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antidietleah's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Racism, Confinement, and Colonisation
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Police brutality, and Death
heatherdavies's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
"The momentousness of an occasion is lost in the welter of a thousand details"
I knew absolutely nothing about Nelson Mandela prior to this book. It is clear that he was a polarizing individual that ultimately was fighting for the rights of his people and then all people of South Africa to come together.
The book itself reads as an autobiography detailing Mandela's life. And as with memoirs of this nature some parts are dry, overly wordy, and contains more lists of names of people you may not know with or without context to back you up. And just like the direct quote from the book that I began with, I feel the thousand details impacted the story of his life and made it unengaging at times.
That being said if you are interested in South African history, Black history, the reality of apartheid- then of course this book would be a wonderful read.
While I believe he was being mostly honest throughout - keep in mind this is someone narrating their life as they want you to see and perhaps missing details that would alter perception.
I knew absolutely nothing about Nelson Mandela prior to this book. It is clear that he was a polarizing individual that ultimately was fighting for the rights of his people and then all people of South Africa to come together.
The book itself reads as an autobiography detailing Mandela's life. And as with memoirs of this nature some parts are dry, overly wordy, and contains more lists of names of people you may not know with or without context to back you up. And just like the direct quote from the book that I began with, I feel the thousand details impacted the story of his life and made it unengaging at times.
That being said if you are interested in South African history, Black history, the reality of apartheid- then of course this book would be a wonderful read.
While I believe he was being mostly honest throughout - keep in mind this is someone narrating their life as they want you to see and perhaps missing details that would alter perception.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, War, and Violence
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