section, narrates Mr. Mathabane's discovery of tennis and the difficulties of making dreams come true.

Despite the repetition of incidents and the infusion of seemingly inconsequential moments, Mr. Mathabane's autobiography is readable and moving. It is hard to imagine anyone living through the impoverished conditions he describes. Confrontations with his tribal father, local gangs, missionaries, and white authorities suggest hope of a better future is nothing short of a lottery ticket. The most effective sections of the text share Mr. Mathabane's inner turmoil in deciding his place as a black South African and an agent of change. The tumultuous history of apartheid is drawn with an effective narrative voice as violent uprisings and responses are juxtaposed with tender sacrifices and determination. With the assistance of liberal whites, Mr. Mathabane turned hard work and good fortune into a plane ticket to freedom. Kaffir Boy joins Cry Freedom and Master Harold & the Boys as yet another powerful depiction of South African life.

Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane is an inspiring book about a black youth's coming of age in Apartheid South Africa. It is an inspiring story about a young black boy growing up in the rat-infested ghetto of Alexandra struggling to be more than just another "kaffir" like every black man, woman, and child in Alexandra and every other ghetto in South Africa. The only life that he knew was a life of bloody gang wars, midnight police raids, and poverty and sickness. With his mother's help, he had the courage and the strength to peruse his dream of someday escaping South Africa and going to America. The theme that the author is trying to convey throughout the book is no matter how difficult things get, not to give up on the things that you want so badly. No matter how many forces are working against you, you can still accomplish your goal.
Life in Alexandra was difficult because all blacks living there had to have a job and special papers authorizing them to do so. Those who did not have the papers or were unemployed were arrested or shipped back to tribal reserves where conditions were often worse than the ghettos. Like many other families living in Alexandra, the paper's belonging to Mark's parents were not in order. Because of this, they had to flee when police raided houses. Because it was illegal to be employed without them, Mark's father was many times sent to prison. This resulted in Mark's family to be one of the poorest families in the ghetto. His mother spent all her time looking after her children and was forced to be unemployed because she didn't have the proper papers and she was illiterate. They often had to resort to dumpsters to stay alive. At times when the family managed to save money, it went towards Mark's schooling. His mother's one dream in life was that one of her children become educated and lives a "proper" life.
When Mark starts his education, because his family could afford it he learns to enjoy it. He graduates first in his class. But as the family gets deeper and deeper into debt, Mark begins to get beaten everyday in school for late payments. He was often unable to walk. His grades never sliped, but he was worn out from the beatings. Because of his mother, he didn't give up. She convinced him that without him, she would not have a will to live. His mother took a job in Alexandra (one did not need papers to work in the ghetto) to pay for his education because Mark's father proved to be no help towards him. It encouraged him to work harder than ever to prove his father wrong. He wanted Mark to give up all the "nonsense" which he called schooling and learn to accept the tribal ways. Mark was often forced to perform rituals by his father to please the tribal gods. Mark grew to hate his father and often took his mother's side in family quarrels.
Inspired by Arthur Ashe, a black tennis champion from America, Mark desperately wanted to get out of Alexandra and beat white people at their own. Mark takes up tennis as his second hobby next to reading. With the help of Saramouche (a black tennis coach) and many of his white friends, he becomes the best black player in Alexandra even though black tennis facilities were no match for those of whites. He saw tennis as "a way out." Persevering to be the best, Mark worked harder than he ever has before with the danger of people trying to murder him for playing with whites while other black children would never dream of having such a chance, someday hoping to hear from Stan Smith (a white tennis champion who won in Wimbledon with Bob Lutz) about a tennis scholarship to America.
This wonderful tale is very intense story about a boy and his struggles. The reader is deeply touched by the descriptive scenes of ghetto life. It is very inspiring to read about an indiviual, which most people thought had no chance growing up in his world of harsh laws, who never gave up. Mark Mathabane takes the reader through a journey of his life. The reader feels that he or she is sharing with Mark the hardships and the good times. It is an excellent, well written, inspiring, and very descriptive story.

