Amazon.com
The famously taciturn South African president reveals much of himself in Long Walk to Freedom. A good deal of this autobiography was written secretly while Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime. Among the book's interesting revelations is Mandela's ambivalence toward his lifetime of devotion to public works. It cost him two marriages and kept him distant from a family life he might otherwise have cherished. Long Walk to Freedom also discloses a strong and generous spirit that refused to be broken under the most trying circumstances--a spirit in which just about everybody can find something to admire.
Book Description
The famously taciturn South African president reveals much of himself inLong Walk to Freedom. A good deal of this autobiography was written secretlywhile Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime. Among the book's interestingrevelations is Mandela's ambivalence toward his lifetime of devotion to public works. It cost him twomarriages and kept him distant from a family life he might otherwise have cherished.Long Walk to Freedom also discloses a strong and generous spirit that refused to be broken under the most trying circumstances--a spirit inwhich just about everybody can find something to admire.
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating book that should be read by everyone.......2007-07-03
It is not very often that I set to read non-fiction. This book, however, was originally recommended to me by a Rwanda refugee and so I made an exception. What a good decision that was.
Although I was familiar with Mandela's life and South Africa's struggle against the apartheid regime, this book provided me with much more profound understanding of the struggle and the historical events leading to the eventual overthrow of the racist regime. This book, however, is much more than an account of a dark time period in the history of humanity. Above all, this book is an amazing portrayal of a life of a man, an exceptional man who is much too human. We are taken through time, from Mandela's childhood to his presidency, blessed with a unique view of a man marked to die in a secluded prison. His struggle to become a "first-class" citizen and the brutal force with which the then government crushes the hopes of the young men and women is only but a part of the story. Most importantly, we are allowed a unique window into Mandela's psyche and his philosophy, for this book, to me, is mostly about human spirit, its strengths and its weaknesses. Mandela's contemplations regarding the social order, humanity, law, schools and his personal approaches are fascinating and profound. He delves into the depths of human behaviour in a fluid, understandable way; his words flow on the pages from one event onto the next, while maintaining a uniform message. Although he did engage in securing financing for a possible armed conflict, his hopes and faith reside in a non-violent solution. Mandela's life is, after all, one giant wound on the face of mankind. Neglected and abandoned by the superpowers of the world, the people of South Africa never lost hope and Mandela is a fascinating and shining example of a man, stripped of everything, who, no matter what life threw in his way, maintained his dignity and his sight not only on the problems, but also on the solutions. An amazing read I am happy to recommend. This book should be read by everyone.
The story behind legends.......2007-06-15
I had always heard that Nelson Mandela was a living legend, yet I knew so little about him. This book confirmed the legend.
The book takes you through the journey of his life. From his upbringing, to his entering the political life, his 27 years in prison and finally his return from prison to lead the nation. It is very interesting to read his rationale and thought process behind every decision, personal or political. He was a strong-willed man with an exceptionally strong sense of what is right and wrong. He spent 27 years in jail without ever applying for an appeal and rejecting every offer of release. He never lost his resolve even in the most trying of times. He believed that equality and freedom are every human's birthright and he was willing to die for the freedom of his people. The book has countless lessons not only for political leaders who lead nations but for common people for their day to day lives.
A must read for everybody. I would highly recommend it.
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.......2007-05-07
An excellent autobio by one of the few truly great men of the 20th century. Details his boyhood, early adulthood, and 27 (?) years in prison as a political prisoner of the apartheid government of South
Africa, followed by release and eventual President of the country. The amazing part is how, as President, he avoided revenge and eventually brought re conciliation to the races.
Very inspiring.......2007-04-10
There are all kinds of inspiring biographies and autobiographies. This one is unique. Most biographies lean toward the spiritual and base their inspiration on some divine energy or God. This is the most grounded in life biography that you can read. Not much about God, just about his own passion for equal rights. Even mindedness, even in the face of incredible pain.
Polit thriller.......2007-01-17
Despite due respect for a great leader, I did not really expect to like this autobiography very much. Mandela is no great speaker, his TV presence is rather flat, his English apparently not masterful. The life story in summary does not seem to have that much interest either, considering the long jail time and the fact that most of the "hot action" of the anti-apartheid movement happened while he was on Robben Island.
