--- product_id: 5953842 title: "Cry, the Beloved Country" price: "SAR 67" currency: SAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/5953842-cry-the-beloved-country store_origin: SA region: Saudi Arabia --- # Cry, the Beloved Country **Price:** SAR 67 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Cry, the Beloved Country - **How much does it cost?** SAR 67 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.sa](https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/5953842-cry-the-beloved-country) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description “The greatest novel to emerge out of the tragedy of South Africa, and one of the best novels of our time.” — The New Republic “A beautiful novel…its writing is so fresh, its projection of character so immediate and full, its events so compelling, and its understanding so compassionate that to read the book is to share intimately, even to the point of catharsis, in the grave human experience.” — The New York Times An Oprah Book Club selection, Cry, the Beloved Country , was an immediate worldwide bestseller when it was published in 1948. Alan Paton’s impassioned novel about a black man’s country under white man’s law is a work of searing beauty. Cry, the Beloved Country , is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son, Absalom, set against the background of a land and a people riven by racial injustice. Remarkable for its lyricism, unforgettable for character and incident, Cry, the Beloved Country is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man. Review: A real masterpiece - This book does a great job in describing the life in South Africa during the apartheid regime. The plot is engaging and captivating, though some parts present very harsh life conditions. The author is a magician of the written word. Some parts are nothing less than poetic prose. He was able to reflect the Zulu language in rythm and grammar while writing in pure English. The characters are deep and round. Though the basic plot and the overall situation is tragetic and depressing, hope is never lost. The two giant beloved characters, Kumalo and Jarvis, entangled by their joint tragedy, show us that even under the worst conditions and after grieving the most painful loss, there is a much better way than eternal hate and revenge. They show us that a lot of agony can be avoided if people choose love and compassion rather than hate and segregation. They show the right way native African should have been treated, without breaking the tribes' social structures that led to lost generations that live desolate life which drives them to crime and brutality that yield havoc on all people, black and white altogether. Review: You Should Read This Book - A wonderful, profound, and very beautiful book. As other reviewers have noted, it was written by a white South African in the late 1940's, and is set in that time and place, just before apartheid was officially imposed. It tells the story of Stephen Kumalo, a black minister from the countryside, who travels to Johannesburg to find his sister, and his son, both of whom have have vanished into the great city. He finds them, but his son has killed a white man, and his sister is a prostitute. The full story is described elsewhere; suffice it to say that it ends tragically, but with redeeming grace. The language of this book is amazing, poetic but also critical in the development of character. In large part the book is a love song to the land of South Africa, a place of great natural beauty which has been badly treated by man. But the language is also wonderful in expressing different personalities, different experiences, and different ways of thinking -- it changes and shifts with the subject. The plot and characterization are very powerful. The people are rounded, neither all good nor all bad, and each speaks with his or her own voice. The story pulls one forward with the minister on his journey -- I read this almost without stopping. To a degree, some elements may be jarring for some readers today, particularly readers of color. The book was written almost seventy years ago, and it was written by a white South African, perhaps with the intention of reaching other white South African. The ideas are compelling, and go far beyond the political. For me, the novel as a whole is about many things, about forgiveness and redemption and the tragedy of death and the miracle of new life The politics, of course, can't help but dominate the foreground. It is sad to think that the subjugation of South Africa's blacks continued for most of the next 50 years. But it is also inspriring to remember that apartheid ended without a civil war, and with reconciliation rather than revenge. A great book, worthy of its subject.. ## Features - a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #16,638 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #4 in African Literature (Books) #597 in Classic Literature & Fiction #1,268 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,350 Reviews | ## Images ![Cry, the Beloved Country - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/8194FEV2M6L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A real masterpiece *by B***Y on April 1, 2026* This book does a great job in describing the life in South Africa during the apartheid regime. The plot is engaging and captivating, though some parts present very harsh life conditions. The author is a magician of the written word. Some parts are nothing less than poetic prose. He was able to reflect the Zulu language in rythm and grammar while writing in pure English. The characters are deep and round. Though the basic plot and the overall situation is tragetic and depressing, hope is never lost. The two giant beloved characters, Kumalo and Jarvis, entangled by their joint tragedy, show us that even under the worst conditions and after grieving the most painful loss, there is a much better way than eternal hate and revenge. They show us that a lot of agony can be avoided if people choose love and compassion rather than hate and segregation. They show the right way native African should have been treated, without breaking the tribes' social structures that led to lost generations that live desolate life which drives them to crime and brutality that yield havoc on all people, black and white altogether. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You Should Read This Book *by A***S on December 2, 2012* A wonderful, profound, and very beautiful book. As other reviewers have noted, it was written by a white South African in the late 1940's, and is set in that time and place, just before apartheid was officially imposed. It tells the story of Stephen Kumalo, a black minister from the countryside, who travels to Johannesburg to find his sister, and his son, both of whom have have vanished into the great city. He finds them, but his son has killed a white man, and his sister is a prostitute. The full story is described elsewhere; suffice it to say that it ends tragically, but with redeeming grace. The language of this book is amazing, poetic but also critical in the development of character. In large part the book is a love song to the land of South Africa, a place of great natural beauty which has been badly treated by man. But the language is also wonderful in expressing different personalities, different experiences, and different ways of thinking -- it changes and shifts with the subject. The plot and characterization are very powerful. The people are rounded, neither all good nor all bad, and each speaks with his or her own voice. The story pulls one forward with the minister on his journey -- I read this almost without stopping. To a degree, some elements may be jarring for some readers today, particularly readers of color. The book was written almost seventy years ago, and it was written by a white South African, perhaps with the intention of reaching other white South African. The ideas are compelling, and go far beyond the political. For me, the novel as a whole is about many things, about forgiveness and redemption and the tragedy of death and the miracle of new life The politics, of course, can't help but dominate the foreground. It is sad to think that the subjugation of South Africa's blacks continued for most of the next 50 years. But it is also inspriring to remember that apartheid ended without a civil war, and with reconciliation rather than revenge. A great book, worthy of its subject.. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ My God…my heart swole, broke, and was moved *by C***Z on October 18, 2025* Sincerely a timeless, heart-wrenching masterpiece that feels as urgent today (2025) as when it was first published in 1948. This is not just a novel; it’s a soul-stirring reflection on humanity, justice, and the deep wounds of a divided society. For anyone seeking a story that transcends time and place, this is a must-read—a book that should be required reading for its profound empathy and unflinching honesty. ## Frequently Bought Together - Cry, the Beloved Country - Ruth (Penguin Classics) - King Lear: Ignatius Critical Editions --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/5953842-cry-the-beloved-country](https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/5953842-cry-the-beloved-country) --- *Product available on Desertcart Saudi Arabia* *Store origin: SA* *Last updated: 2026-05-30*