Went looking for this after encountering the CBC's synthesis of the 50 hours of tapes recorded by Nelson Mandela before writing the book broadcast on Ideas. As in public life so in his own private biography Madiba is self-effacing, candid about his own short-comings, loyal to his supporters over the years. As the story continues we meet many of the people who would be active in the African National Congress in the future and his partners seeking freedom for Africans in South Africa.
At 658 pages in paper binding this is no light read but Mandela's writing style is engaging and serves to carry one along. We see his growth from a rural tribal background to life in a tribal chief's home. His friendship with his adopted brother, their mutual escape from their home to Johannesburg where Mandela begins his struggle to become a lawyer, copes with being an African among whites, and becomes politically aware. Any great man makes it to the top on the backs of others; it is good to see this man remember and acknowledge those who helped him reach that pinnacle.
By page 150 or part 3 we have reached Mandela’s political awakening and the beginnings of his involvement with the African National Congress, the ANC. Mandela expresses his own reluctance to get actively involved in politics and the advice of his legal mentors to stay out of it. His writing style somehow reflects that reluctance as at this point the book becomes clinical and less engaging.
Things pick up as we enter the middle section of the book. His political internship over he swings into gear as an orgnaizer and speaker. The screws of apartheid are tightened on Black South Africans and on those who would oppose it. It would seem the authorities were smart enough to realize that actually killing leaders would create martyrs so they ‘ban’ them restricting their ability to travel and attend meetings. Over 150 ANC members are rounded up and their trial for treason takes years to unfold. Mandela’s first marriage breaks down and he meets Winnie. Interestingly a man who promoted non-violent resistance practiced boxing as a means of blowing off steam and keeping fit.
The print version of this book obviously has dense text, after reading for hours one makes little headway percentage-wise in e-Book format, I note it is printed in two volumes in PB. Mandela goes on the lam to promote the militant wing of the ANC. Even before prison he suffered long periods of separation from his family. It is when he goes abroad in Africa that he learns that it is not enough to have good intentions, the perception of others is equally important. The competing PAC, Pan African Congress, are winning the publicity war because South Africa's Black neighbours are suspicious of the ANC's association with Whites, Coloureds, Indians, and the Communist Party. On the other hand a freedom fighter takes aid from whatever port he can obtain it and some of his neighbours are despots, they just happen to be Black despots. It is interesting to see how he describes these people.
Mandela is finally caught and imprisoned for 27 years or 10,000 days as the song goes. On Robben Island in solitary confinement, under hard labour, and in the company of fellow political prisoners he suffers isolation from the outside world and limited visits with family. Finally he is brought back to the mainland where a damp prison cell leads to tuberculosis. Finally he is released to less confined locations and allowed contact with his family and supporters and begins his negotiations with the White Apartheid Government of South Africa. However calculated or humane this process was when he is finally released the press of his cheering supporters scares even his military prison driver.
With the start of negotiations traditional tribal rivalries come back into play and in particular the Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party it is suspected supported by White Minority Police stage attacks on ANC townships. Mandela finally acknowledges the breakdown of his marriage to Winnie. While struggling to reach a consensus within his own party Mandela faces the divide and conquer tactics of the DeKlerk Government. Oliver Tambo dies of stroke and Chris Hani is murdered.
After all that reading the story seems to come to a rather rapid ending with Mandela’s election as president. After some reminiscence the book ends without covering his period as president. I had been hoping to discover if there was any veracity to the storyline followed in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus.
At 658 pages in paper binding this is no light read but Mandela's writing style is engaging and serves to carry one along. We see his growth from a rural tribal background to life in a tribal chief's home. His friendship with his adopted brother, their mutual escape from their home to Johannesburg where Mandela begins his struggle to become a lawyer, copes with being an African among whites, and becomes politically aware. Any great man makes it to the top on the backs of others; it is good to see this man remember and acknowledge those who helped him reach that pinnacle.
By page 150 or part 3 we have reached Mandela’s political awakening and the beginnings of his involvement with the African National Congress, the ANC. Mandela expresses his own reluctance to get actively involved in politics and the advice of his legal mentors to stay out of it. His writing style somehow reflects that reluctance as at this point the book becomes clinical and less engaging.
Things pick up as we enter the middle section of the book. His political internship over he swings into gear as an orgnaizer and speaker. The screws of apartheid are tightened on Black South Africans and on those who would oppose it. It would seem the authorities were smart enough to realize that actually killing leaders would create martyrs so they ‘ban’ them restricting their ability to travel and attend meetings. Over 150 ANC members are rounded up and their trial for treason takes years to unfold. Mandela’s first marriage breaks down and he meets Winnie. Interestingly a man who promoted non-violent resistance practiced boxing as a means of blowing off steam and keeping fit.
The print version of this book obviously has dense text, after reading for hours one makes little headway percentage-wise in e-Book format, I note it is printed in two volumes in PB. Mandela goes on the lam to promote the militant wing of the ANC. Even before prison he suffered long periods of separation from his family. It is when he goes abroad in Africa that he learns that it is not enough to have good intentions, the perception of others is equally important. The competing PAC, Pan African Congress, are winning the publicity war because South Africa's Black neighbours are suspicious of the ANC's association with Whites, Coloureds, Indians, and the Communist Party. On the other hand a freedom fighter takes aid from whatever port he can obtain it and some of his neighbours are despots, they just happen to be Black despots. It is interesting to see how he describes these people.
Mandela is finally caught and imprisoned for 27 years or 10,000 days as the song goes. On Robben Island in solitary confinement, under hard labour, and in the company of fellow political prisoners he suffers isolation from the outside world and limited visits with family. Finally he is brought back to the mainland where a damp prison cell leads to tuberculosis. Finally he is released to less confined locations and allowed contact with his family and supporters and begins his negotiations with the White Apartheid Government of South Africa. However calculated or humane this process was when he is finally released the press of his cheering supporters scares even his military prison driver.
With the start of negotiations traditional tribal rivalries come back into play and in particular the Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party it is suspected supported by White Minority Police stage attacks on ANC townships. Mandela finally acknowledges the breakdown of his marriage to Winnie. While struggling to reach a consensus within his own party Mandela faces the divide and conquer tactics of the DeKlerk Government. Oliver Tambo dies of stroke and Chris Hani is murdered.
After all that reading the story seems to come to a rather rapid ending with Mandela’s election as president. After some reminiscence the book ends without covering his period as president. I had been hoping to discover if there was any veracity to the storyline followed in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus.
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