All wrong. The writing is surprisingly fluent, the story telling surprisingly efficient and free of waste as well as redundancies. Also free of sentimentality and exaggerated pathos.
If there is anything that I wished to be more detailed it is the period of his childhood and youth. This period is described in a rather remote way and with a sometimes irritating lack of explanation or reflection. I realized that may have happened due to the conditions under which the book was written: in jail. Also I could imagine that editors suggested some shortening: after all the book is still quite hefty.
If there is one negative comment that I have to make, it refers to NM's insistence that all trouble between black groups, such as the Inkatha violence problems, or tribal conflicts, have been caused by the perfidy of the whites. As much as I can understand the psychology behind this wishful thinking, I do not think it is a realistic approach.
Despite this comment and despite the book's size, it is never boring. Highly recommendable.
Average customer rating:
- Do note that Prince Bandar "cooperated" with his friend, the author, William Simpson.
- The Prince: The Secret Story of the World's Most Intriguing Royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan
- FASCINATING
- A recommended pick for a wide range of collections, from college to general-interest public libraries.
- Public Myths, Private Realities
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The Prince: The Secret Story of the World's Most Intriguing Royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan
William Simpson
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Release Date: 2006-10-17 |
Book Description
A riveting portrait of one of the most enigmatic yet influential powerbrokers in America–Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al–Saud, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States from 1983–2005.
At a time when understanding our friends is as important as understanding our enemies, Prince Bandar bin Sultan remains one America's most enigmatic powerbrokers. As the illegitimate son of a Saudi prince and a servant girl, Prince Bandar overcame his unrecognized beginnings to rise as one of Saudi Arabia's brightest diplomatic stars, ultimately becoming the Ambassador to the United States–and one of the most influential men in Washington.
As Ambassador, Prince Bandar worked with CIA Director Bill Casey to fund covert CIA operations with Saudi petrodollars. He played a key role in the Iran–Contra affair; consulted with President Gorbachev to secure Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan; negotiated an end to the Iran–Iraq war; and, with Nelson Mandela, resolved the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Affair. He served under four different American presidencies and was called "Washington's indispensible operator" by the New Yorker.
Yet Prince Bandar was more than this. His entre into Washington society and the Oval Office was unmatched. George H.W. Bush took the Prince and his family on fishing vacations; First Lady Reagan used him to convey messages to her husband's Cabinet; Colin Powell would drop by his house to play racquetball.
Customer Reviews:
Do note that Prince Bandar "cooperated" with his friend, the author, William Simpson........2007-06-09
Do not waste your money. This is an obvious PR effort and none of the recent news regarding the Prince shows up here - for obvious reasons.
The Prince: The Secret Story of the World's Most Intriguing Royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.......2007-04-13
Not that intriguing a character. The author is a very goooooooood friend of the subject and is obviously very bias.
FASCINATING.......2007-02-14
Definitely worth reading, I find it very interesting to read about a Saudi prince. Most people have no idea what a Saudi prince is all about and this is a way to find out.
A recommended pick for a wide range of collections, from college to general-interest public libraries........2007-02-08
THE PRINCE: THE SECRET STORY OF THE WORLD'S MOST INTRIGUING ROYAL PRINCE BANDAR BIN SULTAN might at first glance seem to be a special interest title - but it's actually much more. Any reader interested in Middle East issues should read THE PRINCE, as it surveys the life, political rise and richness of the Saudi Arabian prince who today is Ambassador to the U.S. His life reflects social and political changes in the country and his work has led him to play pivotal roles in emerging politics of the entire region, making THE PRINCE a recommended pick for a wide range of collections, from college to general-interest public libraries.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Public Myths, Private Realities.......2006-10-18
I have met Prince Bandar bin Sultan a number of times in the United States in my capacity as a money manager for extremely wealthy international families, and as a financial advisor to governments. I also lean towards political conservatism, although I am deeply disappointed at the extent to which corruption has become common in our government in the last decade or so. It use to under the table, now it's in our face.