The autobiography written by Mark Mathabane displays the struggles, fears, hatred, and the constant struggle for freedom in South Africa during apartheid, which separated blacks from whites. During anytime, police raids were apparent and usual in a black ghetto, where Mark lived. Early in his life Mark developed a hatred for whites and the everlasting system of apartheid, because of these raids and how his parents conveyed their image to him. Mark's father made enough money to support a half-starving family, however once Mark's mother received a job, Mark was sent off to school. His love for literature grew, and he wanted to read constantly. The books he obtained were through a white family whom his grandmother worked for; hence Mark's hatred for whites became weaker, while his love of books became stronger. Also, the white family gave him a tennis racquet, once he learned the game, tennis was his favorite hobby, second to reading. While he was growing as an individual and intellectually, problems dealing with apartheid remained, and Mark believed strongly in freedom, his destination: America. I believe everyone who is able to read should get a copy of this because of the insight into another culture, the story of a lasting hope, and a born leader develops. Indulge yourself in the everyday problems in South Africa, where a brave, strong-minded person cries freedom.
Throughout the book in its entirety, a harsh culture like no other is revealed to the imagination of the reader. The fact that police raids were a typical occurrence in the black ghettos, invading the privacy of helpless, starving humans shows the culture as cruel, and unjust. Mark builds up a strong fear toward these police to the point that whenever he would be woken up in the night, he would ask his mother if the police were there in a frightened manner. "Lifebuoy soap, purged me of years and years of grime till I ached and bled" (Page 124). Bathing to Mark was a terrible thing for he practiced it once every few years because his family did not know the pleasures of cleanness, nor did they have the money. Constant starvation faced Mark and his family day after day, week after week. The white people whom his father worked for were cruel and treated his as though he was a slave, just to receive enough to feed an inadequate amount of food to the hungry mouths of his family.
Regardless of every hardship that faced Mark, he still grasped hope. When he was just a boy, he would listen to his mother's tales and would pull from them a meaningful moral as he aged. He learned to love peace instead of hate, honesty instead of deceiving, and hope instead of fear. As Mark was educated, his intelligence devoted his soul to books, and he believed they would carry him out of the hateful country into a better land. News of a "Promise Land" arrived when he heard the equality of people in America, and the fairness. He began tennis, excelled, loved, and mastered the game. High hopes for America had risen at this point when he knew he had the smartness, and the ability to play a sport well, potentially leading his to freedom. The only obstacle was money.
A natural leader Mark was, and this quality proved to be his best throughout the novel. Showing Mark's independence in his decisions, early on in his life he was faced with a grotesque dilemma. His friends sold their bodies sexually, for food and money. However, Mark was strong-willed and declined regardless of how poor his family was, and how much the pain of hunger was pleading. He fled from the scene as an individual while his friends stayed a group. A quote from him says, "I was not prepared to prostitute myself for food or money. I would rather have died than do that" (Page 74). In school Mark became top of his class in grades, he continued to rise as a natural born leader. Hard work was invariably performed, and Mark received top of his class for several more years. His involvement with whites grew as his love for tennis grew, infuriating blacks all around him. Many called him "Uncle Sam" in mockery, and threatened to kill him. Mark did not break the friendships he had made to appease his own race, he didn't understand why blacks and whites could not live as one, so he simply researched America more. The desire to live in America flourished in Mark's mind, and he needed to leave the madness, which infested his native country.
Mark's destination: America, but his problem is learning how to get there. Kaffir Boy is a book intended for those who want to read of a leader, and an individual struggling to win the one aspect of life he wants most...freedom. The novel is meant for serious readers who want a book of a different type of world as well. Learn about the harsh, unpleasant style of living that Mark called his childhood, and read about how he manages to depart from this terrible place.

