NelsonMandela
Astheworld'smostfamousprisonerand,now,hiscountry'sleader,heexemplifiesamoralintegritythatshinesfarbeyondSouthAfrica.
NelsonMandelaisoneofthegreatmoralandpoliticalleadersofourtime:aninternationalherowhoselifelongdedicationtothefightagainstracialoppressioninSouthAfricawonhimtheNobelPeacePrizeandthepresidencyofhiscountry.Sincehistriumphantreleasein1990frommorethanaquarter-centuryofimprisonment,Mandelahasbeenatthecenterofthemostcompellingandinspiringpoliticaldramaintheworld.AspresidentoftheAfricanNationalCongressandheadofSouthAfrica'santiapartheidmovement,hewasinstrumentalinmovingthenationtowardmultiracialgovernmentandmajorityrule.Heisreveredeverywhereasavitalforceinthefightforhumanrightsandracialequality.
LongWalktoFreedomishismovingandexhilaratingautobiography,abookdestinedtotakeitsplaceamongthefinestmemoirsofhistory'sgreatestfigures.Hereforthefirsttime,NelsonRolihlahlaMandelatellstheextraordinarystoryofhislife-anepicofstruggle,setback,renewedhope,andultimatetriumph,whichhas,untilnow,beenvirtuallyunknowntomostoftheworld.
ThefostersonofaThembuchief,Mandelawasraisedinthetraditional,tribalcultureofhisancestors,butatanearlyagelearnedthemodern,inescapablerealityofwhatcametobecalledapartheid,oneofthemostpowerfulandeffectivesystemsofoppressioneverconceived.Inclassicallyelegantandengrossingprose,hetellsofhisearlyyearsasanimpoverishedstudentandlawclerkinJohannesburg,ofhisslowpoliticalawakening,andofhispivotalroleintherebirthofastagnantANCandtheformationofitsYouthLeagueinthe1950s.Hedescribesthestruggletoreconcilehispoliticalactivitywithhisdevotiontohisfamily,theanguishedbreakupofhisfirstmarriage,andthepainfulseparationsfromhischildren.
HebringsvividlytolifetheescalatingpoliticalwarfareinthefiftiesbetweentheANCandthegovernment,culminatinginhisdramaticescapadesasanundergroundleaderandthenotoriousRivoniaTrialof1964,atwhichhewassentencedtolifeimprisonment.Herecountsthesurprisinglyeventfultwenty-sevenyearsinprisonandthecomplex,delicatenegotiationsthatledbothtohisfreedomandtothebeginningoftheendofapartheid.Finallyheprovidestheultimateinsideaccountoftheunforgettableeventssincehisreleasethatproducedatlastafree,multiracialdemocracyinSouthAfrica.
Tomillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld,NelsonMandelastands,asnootherlivingfiguredoes,forthetriumphofdignityandhopeoverdespairandhatred,ofself-disciplineandloveoverpersecutionandevil.LongWalktoFreedomembodiesthatspiritinabookforalltime.