William Simpson's book on Prince Bandar is requisite reading if Americans are to begin to understand Saudi Arabia. This is the critical country in the Middle East, and the world's dominant oil producer. Understand that Simpson the author is a personal friend of long-standing with Bandar, having attended together the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell, England many years ago. The Prince has publicly blessed this book. This tells you that this is an authorized biography, which means Bandar has edited every page. He's managing his image, and I must say quite well after reading it.
The problem I have with the book, but it must still be read, is that it is completely self-serving, and the author is in the Prince's pocket. This is not surprising; just about everyone in Washington was in the Prince's pocket. When you have a billion dollar personal fortune at your disposal plus the full financial backing of the world's most liquid country (both oil and greenbacks), who wouldn't want to be Prince Bandar. He's also got political access, and diplomatic immunity to boot.
The real question which is not answered by this book is to what extent did Bandar while the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005, use his money and his power to achieve the goals of his country to the detriment of ours. For the most part Bandar was exempt from the normal laws, and procedures that our own citizens must adhere to.
This man became close personal friends with several Presidents including the current President Bush. You may not remember this, but in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy, scores of Osama Bin Laden's relatives were still living in the United States. Many of them were students at different universities. Bandar arranged with President Bush for FBI controlled aircraft to pick up these family members, and whisk them immediately outside the United States to Saudi Arabia where they would be protected from our laws.
How startling is this when you think about it. This was the greatest loss of human life via an attack in our country's history, instigated by one man, Bin Laden, a Saudi by the way. The rest of us were stuck at airports throughout the United States for a week. The only non-military planes allowed to fly throughout the United States were planes being sent to pick up family members of the mass murderer so they could be flown out of the country. This shows you Prince Bandar's power, and he used that power for 22 years as he saw fit, for those he saw fit.
Bandar's money and fingerprints were all over the Iran-Contra scandal that could have conceivably brought down Ronald Reagan's Administration. It certainly tarnished Reagan's government, and ruined the last 2 years of his Presidency. You need to know about these events, and Bandar's connection to them. As citizens of the most important democracy in history, we need to know, and keep an eye on what our government is doing. Our founding fathers did not trust governments. Only an informed citizenry can guard our freedoms.
It has been said that POWER CORRUPTS, AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTEY. I believe this is true, and history demonstrates its veracity. Bandar is a man that has moved in very powerful circles. He was the ultimate power player displaying a persona based on public myth while the whole time operating under different private realities. There were only two people in the world that had power over this man who was the illegitimate son of Prince Sultan and a servant. The book talks about these two men in detail.
Bandar's father was the Saudi Arabian Defense Minister during the early 1960's. It was his grandmother who was the widow of King Abdulaziz that recognized the boy's talent. Bandar had a fabulous personality, truly charismatic. When he is in the room, you know someone special is around. It was this charisma that endeared him to King Fahd who controlled Saudi Arabia with an iron fist for decades.
King Fahd was his mentor, and Bandar wielded enormous influence over the King. After all, it was Bandar that lived overseas all those years doing the King's bidding, and in return influencing what that bidding might be by the advice he rendered to the King. There is no question I am told by people in a position to know that Bandar would use his influence on the King to say that he knew what each of our Presidents would do under certain situations. In return, Bandar would tell the President of our country, several Presidents in fact, that he knew what King Fahd would do. He was the ULTIMATE MIDDLEMAN.
This is why you must read this book. Even though it is self-serving, you can't help but get a feel as to who and what Bandar is. You also get a feel for Saudi Arabia, and the power game they play. Even though the Prince tries to limit the reader as to what he wants you to know about himself, and the game he played, the truth still comes out between the lines. This is why you have to spend the time to understand the Prince, and the culture he comes from. Saudi Arabia is a lifeline for us. Without their oil, the oxygen would be sucked right out of our economy.
You might be wondering how influential Bandar was through the years. Look at it this way. More than a generation ago, when Richard Nixon was trying to cover up the Watergate scandal, his aides told him it would take money. The President asked how much? He was told a million dollars in cash, the equivalent of $20 million today. Nixon replied on the tapes, "I know where I can get it." This was before the Saudi connection that is now firmly entrenched.
