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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
This partial autobiography of Mr Mandela is a comprehensive introduction to the life of one of the greatest activists and statesmen of the 20th Century. It is an incredibly long book, yet it feels very manageable. It is a real page turner which meant that I finished this 750 page book quicker than I have read 300 page books before. Mandela doesn't shy away from speaking about the armed struggle and by reading his involvement in 'uMkhonto we Sizwe' one gets a picture of the man that the more liberal romanticised rememberance of him doesn't include. Mandela is shown very personally especially within the first half of the book. In the later chapters the more personal story dies away and it mainly focuses on the politics involved in ending apartheid.
On a very quick note I do find it quite funny how much time he gives in this book to talk about how he isn't a communist - despite the fact that he was literally not just a member of the communist party but also on it's central committee at a time.
Obviously this book isn't 100% accurate depiction of Mandela as a person or of his life. There are many things that were left out or were not spoke about in detail. But having said all of that, it is a really great book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Mandela and in political activism.
On a very quick note I do find it quite funny how much time he gives in this book to talk about how he isn't a communist - despite the fact that he was literally not just a member of the communist party but also on it's central committee at a time.
Obviously this book isn't 100% accurate depiction of Mandela as a person or of his life. There are many things that were left out or were not spoke about in detail. But having said all of that, it is a really great book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Mandela and in political activism.
Nelson Mandela is one of those people I thought I knew a few things about. I'd visited his prison at Robin Island, and gone to see Desmond Tutu talk to my college class. I'd read more than a few books set in Apartheid South Africa, including memoirs of other people who grew up under that system. But it turns out I really knew almost nothing about him, and was perpetually surprised by this book. The most surprising thing to me is that despite winning the Nobel Peace Prize, he actually took military training and planned attacks against the South African government. I mean, it's not like I don't think he was justified, but I'm surprised the Nobel committee picked someone who had openly chosen violence.
It was interesting to read about Mandela's experiences in prison, especially having been there and seen what the official government line was about his experiences in 2002. It was also interesting to see him slowly get radicalized from believing himself as free as he needed to be as a child to wanting freedom for himself to wanting freedom for everyone to willing to violently attack government targets in order to achieve that freedom. Overall, Mandela is a fascinating individual, and his memoirs are very interesting and easy reading despite being very long.
It was interesting to read about Mandela's experiences in prison, especially having been there and seen what the official government line was about his experiences in 2002. It was also interesting to see him slowly get radicalized from believing himself as free as he needed to be as a child to wanting freedom for himself to wanting freedom for everyone to willing to violently attack government targets in order to achieve that freedom. Overall, Mandela is a fascinating individual, and his memoirs are very interesting and easy reading despite being very long.
Lengthy book, but a truly fantastic story. Certainly gives readers an idea of the horrors of apartheid and the endurance of Mandela's commitment to freedom. This should be required reading in schools (which as a school teacher is not something that I typically say about books).
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Life of a freedom fighter
Who would have thought a 700 hundred page autobiography could also be a pageturner?
In this well written manuscript Mandela narrates the story of his life and his commitment to the struggle against the oppressions of Apartheid. From the early ages in the rural side of the country, still very impregnated with Xhosa custom and traditions, to his life in Johannesburg, through countless trials and the long years spent in prison to, finally, the hard-fought for freedom.
What emerges is the story of man who never ceases to impress and inspire for his vision, his integrity and most of all, his determination.
Who would have thought a 700 hundred page autobiography could also be a pageturner?
In this well written manuscript Mandela narrates the story of his life and his commitment to the struggle against the oppressions of Apartheid. From the early ages in the rural side of the country, still very impregnated with Xhosa custom and traditions, to his life in Johannesburg, through countless trials and the long years spent in prison to, finally, the hard-fought for freedom.
What emerges is the story of man who never ceases to impress and inspire for his vision, his integrity and most of all, his determination.
Surprisingly easy to read. I picked it up out of a feeling that I should know more about him when he died, and expected it to be a slog but actually got through it in a few days. It was great to flesh out my knowledge of his background and the history of South Africa - sobering to realize how recently apartheid ended, and also to consider the chance of his receiving a public trial in today's patriot act USA, let alone going on to negotiate with the government. My dad mentioned that the autobiography was reviewed and approved by the other members of the ANC before publication, for what it's worth.
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
This book is so intimidating, but I am SO glad I didn't let it's size scare me away!
You definitely will need patience to get through this as it is quite fact/information heavy (it is more than 70 years of someone's life, after all!) but it was so worth it. His memory was remarkable, covering so many things but still keeping me captivated.
If you are a huge history buff there are lots of little details to ponder, but at the same time the overall picture is laid out well and not lost in trivialities for those seeking more general insight.
It was an absolute privilege to be able to get inside his thoughts, motivations, beliefs, and all the influences that turned him into the near mythical figure known today. Getting everything written from his own perspective about how his morals and political ideas formed and what he valued was far more interesting to me than I anticipated.
Going into this autobiography, I knew that Nelson Mandela was an important figure for fighting apartheid in South Africa, and I knew he went to prison at some point for it. I felt like this was a knowledge gap that I really wanted to try and fill, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to do that. I also found it interesting to compare and contrast the modern day BLM movements to those of the ANC, where the core values differ and what aspects are mirrored. Highly recommend for anyone who thinks they might have the attention span for it.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience. Can it be any wonder to anybody that such conditions make a man an outlaw of society?"
"I have done my duty to my people and to South Africa. I have no doubt that posterity will pronounce that I was innocent and that the criminals that should have been brought before this court are the members of the government."
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite"
You definitely will need patience to get through this as it is quite fact/information heavy (it is more than 70 years of someone's life, after all!) but it was so worth it. His memory was remarkable, covering so many things but still keeping me captivated.
If you are a huge history buff there are lots of little details to ponder, but at the same time the overall picture is laid out well and not lost in trivialities for those seeking more general insight.
It was an absolute privilege to be able to get inside his thoughts, motivations, beliefs, and all the influences that turned him into the near mythical figure known today. Getting everything written from his own perspective about how his morals and political ideas formed and what he valued was far more interesting to me than I anticipated.
Going into this autobiography, I knew that Nelson Mandela was an important figure for fighting apartheid in South Africa, and I knew he went to prison at some point for it. I felt like this was a knowledge gap that I really wanted to try and fill, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to do that. I also found it interesting to compare and contrast the modern day BLM movements to those of the ANC, where the core values differ and what aspects are mirrored. Highly recommend for anyone who thinks they might have the attention span for it.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience. Can it be any wonder to anybody that such conditions make a man an outlaw of society?"
"I have done my duty to my people and to South Africa. I have no doubt that posterity will pronounce that I was innocent and that the criminals that should have been brought before this court are the members of the government."
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite"