Waiting for the Rain by Sheila Gordon

This is the second book I chose for my multicultural assignment. Although the premise of this book sounded very interesting, it did seem a little preachy. In the story, Tengo is the son of farmhands on a farm owned by a wealthy white man in southern Africa. Frikkie, Tengo's best friend is the nephew of the owner of the farm. While Frikkie is content with the way life is, Tengo yearns for an education and other services that are free to white people, but are too expensive for blacks. Eventually the two grow apart from one another. Tengo does attend school but has to live with his cousin to do so, and Frikkie joins the military. Around the time that Tengo should be going to college, there is an uprising against the military and Tengo gets caught up in it. Eventually Tengo and Frikkie meet again this time in conflict, violent conflict. After realising what has transpired, Tengo decides that he will continue the fight, but from a intellectual and scholorly stand point. Like I said, the premise of the book was great, and it does bring the conflicts that happen in southern Africa into view, I just wish that Gordon didn't make it so blantently clear as to which side is the "good side." I mean although I am sure that this exactly the kind of thing that is going on, there is always two sides to a story. I mean not every german was a Nazi. Anyway, I found the book to be alright, but nothing more than that. I think I might do some more research though before I recomend it.