

S'està carregant… Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela (1994)de Nelson MANDELA
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A Long Walk to Freedom has been on my list for a long time. I had planned to visit South Africa in 2021 and wanted to learn more about the political history before I went. Mr. Mandela is a critical figure in the struggle for a unified nation and his autobiography did not disappoint. I listened to the audiobook, which provided an immersive experience. From his time as his father's third son and a child of his father's third wife, to being the first leader of a new nation post-apartheid, he displays courage, humility, and persistence. He sacrificed a more traditional life with his family and among his people to fight for the principle of equality among the races. The book is clearly, carefully crafted as both the person story of one man and a history of the struggle. His coauthor deserves credit for bringing this balance to such an important book. Additionally, the narrator also deserves kudos. It is probably an honor and a burden to be the voice of an iconic figure. Well done, all. This is a story of a great man who was surrounded by great people fighting for a great cause... This autobiography is told as a story of how Nelson Mandela was a stubborn and determined person who saw great injustice in South Africa and wanted changes by whatever means necessary. Throughout the book he stayed true to his principles that he didn’t just want freedom for people like him or less freedom for people unlike him, he wanted freedoms for everyone without any conditions. He sacrificed everything to make this happen and suffered dearly because of it.. he was a very humble man who wasn’t interested in the spotlight, but was a true leader in the fight for change against a nationalist agenda that repressed people based on the colour of their skin.. the cover of the book says this should be read by everyone alive and I couldn’t agree more! Book. RLS library gives away lots of books for political education. This book is missing a description. Write a description of about 150 words and you can take it or a random book home. OR, you can exchange 2 books for 3 random books of ours. All books can be borrowed at our office. Mandela writes in an easy to read manner, not only giving you insights into his journey to becoming President of South Africa but also the history and culture of the country. From his experiences, I learned courage, perseverance, hope, and tips to being a good leader.
A Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela, is an autobiography that describes the South African anti-apartheid struggle from his point of view. In the book, Mandela talks about his childhood, time in prison, and his political and social life. Throughout this journey, you see the development of an international hero, and one of the largest moral and political leaders. He uses various quotes to pursue his meanings in a secretive way; while creating a larger impact. The book starts off with Mandela's childhood days and sketches out his family connections and his prospects if he had not become the father of the nation. Mandela's first step towards freedom was when he ran away to escape an arranged marriage. After his escape, his education life follows and his first trial to becoming an international hero. On pg. 24 of chapter 2, he says, “On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name and said that from thenceforth that was the name we would answer to in school. This was the custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education. The education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed to be superior. There was no such thing as African culture. Africans of my generation—and even today—generally have both an English and an African name. Whites were either unable or unwilling to pronounce an African name and considered it uncivilized to have one. That day, Miss Mdingane told me that my new name was Nelson. Why she bestowed this particular name upon me I have no idea. Perhaps it had something to do with the great British sea captain Lord Nelson, but that would be only a guess.” Ever since his first day of school, he was already seen as “different”. They were taught all about British culture, and British institutions. Whites didn’t bother and try to pronounce his name. They also believed that Africans should have English names because their native names were uncivilized. This makes me wonder and feel amazed at how much society has changed in a positive manner. People now are much more united and significantly less ignorant. Later on in the story, Mandela talks in depth about his life in prison; it is both horrifying and edifying and it is during these chapters that the reader develops a strong empathy with the man. For example, on pg. 276 of chapter 61, he says, “ Prison is designed to break one's spirit and destroy one's resolve. To do this, the authorities attempt to exploit every weakness, demolish every initiative, negate all signs of individuality--all with the idea of stamping out that spark that makes each of us human and each of us who we are.” While prison is designed to break one’s spirit and destroy one’s resolve; Nelson didn’t let it get to him in his 27 years in prison. While I’ve never experienced something similar to this myself but I can imagine how authorities can try and demolish you mentally. This truly shows his colors; his spirit of compassion, forgiveness, inclusiveness, and ability to live by his principles that made him. In addition, the final parts of the book deal with his life after prison, politics and the dismantling of apartheid. It also deals with the elections, violence and how Mandela ultimately becomes President. For example, on pg. 127 of chapter 20, he says, “ Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”Education is what allows us to learn and grow. It is also what allows us to escape poverty. For instance, my parents came from Mexico to the U.S so I could get the chance to go to a university and live a better life than they did. Without education, no one would have the chance to better themselves, their families, or their future. In conclusion, A Long Walk to Freedom was truly a magnificent journey and a must read. Mandela’s journey and his hardships all convey the message of, “fight for what you believe is right” and Mandela did just that. Nelson Mandela is truly worthy of his title of an “international hero”. The wisdom, fortitude, strength, and humanity of Nelson Mandela radiated from every page. I felt very enriched after closing the last page of the book, but I also felt an immense sense of anger after the final page; I wanted more! The autobiography creates another layer of perspective; after reading it you can not look at things the same anymore and it creates an experience as if you were the one going through this journey. It was truly a long, long walk to freedom.
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![]() GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)968.064092 — History and Geography Africa South Africa and southern Africa 1961- 1989- Biographies, Diaries And JournalsLCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:![]()
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Despite your feelings about Mandela as a person, it must be acknowledged that the movement he led was incredible. Not only did the ANC manage to overthrow apartheid, he led South Africa to a democratic system in a time when more African countries were replacing their colonist yokes with dictatorships. South Africa is still in a lot of turmoil – racial inequalities and government corruption still reigns. But the steps he took are important, and it was fascinating to read about his journey.
Long Walk to Freedom is not a traditional memoir – instead, the narrative comes from two parts: first, Mandela’s “prison diary” describing his life up to his time in Robben’s Prison. Everything afterward has been converted from interviews between Mandela and journalist Richard Stengel, who ghostwrote Long Walk to Freedom. The flow of the memoir is fantastic and consistent – you really can’t tell the shift, and Stengel did an excellent job humanizing Mandela, combining the facts of his life on a grand scheme with the small pieces of daily life. One moment, he will be relaying information about early negotiations with the government and the next, an antidote about Mandela’s taste in wine. It’s all fascinating, but incredibly accessible, too.
While Long Walk to Freedom is quite a long memoir, I found it excellent and well worth reading, especially if you want to better understand the dismantling of apartheid from a primary source. This is not a piece of objective non-fiction. It’s a memoir, so it’s incredibly biased. That said, I really think it’s worth a read! Nelson Mandela is an important historical figure and a Nobel laureate and there’s no better source of information about an influential individual’s life then his memoir. (