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A review by keegan_leech
Farm Killings in South Africa by Nechama Brodie
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Very good. Brodie's writing has the quality of the very best non-fiction, a capacity for both breadth and depth. Not only does she investigate very particular details of the popular discussion around farm killings, but she draws in context from a great variety of sources. The book covers the history of agriculture in South Africa, the complexities of studying and reporting on violence, and some of the thornier political complexities of how violent crime is discussed in South Africa.
This is the most thorough and informative writing on the subject of farm killings in South Africa. Anyone who wants to understand or discuss the topic should read this book.
This is the most thorough and informative writing on the subject of farm killings in South Africa. Anyone who wants to understand or discuss the topic should read this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Both because of the nature of the topic and the historical and other context which it covers, there is a lot of discussion of various forms of violence. Most of it is treated with the same sort of tone which might be used in a news report or history textbook, but the degree and amount of violence makes for an overall harrowing read.