There are times when every President needs access to large sums of cash. Sometimes it is to bypass the necessity of reporting to Congress. Other times, it is convenience. Bandar always had that access. We will never know in the darkness of the night to what extent he used that access, and what we had to do in return. You have merely to judge the relationship of the United States to Saudi Arabia to figure it out for yourself.
Let me illustrate. A couple of years ago, I was in South Africa working on a project. I usually stay at a certain hotel, because it is secure. They know me, I am private, and we take care of each other. The entire hotel had been taken over by the Saudi entourage for a diplomatic celebration. I saw dozens of Saudis. Here is what was strange. They were wearing business suits, which as you know usually have an outside pocket on the left side of the jacket where some men would wear a handkerchief. Instead of the handkerchief, each of these dozens of Saudis had plastic envelopes, each one containing $10,000 in hundred dollar bills. Some of these people were walking around with five, six envelopes. Other individuals had suitcases full of plastic envelopes.
My associates at the hotel said they had brought tens of millions of dollars in American cash with them. I don't drink, but I do have meetings in bars, and restaurants. I prefer public locations for security reasons, especially in foreign countries. While in the bar, I ran into a group of 9, 10 Saudis celebrating. They started to take bottles of Cristal Champagne, shake them up and shoot them at one another at $350 per bottle. The bill 2 hours later was $40,000 without the tip. When you have that kind of cash, you can buy influence, and that is our problem in this country. The food in the bar was terrific by the way.
Bandar also wielded tremendous political influence. I was doing a study on North Korea years ago in reference to a geopolitical project I was involved in. President Bush announced the potential drawdown of our troop deployment in South Korea, which is 30,000 plus military personnel. All of our soldiers are within artillery range of North Korean armaments just across the border.
I could not understand how President Bush would have made such an announcement without exacting North Korean concessions in return. It then came to my attention that Bandar had talked Bush into it. How is it that the Saudi Arabian Prince could influence American foreign policy on the Korean Peninsula? It did not make sense, until an associate informed me of Bandar's logic. He told Bush the North Koreans were so unreliable politically that he could envision them launching an artillery attack.
If they did, we would have 15,000 dead Americans in hours. Wouldn't it be better Bandar told the President to reduce the American presence, so that if the North Koreans were foolish, you would have a local, regional conflict on your hands, and not a major war? Bush went for it; Bandar has INFLUENCE.
Read the book. It's a great read about a man of many faces. Word is that Bandar is now out of favor with the Saudi leadership, and that is why he is no longer Ambassador to the United States. The publicly stated reason for the change in ambassadorship was Bandar's health. Sure, do you think the Saudi weather is more conducive to his health than American sunshine? As time goes on, the truth will get out. It is also strange how oil prices have come down strongly off their previous peaks, coincident with a critical Congressional election in November. If I believed in co incidents, we could call this the SAUDI VOTE. The question is does it have Bandar's fingerprints on it?
Richard Stoyeck
Book Description
Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela has dedicated his life to fighting racism, segregation, oppression, and exploitation¿and championing democracy, equality, and education.
Mandela: The Authorized Portrait celebrates the courage, determination, and remarkable humanity of a great man and chronicles his extraordinary contribution to humankind.
Much of the story in Mandela: The Authorized Portrait is told by those whose very lives he has touched. Drawing on 60 original and extensive interviews with family members, close friends, colleagues, and many of the world's leading figures in politics and entertainment, Mandela: The Authorized Portrait tells the inspirational story of an incredible man¿from his birth and early childhood in rural South Africa and his involvement with and eventual leadership of the African National Congress through his 27-year imprisonment and eventual emergence as one of the world's notable leaders and most active agents for change.
This richly designed portrait features a foreword by former U.S. president Bill Clinton and an introduction by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is illustrated with 250 images and features material taken from private collections as well as the Nelson Mandela Foundation archive¿some of it published here for the first time. Mandela: The Authorized Portrait features artifacts and facsimiles of Mandela's voluminous writings and correspondence¿written records of his negotiations with the prison authorities, intimate letters to his family and friends during his imprisonment, and material from Mandela's personal diaries and calendars.
