A review by dionis
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of autobiographies, but I picked this one up because Nelson Mandela has been such a huge figure for a big part of my life. I learned a lot, not just about this personal hero of mine, but about the freedom struggle in South Africa, and the systematic oppression of the majority of the citizens. The book ends with the first, inclusive elections in South Africa after the dismantling of apartheid. This seemed to be a very honest book in that he not only talked about the positive actions he and the ANC took, but the mistakes they made, the costs they and their loved ones had to pay, and gave credit to those, even of the opposition, who ultimately took steps to right the wrongs in the country.

The audio was well done. I assume the text of Mr. Mandela's swearing-in as president was included in the print versions, but it was really cool to hear the recording of the actual event, which was included in the audio version. There was also an interview with the author that worked with him to put it together.