nelson mandela autobiography book review

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LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

The autobiography of nelson mandela.

by Nelson Mandela ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 28, 1994

This memoir is remarkably free of polemics, self-pity, and self-aggrandizement. It is the work of a man who has led by...

In 1918, Nelson Mandela was born, the son of a tribal chief in the Xhosa nation.

In 1994, has was elected the first black president of a South Africa newly free of apartheid. In the 76 intervening years, Mandela's path was the path of his pepole and his country: painful, obstacle-ridden, often seemingly impassable. Here the leader of black South Africans' fight for freedom details each step of that journey. He writes with respect and affection of the traditional culture in which he was raised, even of his ritual circumcision at the age of 16; and he describes with remarkable dispassion the events that aided his growing politicization, such as the failed miners' strike of 1946; his quest for dignity even while imprisoned on Robben Island; and the dramatic negotiations with President F.W. De Klerk that culminated in a peaceful revolution in South Africa.

Pub Date: Nov. 28, 1994

ISBN: 0-316-54585-6

Page Count: 576

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1994

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | HISTORY | POLITICAL & ROYALTY | WORLD | GENERAL HISTORY | GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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BOOK REVIEW

by Nelson Mandela edited by Sahm Venter

by Nelson Mandela Mandla Langa

by Nelson Mandela

by Elie Wiesel & translated by Marion Wiesel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2006

The author's youthfulness helps to assure the inevitable comparison with the Anne Frank diary although over and above the...

Elie Wiesel spent his early years in a small Transylvanian town as one of four children. 

He was the only one of the family to survive what Francois Maurois, in his introduction, calls the "human holocaust" of the persecution of the Jews, which began with the restrictions, the singularization of the yellow star, the enclosure within the ghetto, and went on to the mass deportations to the ovens of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. There are unforgettable and horrifying scenes here in this spare and sombre memoir of this experience of the hanging of a child, of his first farewell with his father who leaves him an inheritance of a knife and a spoon, and of his last goodbye at Buchenwald his father's corpse is already cold let alone the long months of survival under unconscionable conditions. 

Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2006

ISBN: 0374500010

Page Count: 120

Publisher: Hill & Wang

Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2006

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | HOLOCAUST | HISTORY | GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | GENERAL HISTORY

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by Elie Wiesel ; edited by Alan Rosen

by Elie Wiesel ; illustrated by Mark Podwal

by Elie Wiesel ; translated by Marion Wiesel

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INTO THE WILD

by Jon Krakauer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1996

A wonderful page-turner written with humility, immediacy, and great style. Nothing came cheap and easy to McCandless, nor...

The excruciating story of a young man on a quest for knowledge and experience, a search that eventually cooked his goose, told with the flair of a seasoned investigative reporter by Outside magazine contributing editor Krakauer (Eiger Dreams, 1990). 

Chris McCandless loved the road, the unadorned life, the Tolstoyan call to asceticism. After graduating college, he took off on another of his long destinationless journeys, this time cutting all contact with his family and changing his name to Alex Supertramp. He was a gent of strong opinions, and he shared them with those he met: "You must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life''; "be nomadic.'' Ultimately, in 1992, his terms got him into mortal trouble when he ran up against something—the Alaskan wild—that didn't give a hoot about Supertramp's worldview; his decomposed corpse was found 16 weeks after he entered the bush. Many people felt McCandless was just a hubris-laden jerk with a death wish (he had discarded his map before going into the wild and brought no food but a bag of rice). Krakauer thought not. Admitting an interest that bordered on obsession, he dug deep into McCandless's life. He found a willful, reckless, moody boyhood; an ugly little secret that sundered the relationship between father and son; a moral absolutism that agitated the young man's soul and drove him to extremes; but he was no more a nutcase than other pilgrims. Writing in supple, electric prose, Krakauer tries to make sense of McCandless (while scrupulously avoiding off-the-rack psychoanalysis): his risky behavior and the rites associated with it, his asceticism, his love of wide open spaces, the flights of his soul.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1996

ISBN: 0-679-42850-X

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Villard

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995

GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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by Jon Krakauer

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BOOK REVIEW: Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Mandela

Book Review: Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela

The IndiaBookStore blog

Review: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom

I am not usually interested in autobiographies as I find them uninteresting or too long. But I have always wanted to read about a few great people and Mr. Mandela was one of them. And so I picked this after hearing about his demise. I am truly grateful to have read this book because it not only told me his life story but also enlightened me on my rather poor knowledge of the South African freedom struggle.