Mandela: The Authorized Portrait is one of the most lavishly illustrated and comprehensive tributes to Nelson Mandela's life and work ever produced.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of information about Mandela.......2007-08-12
I hate leaving a book less than 5 stars, I really do. The book has lots of information and important facts about Mandela, but the problem I have is "ease of readability." There were so many things I just couldn't understand due to the author's extremely large vocabulary and phrasing. I suppose maybe that's my fault on some level, but the phrasing was so difficult I only grasped a small percentage of the book. Yes, there are lots of photos. Yes, there are handwritten pages Mandela wrote from his cell (none of which I could legibly read), as well as tons of dates and credits to acknowledgements. Unfortunately, I've decided to leave this book on the shelf.
A Beacon of Promise in a Troubled Continent.......2006-12-21
Nelson Mandela stands as a Beacon in South Africa, Africa, and the rest of the world as an example of what a political leader should be. Not only was he largely responsible for the 'one person one vote' changes in South Africa, but then after he was elected president he served one term and retired. This is very un-politician like. Especially in the third world politicians seem to stay in office until they die. Then again, there was FDR in this country.
This is a splendid book. It is profusely illustrated, and not quite a biography so much as a tribute. There are dozens of comments, interviews, documents from the time, historical reports and so on that record his struggle.
Mandela did marvelous things, great things. I wonder though what will be the story of South Africa after he and his legacy are gone. There are political movements afoot there who preach that the whites should all be kicked out, that their property should be confiscated, and that South Africa will be like the rest of Africa in poverty and misery.
Book Description
When Edwin Cameron announced to a stunned local and international media that he - one of South Africa's most prominent citizens - was himself living with the virus cutting swathes through the population of the continent, the impact was immediate. In Witness to AIDS, Edwin Cameron's compelling memoir, he grapples with the meaning of HIV/AIDS: for him as he confronts the possibility of his own lingering death, and for all of us in facing up to one of the most desperate challenges of our time. nbsp;In his intensely personal account of survival, Cameron blends elements of his destitute childhood with his daily duties as a senior judge and international human rights lawyer, while focusing always on the epidemic's central issues : stigma, unjust discrimination, and, most vitally, the life-and-death question of access to treatment. Cameron's remarkable story of his own survival in an epidemic that has cost millions of lives is at once moving and uplifting, sobering and ultimately hopeful.
Customer Reviews:
A Witness To AIDS In Africa.......2006-08-12
In WITNESS TO AIDS, Edwin Cameron, a white South African judge discusses the AIDS pandemic in that nation and the world from both the political and the personal for he is a gay man living with AIDS-- and a very brave and compassionate one. Cameron understands totally that he is a lucky man because of the color of his skin and his relatively affluent position. He is able to afford the drugs that keep him alive but are out of the reach of most black Africans.
Mr. Cameron (should I refer to him as judge?) is brave in that he has always spoken out against racism, is not afraid to challenge President Mbeki, takes on the greed of drug companies, makes the comparison between the Holocaust denial and AIDS denial and speaks openly and honestly about his own HIV status. For example, he discusses how he became infected in one unprotected sexual encounter "during Easter 1985."
Altough the writer covers a tremendous amount of ground about AIDS in Africa and quotes many facts and figures, he is best when he makes the disease personal with experiences from his own life or naming the names of others with HIV/AIDS. One of the most moving passages from this fine work is about Cameron's telling his 78 year-old mother that (1) not only was he living with HIV but that (2) he was about to go public with his status. "I brought the conversation around and spoke gently to her. . . After a moment she glanced at me and quietly murmured: 'I thought as much, my boy.'" Though at first distressed by this new knowledge, she soon, however, began wearing the "red, furled ribbon of AIDS solidarity," until her death two years later. Mr. Cameron also discusses with candor his impoverished childhood, his being sent to a children's home, the accidental death of a sister and his father (an alcoholic) attending her funeral, having been given special dispensation from the warden where he was serving a year's sentence in prison for car theft. He acknowledges that being sent to a first rate school changed his life of poverty forever.