Growing Up
The book Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane is without a doubt a worthwhile read. Its unique detail and harsh reality is unparalleled by any other novel. It is the story of Johannes Mathabane, growing up in the racially unequal apartheid of South Africa. Throughout the book, he is treated under awful conditions, yet learns to persevere and comes out on top in a most heroic manner. It tells of overcoming all of the obstacles in his life - including his father, the government, and his tribal heritage. This book is not only enjoyable to read, but it is also an important book as it opens America's eyes to those less fortunate living under impossible odds.
The book takes place in South Africa, where whites predominately rule. Johannes, who later changes his name to Mark, is a young boy just beginning to experience the hatred and racism in apartheid, a ghetto in Alexandra. The book starts out immediately showing the daily terror that he had to live.  With constant raids, by the black police (headed by whites), Johannes soon develops a hate for all white people, as his parents have to constantly flee because their "passbooks are not in order". Things begin to go bad after his father is taken away to jail for a year. Poverty and hunger consumes their ever-increasing family. When his father returns, he is never the same. An internal struggle begins to develop within Johannes. He is torn between his father's tribal beliefs and the new changing era of schooling and Christianity. As he grows older his metamorphosis begins and a hatred starts to brew inside for his father. His mother turns his life around by enrolling him in school. He prospers greatly and begins to think differently of some whites as his exposure grows. Poverty is constant throughout the book, as is the disputes between him and his father. He makes it through school graduating the top of his class. It is after a few years of schooling that he is introduced to the sport tennis. This would be the changing moment in his life. Tennis opens his views to whites as he encounters those who want to help him succeed. He meets friends such as Andre and Stan who promise to help in fulfill his dreams. When everything seems to be going well in his life, revolts begin against the government which he quickly joins in. This disrupts his life and brings back his hate memories of whites. Although his life is chaotic during this period, he still manages to quench his thirst for knowledge and manages to excel in school and tennis. He begins winning tournaments as his metamorphosis slows almost to an end. He rebels against his fathers wishes, only to pursue his dream of going to America. Eventually he proves that he could overcome hate with his mothers love and embarks to an American college.
            Throughout this book, Johannes demonstrates tremendous heroic qualities in his quest for success. From the moment he is brought into the world, he is constantly defending himself and his family. He shows courage constantly during the entire story. This is demonstrated when he rebels against his father's tribal wishes, continues schooling even when it is unbearable, and when he refuses to quit playing tennis with whites even though its against the law. Another quality that Johannes has is his dedication. He refuses to quit school, because he promised his mother, and he practices tennis even when his family and political unrest go against it. He also is ambitious. He comes from a home with nothing, yet he sets high hopes and dreams and never forgets them. Also, Johannes has great resourcefulness. For his learning he was provided with very little yet he made the best of it to try and educate himself. He constantly read comics to try and prove to everyone that he is better than a "kaffir" boy. Lastly, and probably the most important quality he possesses, is that he loved his mother and never wanted to disappoint her. This was the driving force behind most of what he accomplished. All these qualities put together made Mark Mathabane a great, almost unstoppable, hero. He believed when no one else did, a very difficult yet inspiring task.
            This book is an unquestionable necessity for all to read. One reason is because of the rich detail that Mark was not afraid to write about. He crosses many racial borders and accurately describes the hell that he was forced to live in - such as the unsanitary conditions and constant fear. It is not a pretty book to read, as his truthfulness often leads to disturbing tales. But I emphasize its importance, because of its ability to grasp you and throw you right into this terrible world that most people wouldn't believe exists. This book is also very captivating. He makes you feel as if you are experiencing everything he did, a task which most writers aim for but fall short of. He powerfully conveys all his emotions- his stubbornness of his younger years, his anger at his father and his sadness at his torn family. Plainly spoken, it is a great story to hear. It's amazing that he was able to overcome such odds and hardship, and it inspires you to want to do something to end the racial oppression. The theme of a fallen, but not beaten hero appears throughout the entire book. It also does revert back to the old "good will always prevail over evil theme" as this presents itself in religion and racist disputes. This book is just as intoxicating as it horrific, which provides a sad but good read.
            When Mark Mathabane wrote "Kaffir Boy", he accomplished a great literary work, comprised of great emotion. This naked view into his life provides us with unbelievable detail. It should be appreciated not only as a book, but as his inspirational life poured onto pages. He proved to everyone that he could triumph over all the evils threatening him even if he didn't have all the necessary tools. This memoir is not to be overlooked, as his success story is like no other. He escaped degradation to accomplish his dreams. He showed heroism when it seemed unbearable and lives to this day to tell his story. This is a powerful and intensely moving story.
           

