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S'està carregant… Long Walk to Freedom (1994)de Nelson Mandela
  
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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. (  )  Rosaluxhanoi | Oct 16, 2020 |  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. ( ) siok | Aug 22, 2020 | An enlightening read. What a freedom struggle it was, and I'm sure still is. Prejudice is a defining mark in many societies, and it was incredible the extent to which it was manifested in South Africa. I applaud Mandela's pragmatic approach toward liberation, and his book shed light on what it takes to be a good politician. Many mistakes and much self-evaluation. ( ) bsmashers | Aug 1, 2020 | I rarely read autobiographies, preferring biographies written by professional historians and writers. While many such professionals naturally fall into hagiography when presenting their subjects, they are certainly more objective and have the benefit if hindsight and historical relevance to fall back on. That having been said, I have read “memoirs” from time to time, but like to follow up with a biography if I want to get a bigger picture or more objective presentation of the subject. In this case, while I have already ordered a work on the history of South Africa, this autobiography of Nelson Mandela should suffice to tell me what I need to know about his life and the struggles he faced. The problem with many autobiographies, at least the ones not “ghostwritten” by others, is that the author is not a professional writer, and even a good editor can only do so much. This is clearly Mandela’s work, and while perhaps not pristinely polished, is certainly well written, and authenticity is important, especially in a case such as Mandela’s. I’m certain that others might paint certain aspects of his struggle differently, I doubt that there is any dishonesty, and even the barest amount of hyperbole contained in this presentation. Most of what is contained in the work is very personal to Mandela, both with respect to the time frame involved, as well as the geography of the struggle, hence my desire to get a longer historical viewpoint and a “bigger picture” look at the fight against apartheid, but I certainly recommend this work for the view it gives into the mind of one of the seminal individuals of the 20th century. (  ) santhony | Jun 2, 2020 | Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is an intriguing autobiography of one of the world’s foremost civil rights leaders. Born in 1918 in the Thembu tribe of the Xhosa people the book described Mandela’s upbringing as a child and adolescence. His education was at a Thembu College, and the University of Fort Hare. Later he earned a law degree while in prison. By the 1950’s Mandela had joined the African National Congress (ANC). During that time Daniel Francois Malan implemented the apartheid policies in South Africa. Mandela played a major role in the formation of ANC’s Youth League, and its policies shifted from peaceful civil disobedience to armed conflict. The 1960’s saw ANC being forced underground as it grappled with the concept of armed struggle. In 1961 Mandela was convicted for inciting people to strike, and leaving the country without a passport. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Three years later in 1964 Mandela was arrested again and sentenced to life imprisonment for incitement of sabotage, treason, and an involvement in violent conspiracy. Mandela was to spend 27 years in prison on Robben Island. His experience in prison was harsh, a microcosm of South Africa’s apartheid world, and years in solitary confinement with hard labor. While in prison he was able to receive glimmerings of news about the apartheid struggles, received redacted letters from family members, and an occasional media report about the world. It was in 1990 Mandela initiated, and was able to meet with South African president Frederik Willem de Klerk, who eventually freed him from prison. In 1993 he and de Klerk won the Nobel Peace Prize. Multi-racial elections that followed in April 1994 and the ANC under Mandela’s leadership came to power. Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first black president. ( ) erwinkennythomas | Apr 14, 2020 |
 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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Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom
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