The writer's perception of the AIDS epidemic in the United States is a bit rosy. He seems to believe that the disease is kept at bay because of the drug cocktails readily available and affordable here. While certainly no comparison can be made between Africa and the U. S., not everyone here has access to drugs, either because they cannot afford them or there are not enough free drugs for everyone. The book also suffers from repetition. Since Mr. Cameron is an attorney by profession, this is probably an occupational hazard as it is not unusual for barristers to repeat themselves, particularly if they are arguing their case before a judge and/or jury-- in this case, the reader.
WITNESS TO AIDS, nevertheless, contains a wealth of information on the subject of AIDS in Africa and ought to have a very wide readership. Every page comes alive with both the writer's passion and humanity.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic, Fascinating.......2007-02-13
All of my students (all white, all American) love this book. Some say that they haven't read anything like it in the past.
Prison account is interesting but rest is dull.......2007-01-01
I only found half the book interesting, the half where he talks about life in prison. The rest is just too much factual information that one can get by reading a history book or reading wikipedia. There is also a lot of political mumbo jumbo that tries to simplify a very complex political problem.
One really gains little insight into Mandela the human being . If you want to learn about Mandela the politician then this book is for you. I also did not like the narration by Glover. It was difficult to understand his accent and he spoke in a very unusual manner. I have a collection of over a hundred audio books, mostly non-fiction and this narration ranks among the least 'listenable'.
Audio - Long Walk to Freedom.......2005-08-27
I had to read the book for a class so I purchased the audio to go along with it to help speed things up. The audio follows the book's order, but skips over sections here and there. As a stand alone audio, it flows just nicely and was very enlightening.
Interesting narrative.......2005-04-08
Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the first democratically elected president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela began his autobiography during the course of his 27 years in prison. This audio offers a biography of Mandela's life from his birth in 1918 to his inauguration as president of South Africa in 1994. A large part of the audio is a description of his 27 years in prison, an account that could stand alone as a prison narrative. Long Walk to Freedom also explores Mandela's strong spirit that refused to be broken under very difficult circumstances. It ends with a call for everyone to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. From AudioColumn.com
Book Description
A collection of some of the most historic and inspirational addresses by one of the most renowned political leaders of our day.
The most stirring voice to come out of South Africa, Nelson Mandela has brought his message of freedom, equality, and human dignity to the entire world. Now, for the first time, his most eloquent and important speeches are collected in a single volume.
From the eve of his imprisonment to his release 27 years later, from his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize to his election as South Africas first black president, these speeches span some of the most pivotal moments of Mandelas life and of his countrys history. And they memorably illustrate his lasting commitment to freedom and reconciliation, democracy and development, culture and diversity, and international peace.
The extraordinary power of this volume is in the moving words and intimate tone of Mandela himself, a living legend and one of the most articulate, courageous, and respected men of our generation.
Customer Reviews:
A Worthy Collection of Thoughts and Vision.......2005-04-27
IN HIS OWN WORDS is perfect reading for history buffs. There are 545 pages of speeches, addresses and statements of Nelson Mandela. When you read this collection of words by Mr. Mandela, you come away with a better understanding of this man who has dedicated his life to his belief of freedom and equality.
Nelson Mandela is a prolific writer as well as a gifted speaker. There are twelve chapters in IN HIS OWN WORDS. Because of its length, I suggest that you read this book by first reading the topics that most interest you. I started with Education, Health and Culture and was moved by Nelson Mandela's compassion and his tenacity to remain focused in his one man crusade for democracy for all people. As someone who enjoys reading about history, I read the remaining chapters over several weeks and found them to be fascinating. Very much worth reading.
Vannie(~.~)
Work & Family @ BellaOnline.com
http://www.bellaonline.com/Site/workandfamily
legendary speeches.......2005-02-28
Rebeccasreads highly recommends IN HIS OWN WORDS for those who have ever wondered how this man moved generations of people to agitate for civil rights. Settle down with this big, big book & relive the ideas that inspired us, & get a rare glimpse of the heroes from another time & another place.
Because these are public speeches, there will be repetition - relax & let the words flow over you. & while most of us won't notice it, what we read from the book in no way indicates the timbre, cadence & nuances of the spoken word, so it would have been a wonderful completion had a DVD sound recording of one or two of Nelson Mandela's speeches been included.