Great words. Wonderful plot. Awesome characterization. All of these things can be found in Mark Mathabanes exciting autobiography, Kaffir Boy. This autobiography combines the vileness of South African apartheid and one young lad's struggle for freedom with astonishing results. Kaffir Boy takes an aggressive look into the wickedness of apartheid and the ravishing affects it can take on the future in an engaging manner that lures the reader into the plot.
Within Kaffir Boy, the plot blossoms through magnificent character development, guided by Mark. The story is encapsulated within an autobiography format- as the characters grow, so does the plot- as shown when Mark first realizes apartheid, and the detrimental effect it has on black society. By showing this truth, the reader has the opportunity to look into the world of a black South African drowning in the havoc of apartheid. The honest viewpoint shared an unbiased hope of life that kept the reader hooked. Along with this, Mark and his family build on to the story with details from daily life and family tradition. It really opened up a new viewpoint of world cultures as I felt myself being drawn into the characters lives, struggles and achievements. The character development in Kaffir Boy was a flawless, exciting addition to this book.
Along with character development, Mark's true life story unfurls through the plot a wicked twist on your feelings, emotions and beliefs that will make your morals shout out from the sidelines. The events in this book that I liked the least were the racism shown to the blacks in South Africa. The ways blacks were treated throughout this work really gave me a culture shock. Although the white's actions were horrible, Mark's actions and the persistent drive behind them shone like a candle in the night, as a hero in a sorrow filled world. The event that I liked the best was when Mark was freed of the bonds of apartheid through his talents and hard work, the theme was shown strongly through his actions and I admire his die-hard attitude. Also, the motif was very encouraging and kept me hooked. The plot of Kaffir Boy was exciting and will keep any reader thirsting for more.
Bright work or boring bummer? I encourage you to read this fabulous book and decide for yourself. Kaffir Boy astonished me with new viewpoints and aspects within the menacing world of apartheid. Make sure you add this five- star choice to your bookshelf- Kaffir Boy.

Mark Mathabane's spellbinding autobiography, Kaffir Boy, is an emotional tale of a boy's struggle to fulfill his dreams and aspirations amongst the terrors of apartheid South Africa. The book deals with extreme racism, poverty, hope, and miracles. Born Johannes Mathabane, the boy is forced to deal with harsh police raids and lack of food daily. Through his mother's diligent work efforts, Johannes is able to attend school and finds himself first in his class. Through some connections, he realizes that not all whites are the conniving, cruel policemen that Johannes has encountered. Through one of these connections, he discovers the sport of tennis unearths his talent for the sport. Through some friendly encounters with whites at tournaments, he meets Stan Smith, a famous tennis player from the United States and learns of the free black society overseas. Through the help of his new friend, Johannes finally receives a tennis scholarship to attend an American university. Throughout this book, Johannes proves to be such a wonderful and convincing hero as he worked to better his people and his country, provided for his family, and continuously strove to be better at all aspects of his life.
Johannes continuously was weighing decisions on which would be the better for his people and the future of South Africa. Reading was a passion of his that helped him to be more adept to reading English until he reached the point where no matter how hard the English was, he could read it. His main focus at the end of the story was to fulfill these dreams of his. This value of the desire to excel was another heroic trait that Johannes possessed.
All of these add up to the laudable hero in Johannes "Mark" Mathabane, making his story a precious tale that is a must read. It brings awareness to horrible conditions so often overlooked, yet so recent. The scenes were graphic and tragically descriptive, making the reader sense the horror and tragedy that Johannes must have endured. Facing adversity at every turn, Johannes Mathabane, the seemingly small, stands to his full height and defies all expectations to reveal one magnificent story!

