polyhy_14 's review for:

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela

5.0

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My favourite literary genre would have to be the autobiography, especially when it's well-written, and this book was no exception. Actually, mine is the illustrated version so the text is abridged, but I didn't think it suffered for that and it was well worth it to have the photographic record as well. This is an amazing account of the life of one of the greatest men of the 20th century, as well as being an important historical document. On the political front he gives detailed accounts of the various movements in South Africa during the years he was active and if the numerous acronyms become a bit confusing at times, along with the huge cast of players, it's still very informative. From a personal perspective, we see a man of contrasts - feisty and utterly devoted to the cause of the ANC and the freedom of his people in the public arena, but intensely vulnerable on a personal level. In becoming the Father of a Nation, he made great personal sacrifices - 2 marriages, 27 years of imprisonment and missing out on seeing his children grow up during that time. However even at the worst of times there is never any sense of despair or giving up and a spirit of hope infuses the pages of this book. Highly recommended.