The extraordinary power of IN HIS OWN WORDS is in, once again, hearing legend's way of expressing himself, who, along with Mahatma Gandhi & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of the most articulate, courageous, & respected men of our time. The list of people who contributed their impressions is extraordinary, & illustrates how deeply Nelson Mandela changed our lives & our world.
fine compilation.......2004-12-21
This is a compilation of Nelson Mandela's speeches divided into twelve categories that run a diverse classification. The topics run the gamut of historical: "Struggle" "Freedom", "Reconciliation", "Nation Building" and "Development"; social: "Education", "Culture", "Religion", "Health" and "Children"; Cross sectional: "Heroes" and "Peace". The collection provides a one source to obtain the works of a key twentieth century person, but like any of these IN HIS OWN WORDS is repetitive and at times boring. Unless needed for a school assignment, this biographical oratory is best savored over several weeks as Mr. Mandela through his words show why he remains an inspirational influential individual whose speeches provide a deep insight into the man, the legend, and an era of transition.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
- pleased
- A current day hero
|
Nelson Mandela: A Biography
Martin Meredith
Manufacturer: Griffin
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ASIN: 0312199929 |
Amazon.com
Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela's initial response to the institutionalized racism of South Africa was a militant belief in African control and distrust of collaboration with whites. This comprehensive biography by British journalist Martin Meredith draws on interviews with Mandela and colleagues to trace his evolution from political prisoner to leader of a multiracial democracy. Meredith also cogently depicts the complex personality of an autocratic, often remote man "more at ease with strangers than ... friends," who sacrificed much of his private life to the collective struggle. Nelson Mandela is essential reading for understanding modern South Africa.
Book Description
In an age of cynical politics and mutual distrust, Nelson Mandela's moral courage and generosity of spirit proved the key to effecting a peaceful end to apartheid in South Africa in 1994. There is perhaps no other leader in the world today who elicits the same admiration and respect.
In this, the first full-scale biography of Nelson Mandela, Martin Meredith vividly captures the epic arc of a life defined by struggle against the brutality of apartheid and its eventual defeat. He provides fascinating insights into the enduring friendships Mandela forged among whites and blacks alike, into the influential role played by his communist colleagues, and into his turbulent personal life.
As a champion of peace and a father of a new nation, Nelson Mandela is a hero in a world where heroes are few in number; Meredith's brilliant biography stands as a tribute to that heroism.
Customer Reviews:
pleased.......2003-02-17
So intersting to read.he is confident in his words.I recommand this book to any people that are idealizied
A current day hero.......1999-06-07
The writer does an excellent job filling in the background of apartheid and the actions of the South African government in the early 1900's and the 1950's when the most reprehensible government policies were created. The descriptions of the country's jails and Mandela's stay at Robbin Island makes you ill but increase your respect for Mandela and all other political prisoners. Meredith also does a good job describing the sulkiness of De Klerk and his disappointment at not being recognized equally as Mandela for ending apartheid...maybe if he had been in prison for 29 years...
Amazon.com
British journalist Anthony Sampson first met Nelson Mandela in 1951, when Sampson was editing a black magazine in Johannesburg, and his biography of the leader benefits greatly from his long familiarity with South Africa and his access to the 81-year-old statesman's unpublished letters and documents. These are particularly helpful in chronicling Mandela's political and spiritual odyssey during 27 years in prison, when the fiery anti-apartheid militant condemned to life imprisonment in 1964 evolved into a dignified, authoritative leader convinced that "reconciliation would be essential to survival." The roots of this stance lie deep in African history; Sampson's excellent chapters on Mandela's rural youth remind readers that he was the aristocratic scion of a royal family who early imbibed the tribal tradition of ubuntu (mutual responsibility and compassion) and the local king's emphasis on ruling by consensus. South Africa's relatively peaceful transition to multiracial democracy owes much to Mandela's ability to voice these concepts in contemporary terms. And Sampson's detailed explication of the ins and outs of revolutionary politics over five decades--though sometimes heavy going for the general reader--vividly reveals how his subject achieved the political and moral maturity that made his 1994 election as the nation's first black president both inevitable and exhilarating. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
The life of Nelson Mandela is one of the most extraordinary epics of the twentieth century. An almost-forgotten prisoner on Robben Island twenty years ago, apparently doomed to a helpless existence as a victim of apartheid, he not only survived but almost single-handedly saved South Africa from potential chaos, to become one of the most widely admired leaders in the world. Mandela's myth is dazzling; in this magnificent biography Anthony Sampson penetrates it to show us the man himself.