Mark Mathabane lived in Alexandra, one of the many black only slums in south africa. Mathabane lived with his many siblings and parents in a shack about 15 by 15 feet. there was of course no running water or electricity. His parents made a combined income of about 600 dollars a year. The only thing Mathabane could do with his life is become a cheap factory worker. But he defied all odds by going to an american university on a tennis scholarship. Definetly the best book that i have ever read in my 40 years of living.

he book "Kaffir Boy" not only captures the real life hardships that occurred in South Africa under the Apartide, but it is also a great story of success and avercoming all adversity. The Story is told from the perspective of Mark Mathabane when he is a young boy all the way up until he is a fully grown man. Mark Mathabane in his autobiography tells the story of what it is like to overcome true poverty in this story which at many times is sad and depressing, while at other times can make one laugh and smile. While reading this book one will go through a roller coaster of emotions, which will make you never weant to put down this book.
The main reason I liked this book was because of the perspective it was told in, which is of course the first person perspective. What this does for the book is it make it very belivable, because you know that everything that happened in the book is true and it wasn't just though up by some author who never experienced what South Africa was really like. And the other this this does for the book is it maked is so much more detailed. Mark Mathabane make is so that the readon knows almost every detail so you can better understand the situation that is occuring in the novel. I belive the only bad thing about this book would be that some of the scenes in the book seemed like they were un-needed. One example of this would be the part of the book where a raping occures, and there are many other scenes like this in the book. But what I think Mark Mathabane is trying to do is just to help the reader better understand the situation he was in. In closing I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to learn about South Africa uner the Apartide because the book gives you a really great understanding of what it was really like.

I recently read "Kaffir Boy" by Mark Mathabane, a true interesting autobiography story base of the brutal horror laws of Apartheid in South Africa and about Mr. Mathabane struggles and enthusiasm to overcome his dream, to be someone in life. I was sock, when I was reading this book for all the unjust laws that were apply to black Africans. Mr. Mathabane shows us the atrocities he lived through his childhood and his family in Alexandra, South Africa. First of all, he show us how non-whites were threaded like un-human beings, discriminated by whites, poverty among black community, lock of freedom, starvation, living in small shakes, and not having equal rights. I was so unaware of the hardships that black South Africa was living. I admired Mr. Mathabane for his encouragement of seeking a better life. Although he was living difficult circumstances with his family and having endless struggles to accomplish his goal, he was able to accomplish his dream such as, finishing school with a high gpa and obtaining a scholarship to study tennis in America and have freedom. Also, for never being led by bad influence, to always having his mind in continuing progressing in life. This incredibly interesting book had open my eyes to a new world that I had never knew it existed. He changes my point of view of never give up my dreams, always fight to succeed. This book really got into me, I couldn't put the book down once I was reading it and I did not even notice I was already reading the last page. I really recommend this book to all people that want to have knowledge of an important history of South Africa. If you want to know an incredible person that did everything to accomplish his goal, you should read this incredible book. I'm sure you'll like it!

This book should be a must read for anyone. Reading this book made me thankful for all the advantages I have had in my life, and how badly people in other parts of the world have it. Even though apatheid is now abolished, this book still has an impact on you. It's amazing how much Mark Mathane had to overcome to be where he is today. His strength is unbelivable, and even though he had times when he thought he could not live the way he was living any longer, he overcame that an is now living in the USA. What is the most remarkable is his changing throughout the course of the book from a boy who vows never to step into the white world to a young man whos closest friends are whites.

Though this book does have scenes that may be considered inappropriate by some, I feel that they were neccasary to fully convey the horrors of living in a black ghetto under apartheid. When Mark Mathabane came to my school to speak, it amazed me to see how far he has come. From reading Kaffir Boy, you know some of the most horrific moments in his life, and seeing him up on stage and having the courage to talk about it astounded me. Reading this book helped me gain a deeper appreciation for the world around me, and, if you choose to read this book, I hope that it will do the same for you.

