A journalist's recollection of living in South Africa from 1955 to 1963, the book starts with the ratification of the Freedom Charter, covers the Sharpeville massacre, and ends with Nelson Mandela's life sentence. The focus is not on politics, but on the day-to-day experiences of citizens and on contemporary journalism, with emphasis on magazines and newspapers which catered to a black readership. Behind-the-scenes anecdotes are told including stories about a now legendary generation of black journalists Nat Nakasa, Es kia Mphahlele, and Can Themba.