Biko [Paperback]

Donald Woods (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1991

Subjected to 22 hours of interrogation, torture and beating by South African police on September 6, 1977, Steve Biko died six days later. Donald Woods, Biko's close friend and a leading white South African newspaper editor, exposed the murder helping to ignite the black revolution.

Product Details

• Paperback: 418 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 3rd Revised edition (September 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805018999
• ISBN-13: 978-0805018998
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Start Elsewhere, but Return to Biko, February 23, 2003

By 

Z. Blume (St. Louis, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biko - Cry Freedom (Owl Books) (Paperback)

This is much more than a simple biography of Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness movement in South Africa and one of the seminal figures in the anti-apartheid movement, it is an insider's look and condemnation of the System. Though Biko died young and apartheid has faded into memories for most people who had the misfortune of living in it, his is an excellent example of the horroific prejudices to which people, even in these enlightened times, can be subjected. This book uses incredible detail and many essential sources to tell a lively, powerful, and important story. I watched Cry Freedom several years ago and was inspired tolearn more about the subject, and I would recommend the same path, because the movie really brings the characters and issues to life. I would caution people who only want to learn the basics about the history of apartheid or Biko, that this is a very indepth and detailed book, that can be difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the subjects, so I might recommend a slightly more elementary book for a first experience.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthwhile read, August 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Biko (Paperback)

I first learned about Steven Biko after seeing the movie "Cry Freedom" (which, by the way is an excellent movie). The film motivated me to learn more about Mr. Biko and the Black Consciousness movement. The book drags a bit in some spots, but for the most part it is a very interesting book. It really opened my eyes to the blacks' struggle during the years of apartheid. Steven Biko was an amazingly intelligent man and deserves to stand among the ranks of other passive resistance leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read - highly recommended, June 3, 2004

By 

Stephen Boord "sboord" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biko (Paperback)

Despite the dramatic shift in the political climate of South Africa since his death, Biko's words and beliefs are every bit as relevant today. His Black Consciousness movement was as much a political force against apartheid as it was an indictment of self-inflicted notions of inferiority. This book powerfully tells the story of Biko's life, his beliefs and the circumstances of living in banishment in South Africa. In the absence of any physical memorial for Biko, this book is a powerful rememberance to a man who should not be forgotten, and a tribute to an author who bravely brought us Biko's story.