I recently read this book for a summer reading requirement for my sophomore year of high school, and I found it to be a very good description of apartheid in south africa. This book follows a poor black child and his family from about 8 to 18 years of age. I would reccommend this book to anyone intereested in apartheid, or just looking for a good book to read. No matter who you are this book will touch your heart to know what torture blacks in south africa went through during apartheid.

History has always been my most hated subject. Text book after text book informing me with important dates and facts which always seem so cold and heartless. The year we studided the Civil war I wanted to understand and feel what it had been like for the young men sent to fight on the front lines. However with a sentence like "the men ranged in age from eighteen to thirty" it was difficult. Kaffir Boy changed the way i felt about history. This book not only made the history of Apartheid come to life in my eyes but it ignited feeling and passion inside of me as i read each page. Discriptions like "With almost three years of constant police terror behind me i had now become, at seven years old, so conditioned to expecting predawn police raids that each time my mother awakened me in the middle of the night, i would spring up and ask, Are they here?" painted a vivid picture of this young boy, Mark's horror and confusion at the age of seven. I could not have put it down even if i wanted to. To this day Kaffir Boy is a part of me. I fell in love with this little boy who made the phase "never give up" come to life. This book has a soul and you will feel it when you read it. I have told all my friends and family that this is a must read, and i feel that now i should tell you. If you dont read this book you will truly miss out on somthing amazing.

The autobiography "Kaffir Boy" by Mark Mathabane is a very engrossing and vivid novel. Mark Mathabane encountered hardships in his life that most of the people in this world cannot even imagine. Apartheid laws in South Africa affected the lives of all the black families in both their public and private lives. Mark Mathabane grew up in society where apartheid was in total effect. The gruesome experiences that Mathabane faced were sometimes too much to bear. However, with the support of his loving mother and grandmother, Mathabane succeeded in his education by being the top in his class. Aware of the unjust laws of apartheid, Mark Mathabane was determined to somehow make a change in the community he lives in. His passion for tennis was what helped him change his life. Even with all the obstacles in his life, Mathabane hopes to be able to study in America with a tennis scholarship. With hard work and perseverance his dreams came true eventually.
"Kaffir Boy" is a very inspiring novel to everyone that is ambitious and hopeful. I learned so much through reading Mark Mathabane's autobiography. There is always hope and there is nothing impossible in this world, as long as we never give up in what we want to succeed in. With no doubt in mind, this novel is outstanding and worth it.

History has always been my most hated subject. Text book after text book informing me with important dates and facts which always seem so cold and heartless. The year we studided the Civil war I wanted to understand and feel what it had been like for the young men sent to fight on the front lines. However with a sentence like "the men ranged in age from eighteen to thirty" it was difficult. Kaffir Boy changed the way i felt about history. This book not only made the history of Apartheid come to life in my eyes but it ignited feeling and passion inside of me as i read each page. Discriptions like "With almost three years of constant police terror behind me i had now become, at seven years old, so conditioned to expecting predawn police raids that each time my mother awakened me in the middle of the night, i would spring up and ask, Are they here?" painted a vivid picture of this young boy, Mark's horror and confusion at the age of seven. I could not have put it down even if i wanted to. To this day Kaffir Boy is a part of me. I fell in love with this little boy who made the phase "never give up" come to life. This book has a soul and you will feel it when you read it. I have told all my friends and family that this is a must read, and i feel that now i should tell you. If you dont read this book you will truly miss out on somthing amazing.

