Kaffir Boy was a great book to show a first hand account of what was happening during Apartheid in South Africa. Though it was difficult to read on some occasions, readers can learn of the many sacrifices he and his family made and can be inspired to believe that it is possible to escape even the worst of situations. This biographical novel offers a tremendous account and excellent information on what life was truly like during this offal time period, which is something you may not be able to get in novels such as Cry, the Beloved Country. Though that novel was also a good read, it was not first hand and it didn’t have the same feeling of being part of the action as Kaffir Boy demonstrated. I would highly recommend that people read this novel, because it truly was an inspiration, it offered great historical context, and it absolutely had the feeling of being one with the characters and experiencing things first hand.