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www.thevillagenews.co.za
30 September 2020
MY BOOKS
Restoring our faith in humanity Review by Elaine Davie
I
f you’ve lost all faith in the milk of human kindness; if you’re overwhelmed by the level of violence, dishonesty, selfishness and greed around every corner, this book may be the antidote you need. Dutch historian and journalist, Rutger Bregman, author of award-winning Utopia for Realists sets out in this entertaining and well-researched book to disprove Machiavelli when he comments ‘it can be said about men in general that they are ungrateful, fickle, dissembling, hypocritical, cowardly and greedy.’ If someone does you a good turn, Machiavelli adds, don’t be fooled, for ‘men never do anything good except out of necessity.’ Given man’s track record through the ages, it was never going to be easy to disprove these sentiments, and
Publisher: Bloomsbury Bregman is realistic when he says that anyone attempting to make a strong case for human goodness is likely to be roundly ridiculed. The book is
broadly structured around two opposing viewpoints, one articulated by English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), the pessimist who argued in favour of the wickedness of human nature, and the other by his French counterpart Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), who implicitly believed that within our heart of hearts we’re all good.
lahari, he explores the characteristics that made early man or Homo puppy, as he describes him (you will have to read why), so much more successful than, for example, Neanderthal Man. And he ponders why, as researcher Brian Hare puts it, we are both the friendliest and the cruellest species on the planet (and, incidentally, also the only one that blushes).
Bregman transports us on a rollicking ride from pre-history to the modern era. While his style is anything but stuffy and academic, he takes his arguments seriously. He is clearly a born storyteller with a wry sense of humour and his book is filled with well-documented accounts of scientific psycho-social experiments carried out around the world, as well as real-life events, viewed from a radically non-conventional perspective.
We explore with him what made the outcome of an actual event with a similar storyline to William Golding’s horror tale, Lord of the Flies so different from the fictional one, and we delve into the fascinating history of Easter Island with its gigantic moai statues, and what happened to the people who created them. We learn why most soldiers in modern conflicts haven’t fired a single shot in anger and why the soldiers of the German Wehrmacht fought to the bitter end in WWII, even when there was no chance of victory. Another intriguing story which gained notoriety
So, based on anthropological evidence and the oral histories of hunter-gatherers like the !Kung of the Ka-
What’s new on the bookshelves
in the 1960s is that of a murder that was committed in full view of over 30 neighbours in New York City, with none of them apparently prepared to intervene. In exploring a remedy for hate, injustice and prejudice, Bregman tells a story which will be of particular interest to South African readers, revolving as it does around twin brothers, Constand and Abraham Viljoen, the former, the Head of the SA Defence Force during the later years of apartheid. In my opinion, the author convincingly wins a number of his arguments to prove the fundamental goodness of humankind; with others, not so much. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between. But whether you buy into his hypotheses or not, the book is still a page-turner and is guaranteed to make you feel more hopeful about our species than you did before.
Compiled by Hedda Mittner
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes Wild, a remarkable story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope and the promise of new beginnings. In the rugged Pacific Northwest of the United States lies the Olympic National Forest – a vast expanse of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this mysterious land, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past. Having retreated to her hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr Julia Cates begins working with the extraordinary little girl. Naming her Alice, Julia is determined to free her from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation, and discover the truth about Alice’s past. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice – and find a new one for herself. - panmacmillan.com
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco, where she runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And then one day a man enters the shop. Javier is erudite and charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same. Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, they make their way north toward the US, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to? Hailed as “a Grapes of Wrath for our times", American Dirt is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity. – amazon.com
August 1939. Hetty Cartwright is tasked with the evacuation and safekeeping of the natural history museum’s collection of mammals. Once she and her exhibits arrive at Lockwood Manor, however, where they are to stay for the duration of the war, Hetty soon realises that she’s taken on more than she’d bargained for. Protecting her charges from the irascible Lord Lockwood and resentful servants is work enough, but when some of the animals go missing, and worse, Hetty begins to suspect someone – or something – is stalking her through the darkened corridors of the house. As the disasters mount, Hetty finds herself falling under the spell of Lucy, Lord Lockwood’s beautiful but clearly haunted daughter. But why is Lucy so traumatised? Does she know something she’s not telling? And is there any truth to local rumours of ghosts and curses? Part love story, part mystery, The Animals at Lockwood Manor is a gripping and atmospheric tale of family madness, long-buried secrets and hidden desires. - goodreads.com
This practical and inspirational guide to healing from the bestselling author of The Choice shows us how to release your self-limiting beliefs and embrace your potential. The prison is in your mind. The key is in your pocket. In the end, it's not what happens to us that matters most – it's what we choose to do with it. We all face suffering – sadness, loss, despair, fear, anxiety, failure. But we also have a choice; to give in and give up in the face of trauma or difficulties, or to live every moment as a gift. Celebrated therapist and Holocaust survivor, Dr Edith Eger provides a hands-on guide that gently encourages us to change the imprisoning thoughts and destructive behaviours that may be holding us back. Accompanied by stories from Eger's own life and the lives of her patients, her empowering lessons help you to see your darkest moments as your greatest teachers and find freedom through the strength that lies within. Oprah said "I will be forever changed by Dr Eger's story". – penguin.co.uk
If a mere seven more MPs had voted with Prime Minister JBM Hertzog in favour of neutrality, South Africa’s history would have been quite different. Parliament’s narrow decision to go to war in 1939 led to a seismic upheaval throughout the 1940s and upended South Africa’s politics, ruining attempts to forge white unity and galvanising opposition to segregation among African, Indian and coloured communities. It also sparked debates among nationalists, socialists, liberals and communists such as the country had never previously experienced. The war’s unforeseen consequence was the boost it gave to nationalisms, both Afrikaner and African, which went on to transform the country in the second half of the 20th century. The book brings to life an extraordinary cast of characters, including wartime leader Jan Smuts, DF Malan and his NP colleagues, African nationalists such as Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, the influential Indian activists Yusuf Dadoo and Monty Naicker, and many others. – barnesandnoble.com
This prequel to The Pillars of the Earth by bestselling author Ken Follett is set in England at the dawn of a new era: The Middle Ages. It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will and, without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined: A young boat builder whose life is turned upside down when the only home he's ever known is raided by Vikings, a Norman noblewoman who marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, and a monk who dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a centre of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. Each in turn comes into dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop… Follett's masterful new novel takes us on an epic journey into a rich historical past that will end where The Pillars of the Earth began 30 years ago. – goodreads.com
Pan Macmillan
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Pan Macmillan
Penguin Random House
Johnathan Ball
Pan Macmillan