The autobiography "Kaffir Boy" by Mark Mathabane is a very engrossing and vivid novel. Mark Mathabane encountered hardships in his life that most of the people in this world cannot even imagine. Apartheid laws in South Africa affected the lives of all the black families in both their public and private lives. Mark Mathabane grew up in society where apartheid was in total effect. The gruesome experiences that Mathabane faced were sometimes too much to bear. However, with the support of his loving mother and grandmother, Mathabane succeeded in his education by being the top in his class. Aware of the unjust laws of apartheid, Mark Mathabane was determined to somehow make a change in the community he lives in. His passion for tennis was what helped him change his life. Even with all the obstacles in his life, Mathabane hopes to be able to study in America with a tennis scholarship. With hard work and perseverance his dreams came true eventually.
"Kaffir Boy" is a very inspiring novel to everyone that is ambitious and hopeful. I learned so much through reading Mark Mathabane's autobiography. There is always hope and there is nothing impossible in this world, as long as we never give up in what we want to succeed in. With no doubt in mind, this novel is outstanding and worth it.

This was an autobiography about an African American growing upduring apartheid South Africa. Who would have thought that we wereforced to read a book and actually enjoyed it? I found this book to be very interesting. Because even though Mark Mathabane was young and remembers his life vividly he does an excellent job describing the hardships that he went through. This book is also a good motivational book because his whole life he did not give up at his goals. He thought about giving up but never did because his mother motivated him. If his mother were not there he would never have never been what he is now. This book can also be used as an inspirational tool. It would be good for inspiring and having Mathabane as a role model because he went from scholing in the most cruel streets of South Africa's ghettos with a hard won education raised himself from humiliation to win a scholarship to an American university, which was almost impossible in South Africa during the apartheid era. This book was written so well that you could not get confused and understand everything very well. Mark Mathabane describes his life so detailed in this book that you can picture everything that you are reading happening in front or you. Untie I started reading this book for humanities I had never heard of the age of apartheid in South Africa where it was like slavery had not ended where the whites were treated like royalty and the blacks treated like trash. I thought that that they were all living together. This opened my eyes a little more because now I know that it was not only in South Africa that a race was treated so harsh but also in other parts of the world. Mathabane discusses the living conditions that the blacks had to endure, the poverty that they were in and how they were treated like animals. I think that Mathabane wrote this for the mature audience so the will understand what is going on in the world.

I could not read this book straight through. The poverty and mistreatment of Mark and his fellow countrymen and women in their own land was disgusting and affected me emotionally. The author painted a glaring picture of his life and I do not know where he found the strength not to start the revolution himself. Through him I got an excellent sense of what slavery must have been like for African Americans here in the United States.

Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane is truly a compellingly authentic biography. Mark and his fourth class family grew up in Alexandra, South Africa and this is his remarkable memoir of life under apartheid there. This terrifying story describes his struggle to survive under poverty and inhumane conditions, with a tormented father who would beat him for not listening to tribal ways, and a mother set on educating Mark no matter what the sacrifice.
When Mark discovers tennis his world turns around. Practicing everyday, he still manages to be the top student in his class. Mark would have never guessed that playing tennis would fulfill his dream about going to America, but when American people hear about Mark they are willing to pay his fees to go there as well as college tuition.
This biography describes a black person's life so well and from a different perspective. Since I have only read books about Africans through white people's eyes, I have never really understood the pain blacks went through under the system of apartheid. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in an important piece of African history, and a truly remarkable story of a survivor.

"Kaffir Boy" is a book about a little 'kaffir' (racially discriminating term for colored people) boy living in South Africa at a time when people had to pay to survive in their own country. Coming from a poor family, his parents couldn't afford to pay for food, let alone pay for a pass to live. The cops come after them numerous times, and the little boy tries his best to run away from them. He grows up watching discrimination, death, and destruction, which makes him indifferent towards life and education. However, his mother's insistence made him change his mind. Therefore, he went to school, where there was a lot more discrimination, not only racial, but also classis. However, he realizes his love for education, and struggles to stay in school and be one of the best. He discovers his longing for tennis, and pretty soon, becomes good at it, with the help of his white friend. As life goes on, he learns that not all white people are racial discriminators. He learns that life is not the same all around the world. He hears about Martin Luther King, and his fight for equality, which makes him long for a free life. He gets an athletic scholarship for tennis, and comes to America. Thus, 'Kaffir boy' escapes the hardships of a discriminated life by coming to the 'promised land', America.

