Norman Levy entered liberation politics during the 1940s, finding his niche in the left wing of the liberation movement. As an active participant in the events that shaped the darkest and the most exciting years of this country's recent history, Norman Levy's autobiography combines a narrative of individual experience with South African economic and political history. Norman Levy was among a minority of White South Africans who preferred to translate verbal opposition to apartheid and oppression into active opposition. Rather than betray their basic principles they threw themselves body and soul into the freedom struggle to strive for a non-racial democratic order. But there was a high price attached to being principled. Along with many others, Levy suffered Security police harassment, arrest on charges of Treason in 1956, detention without trial in 1960, culminating in imprisonment alongside Bram Fischer in 1965. This is one more contribution to liberation historiography from the unique perspective of an activist academic who remains a participant.

Z. Pallo Jordan.

Read online: The Final Prize: My Life in the anti-apartheid struggle by Norman Levy

Read Chris Saunders' review of: The Final Prize

Soft cover: 478 pages

ISBN: 978-0-620-50464-5

Published: SAHO

R275.00