Sampson has known Mandela since 1951. He was given Mandela's complete cooperation, including access to twenty-seven years' worth of unpublished correspondence from prison and many other private documents--even the original draft of Mandela's prison autobiography, long thought to be lost. He interviewed virtually every significant living figure associated with Mandela, from childhood schoolmates to Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie, to former president F. W. de Klerk. Mandela himself checked and annotated the manuscript, but Sampson was left free to make his own judgments about the man, which he has done with refreshing candor. The result is wonderfully revealing and objective.
Mandela is filled with new insights and information. We see how prison, which he and his fellow inmates turned into a kind of unofficial university, gradually transformed Mandela from a headstrong activist into a reflective and consummately skilled statesman. We learn how British and American diplomats cold-shouldered him when support was desperately needed, and about the political infighting, sometimes vicious, that went on between anti-apartheid factions. Particularly fascinating is Sampson's narrative of the incredible negotiations leading to Mandela's release from prison and the eventual collapse of the white regime, when his colleagues feared that he was selling out to the government.
At every turn, this book sheds fresh light on the moral dilemmas that Mandela was forced to face again and again in his personal and public lives. In the struggle for freedom for South African blacks, he paid a tragic price, becoming alienated from his wife and remote from his children. Yet he famously retained his humanity, and while Sampson does not conceal Mandela's failings--his stubbornness, his fixed loyalties, his princely manners and detachment--the man who emerges is authentically heroic.
Broadly based, painstakingly researched, elegantly written,
Mandela is a fitting complement to Mandela's celebrated autobiography. It will stand as an exemplar of the biographer's art at its most masterly and, even more, as a moving testament to the power of the human spirit in adversity.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing life of imprisonment to leadership!.......2001-01-13
What an amazing life this man had. He was born on the rural plains in South Africa.. His father was absent due to forced circumstances. Mandela later received an education in law and began the practice of law. Political causes led to his imprisonment for nearly thirty years in Robbins Prison. The book tells the wrenching tale of his separation of his family during his imprisonment, yet the family (the second marriage, to Winnie) remained intact during his long imprisonment and only dissolved after the release from prison. The book is very heavy on the political activity in whch Mandela was involved. This is an interesting book of personal triumph over overwhelming odds.
More than you ever wanted to know .........2000-06-01
The author obviously knows a great deal about Mandela and South Africa. However, there is so much detail that I found the book just deadening over time. The writing style was not engaging enough to sustain me through all the blow-by-blow accounts that one has to plod through . -I was surprised and disappointed that the book was not more enjoyable.
A well-told education in character and leadership........1999-10-21
If you believe there are no modern heroes - that fortitude and unselfish judgement in the face of adversity are out-of-date virtues, you need to read this book. That Sampson shows the whole man so well (with admittedly a few frailities) adds depth to the tremendous courage, excellent judgement, and magnanimity Mandela demonstrated his entire life, even when the cause of the ANC he led seemed hopeless. Along the way the book gives an excellent view of South African history during Mandela's adulthood. If you are not very familiar with Mandela or South Africa you might do better to start with Mandela's own book, "Long Walk to Freedom" which doesn't cover quite so much ground and is more on a human scale. Both books are inspiring.
A very good introduction to a deep man.......1999-09-30
If you need to know Nelson Mandela, this is the book to read. This book's weaknesses are evident: It is written from a British viewpoint, and basically takes for granted a knowledge of South African history and geography most Americans do not possess (though they should). It also soft pedals the problems in Mandela's relationship with Winnie, though that is understandable. I have a feeling that not too many people could understand it. But it does a great job of making us see how the man was shaped and became what he is, and how he stands as a fearless, remarkable leader.
A Hero for our times!.......1999-09-16
I knew very little of Nelson Mandela before reading this book, but now I am confident that I have an excellent feel for what makes this man tick. This is an excellent book and one that should be read by anyone who wants to be inspired!
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