This is a wonderful book about a young boy who was forced to grow up too soon in a world filled with unspeakable evil. It is very heart touching. The emotional way in which Mark Mathabane describes the risky experiences of this boy and the in depth descriptions of his struggle for survival makes this book very interesting and affecting. It teaches us how racial discrimination can make others feel. It shows us the hardships that people in South Africa used to endure. It teaches us of a world we didn't know existed.

Kaffir Boy
Mark Matherbane has had many up's and down's throughout his young childhood. He went through beatings and fights, up to schools and scholarships. There are many African black people being mistreated every day of there life in the South African city, Alexandria.
In South Africa, black people are being treated very poorly every day of there life's by white people in the story, "Kaffir Boy." There are many young boys in South Africa. But Mark Matherbane was a very unique kid who had a dream, and set his mind and heart to accomplish it. His world was very tuff and treated him very unfairly. He took care of his family the best of his ability at such a young age.
There was a family of five who lived in the deep heart of Alexandria. There family was starving and poor. They had no money. Mark was so young and almost hitting death of starvation, he pulled out of it. This shows that if you set a dream or a goal, and you try hard enough to reach it, it will always come true.
There are many things that have happened to Mark throughout his life. Mark fought with his father every day when he was growing up. I also get in a lot of arguments with my parents. He wanted to kill his father he was so mad. I would never go that far. Mark had two things that he was good at that brought him through life. It was his tennis career, that he was so good at, and his education. His talent mad him become friends with many different whites. In the end Mark did overcome all of his obstacles and reach his goal. He got his scholarship and went to America.
I would recommend it to young adults over 15 years of age. Only people who want to know the truth about how black people where treated in South Africa by whites and all others. Ignoring all of the gross stuff, the book was very good and I would give it four stars. I don't read many books, but this one was excellent.

I enjoyed reading, Kaffir Boy; I did not realize the struggles black children had just to get basic education in South Africa. It reminds me of some of what I experienced as a child. My mom sent me to school unable to speak the American Language. I did graduate graduate from a university, also.

I found the book to be well written and incredibly interesting. Being a black person myself, though i haven't been through intense racism like Mark Mathabane, I found the book extremely descriptive of the effects "white supremacy" has on the lives of blacks. The lack of black teenagers having the passion to go to college and get involved in society in some successful way is just one of the many effects. I also loved reading about the perseverance Mark had throughtout his life such as dealing with his father's ignorance, being punished school for lack of money to pay for supplies and being a black tennis player just to name a few. Mark's attitude of never giving up, which was taught to him by his mother, is exactly how i feel about my own personal life; the struggle makes a person stronger and wiser. I would recommend that a person who may consider reading this book to be prepared to bread graphic the details of a life of a black person in South America.

The young man tells a riveting story of survival. In the worst of times he had hopes of achieving and did what he had to do to survive while believing that he could do all things.that anyone else could do. He never let what the Whites did to him discourage or define him. It was an interesting read about real things happening to real people.

This book is really good. I only finished part one. It is an autobiography by Mark Mathabane. This part was talking about his stormy youth and described the discrimination for black people.
Johannes Mathabane was born in Alexandra, one of South Africa�s black towns. He was raised with fear and hunger. He had a passion to love his family. This was a time when his family was poor. They couldn�t even celebrate at Christmas. His parents had a pass book which the black people had to carry. But, that pass book was not in order so the policemen took Johannes�s parents away.
I really liked reading this book, because it gave me a lot of information so I can image each scene very easily. I can�t wait to read the rest of this book. I think it is a great book to know what was going on in South Africa and of the discrimination for the black people. If you are interested in the difficulties experienced by black people, you�ll like this book.

Generally the language of the book could be easily understood, so the concept could be gotten by most of people. Also, I like details presented by authors, so I have passion to keep reading throughout the whole process.

This book was beautiful, we'll written, and inspirational. Johannes(mark) painted a very realistic picture of the angst the black people went through during thr Apartheid in South Africa, and how hard work and dedication can make your dreams come true.