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milliemuroi 's review for:
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
”Apart from life, a strong constitution and an abiding connection to the Thembu royal house, the only thing my father bestowed upon me at birth was a name, Rolihlahla...”
Immediately upon reading this exposition, I was reminded of one of my favourite novels, Eva Luna. Like Allende’s novel, this memoir trails the life of a single individual in the context of a broader geopolitical turmoil. The individual however, happens to be the great anti-apartheid activist and leader better known to most of us as Nelson Mandela, and is located in South Africa during the 1900s.
Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography that is lived rather than read; the reader finds themself caught up in Mandela’s life and struggles as if they were his shadow. Simultaneously you might find yourself picking up fragments of info on legislation, linguistics and the general sentiments of the time through a process I’d hazard to suggest, is akin to osmosis!
Pseudoscience/scientific analogy aside, Mandela’s recollections are a treasured breath of hope and clarity in a time when tensions seem to be rising among world leaders, and what a historian on the bus labelled for me, “the rise of fascism” in recent times. Punctuated by points of poignancy, yet equally balanced by a humour and wit that perforates even the most sullen and resent-inducing situations, it’s the sort of story that highlights the author’s incredible personality and grace. The romance aspect of it, whilst constituting only a small portion of the whole, was enough to appeal to the romantic sucker in me😜 - just another element of his life that was integrated and effectively married to his political journey towards racial equality.
Part of what contributes to such mastery, and entertainment is the lucid way in which Mandela writes. I recollect a conversation I recently had with my incredible neighbour/journalist - Jan Mayman - in which she mentioned the importance of direct and clear language: “you shouldn’t use too many big words and complex literary terminology” was the gist of her assertion. While she was referring to the realm of journalism/reporting, I still internally cringed at my own actions on Goodreads😁 Mandela’s memoir is accessible yet erudite; direct yet sensitive, the sort of writing that is both formal and engaging.
Freedom fighter, former president, and philanthropist; Nelson Mandela is a man who stands easily beside those such as Lincoln and Gandhi. His story is one which recounts history whilst in itself, shaping it. A must-read for anyone that wishes to understand the struggle for racial equality that goes beyond Apartheid South Africa to the modern day.
Immediately upon reading this exposition, I was reminded of one of my favourite novels, Eva Luna. Like Allende’s novel, this memoir trails the life of a single individual in the context of a broader geopolitical turmoil. The individual however, happens to be the great anti-apartheid activist and leader better known to most of us as Nelson Mandela, and is located in South Africa during the 1900s.
Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography that is lived rather than read; the reader finds themself caught up in Mandela’s life and struggles as if they were his shadow. Simultaneously you might find yourself picking up fragments of info on legislation, linguistics and the general sentiments of the time through a process I’d hazard to suggest, is akin to osmosis!
Pseudoscience/scientific analogy aside, Mandela’s recollections are a treasured breath of hope and clarity in a time when tensions seem to be rising among world leaders, and what a historian on the bus labelled for me, “the rise of fascism” in recent times. Punctuated by points of poignancy, yet equally balanced by a humour and wit that perforates even the most sullen and resent-inducing situations, it’s the sort of story that highlights the author’s incredible personality and grace. The romance aspect of it, whilst constituting only a small portion of the whole, was enough to appeal to the romantic sucker in me😜 - just another element of his life that was integrated and effectively married to his political journey towards racial equality.
Part of what contributes to such mastery, and entertainment is the lucid way in which Mandela writes. I recollect a conversation I recently had with my incredible neighbour/journalist - Jan Mayman - in which she mentioned the importance of direct and clear language: “you shouldn’t use too many big words and complex literary terminology” was the gist of her assertion. While she was referring to the realm of journalism/reporting, I still internally cringed at my own actions on Goodreads😁 Mandela’s memoir is accessible yet erudite; direct yet sensitive, the sort of writing that is both formal and engaging.
Freedom fighter, former president, and philanthropist; Nelson Mandela is a man who stands easily beside those such as Lincoln and Gandhi. His story is one which recounts history whilst in itself, shaping it. A must-read for anyone that wishes to understand the struggle for racial equality that goes beyond Apartheid South Africa to the modern day.