A review by zhelana
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela

5.0

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.