In browsing through the posted archives about other writers of historical fiction about Africa, I couldn't find any mention of James Michener's epic novel of the colonial history of South Africa, THE COVENANT -- written in 1980. Michener likes to call his many works 'faction' rather than historical-fiction. I can see very little difference, except, perhaps, in the former genre the author tries to adhere a bit more closely to actual dates and places, but that's questionable. For those of you who have not read this epic novel, the story follows three families, starting in the mid 1600's thru the present. Families are: Zulu, Dutch, English (with a few more thrown in to enhance the story.) The rear blurb reads: "Adventurers, scoundrels and missionaries. The best and worst of two continents carve an empire out of the vast wilderness that is to become South Africa. For hundreds of years, their rivalries and passions have spilled across the land."
As with everything in history, many of yesterday's truths have become exposed as todays lies -- and are most often condemned out of context with the time, prevailing belief systems of morality, religion, and demands for national destinies. My personal belief is that today, many of our present "truths", wars, customs, beliefs, taboos, fears, etc., will become tomorrow's lies, questioned in the same manner by our great-great-grandchildren, who will say:"Why didn't they every learn?"