The book starts with Mr. Mandela describing his family’s relationship with the Thembu royal family, his father’s occupation and his happy childhood in his village. Named ‘Rolihlahla’ which means ‘troublemaker’, you see the rebel in him since his childhood. The book has been appropriately structured to recount the various stages of Mr. Mandela’s life – his childhood at Qunu, his stay as a ward with the regent – Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo at Mqhekezweni, his education at Clarkebury, Healdtown, Fort Hare and Witwatersrand, his early involvement with the African National Congress, his failed marriage to Evelyn Mase, his practice as a lawyer, his increasing involvement in the fight for freedom, the Treason Trial, his life after he went underground, his re-arrest and conviction that led to 18 years in prison, his release and his latter efforts and labor that led to liberation of South Africa.

You can easily see the transition of an innocent child to an educated nonchalant young man to an obedient non-violent, peace loving lawyer who after repeated attempts learns that violent protest is the only way to win Independence. The speech he gives while advocating his principles in the court during the trial is a remarkable one and is a must read for everyone.

The woes of the harsh prison life – insanity inducing solitary confinements, unhygienic living conditions, police brutality have been vividly explained. Similarly, the oppression of the Africans by the Whites, who are just 8.9% of the total South African population, seems audacious! From one of Mr. Mandela’s experiences – ‘We were standing outside the post office when the local magistrate, a white man in his sixties, approached Paul and asked him to go inside to buy him some postage stamps. It was quite common for any white person to call on any black person to perform a chore’

And I simply loved Mr. Mandela’s outlook on life. It is clearly illustrated in the last passage of his book, where he says – ‘I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended’

It is quite an accomplishment to write an autobiography without sounding pompous or self-important and Mr. Mandela does this beautifully. He has conveyed his emotions artfully, making the readers empathize with his and his fellowmen’s sufferings. His genuine rage at the ‘Whites’ atrocities against Africans and Indians and other races of color has been stalwartly expressed. The slightly unsettling feeling that one experiences at his privileging of social responsibility over family is mollified by his explanation of the logic behind it.

The book is huge with 645 pages full of minute print but once you read it, you will be left surprised at how something so profound has been written in such a straightforward manner. When you finish this riveting book, you are left with a sense of liberation and inspiration. This book is a must read for everyone as there is no better story of a hero than a real one.

If you like reading autobiographies of eminent leaders, you might want to read our review of My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi.

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Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela Paperback – Illustrated, Oct. 1 1995

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• Print length 656 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Back Bay Books
• Publication date Oct. 1 1995
• Dimensions 13.84 x 5.21 x 20.57 cm
• ISBN-10 0316548189
• ISBN-13 978-0316548182
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From amazon, from publishers weekly, from the back cover, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Illustrated edition (Oct. 1 1995)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 656 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316548189
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316548182
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 612 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.84 x 5.21 x 20.57 cm
• #2 in South African History
• #19 in Social Activist Biographies & Memoirs
• #39 in Head of State Biographies (Books)

About the author

Nelson mandela.

Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa, on 18 July 1918. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party’s apartheid policies after 1948 before being arrested in August 1962. In November 1962 he was sentenced to five years in prison and started serving his sentence at Robben Island Prison in 1963 before being returned to Pretoria, where he was to later stand in the Rivonia Trial. From 1964 to 1982, he was again incarcerated at Robben Island Prison and then later moved to Pollsmoor Prison, during which his reputation as a potent symbol of resistance to the anti-apartheid movement grew steadily.

Released from prison in 1990, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994. He is the author of the international bestsellers Long Walk to Freedom and Conversations with Myself.

© Nelson R. Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation / PQ Blackwell Ltd

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LONG WALK TO FREEDOM: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela Paperback – 8 October 2013

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• Print length 656 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Back Bay Books
• Publication date 8 October 2013
• Dimensions 14.61 x 4.45 x 20.96 cm
• ISBN-10 9780316323543
• ISBN-13 978-0316323543
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0316323543
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Media tie-in edition (8 October 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 656 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780316323543
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316323543
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 608 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.61 x 4.45 x 20.96 cm
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India
• #456 in African History (Books)
• #28,577 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Books)
• #54,698 in Reference (Books)

About the author

Nelson mandela.

Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa, on 18 July 1918. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party’s apartheid policies after 1948 before being arrested in August 1962. In November 1962 he was sentenced to five years in prison and started serving his sentence at Robben Island Prison in 1963 before being returned to Pretoria, where he was to later stand in the Rivonia Trial. From 1964 to 1982, he was again incarcerated at Robben Island Prison and then later moved to Pollsmoor Prison, during which his reputation as a potent symbol of resistance to the anti-apartheid movement grew steadily.

Released from prison in 1990, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994. He is the author of the international bestsellers Long Walk to Freedom and Conversations with Myself.

© Nelson R. Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation / PQ Blackwell Ltd

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• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 76% 16% 4% 2% 2% 76%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 76% 16% 4% 2% 2% 16%
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• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 76% 16% 4% 2% 2% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 76% 16% 4% 2% 2% 2%

Customers say

Customers find the themes inspiring, pragmatic, and humanistic. They also say the book is well-written and describes the struggle and ups and downs of Mandela. However, some find it tough to read and understand due to difficult words and name pronunciations.

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Customers find the themes in the book inspiring, pragmatic, and the best autobiography they have ever read. They also appreciate the events narrative, culture, social and economic life, and sacrifice.

"...A very moving tale of exemplary sacrifices ." Read more

"Excellent writing, events narrative , culture , social and economic life" Read more

"Very nicely composed. It takes you through a life long adventure with every aspect so pure and daring. At no point of time you feel detached...." Read more

"...so typical of the man ,which marks this marvellous book as truly personal work ....Everyone should Read" Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book. Some find it very well written, while others find it tough to read and understand.

" Excellent writing , events narrative, culture , social and economic life" Read more

" Very nicely composed . It takes you through a life long adventure with every aspect so pure and daring. At no point of time you feel detached...." Read more

"Very nice book for reading .But it requires time for reading . So if you have please buy buy it and gain knowldge and earn in your life." Read more

"...The struggle is long, times tough, yet so simply written ." Read more

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Long walk to freedom : the autobiography of Nelson Mandela

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Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela Kindle Edition

'Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand history - and then go out and change it' Barack Obama 'The authentic voice of Mandela shines through this book' The Times 'Burns with the luminosity of faith in the invincible nature of human hope and dignity' Andre Brink 'Splendid... This is his story and the story of that struggle and a people's victory' Desmond Tutu The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela's destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.

• Print length 684 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher Abacus
• Publication date April 25, 2013
• File size 3025 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• See all details

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Amazon.com review, from publishers weekly, from library journal, from the back cover, about the author, product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CAUHF6U
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abacus; 40th Anniversary edition (April 25, 2013)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2013
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 3025 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 684 pages
• #18 in General South Africa Travel Books
• #24 in History of Southern Africa
• #52 in South African History

About the author

Nelson mandela.

Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa, on 18 July 1918. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party’s apartheid policies after 1948 before being arrested in August 1962. In November 1962 he was sentenced to five years in prison and started serving his sentence at Robben Island Prison in 1963 before being returned to Pretoria, where he was to later stand in the Rivonia Trial. From 1964 to 1982, he was again incarcerated at Robben Island Prison and then later moved to Pollsmoor Prison, during which his reputation as a potent symbol of resistance to the anti-apartheid movement grew steadily.

Released from prison in 1990, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994. He is the author of the international bestsellers Long Walk to Freedom and Conversations with Myself.

© Nelson R. Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation / PQ Blackwell Ltd

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 82% 13% 3% 1% 1% 82%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 82% 13% 3% 1% 1% 13%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 82% 13% 3% 1% 1% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 82% 13% 3% 1% 1% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 82% 13% 3% 1% 1% 1%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and easy to go through. They also describe the story as engaging, illuminating, and heartbreaking. Readers also appreciate the themes as inspirational, meticulous, and constantly absorbing information. Overall, they say the book is a great read and a page turner.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book incredibly well-written, interesting, and inspirational. They also say the notes on things Mandela said make great quotes for everyday life. Overall, readers say the book is easy to go through and captures Mandela's legacy.

"...Overall, Mandela's autobiography is a very smooth and enjoyable read ...." Read more

"...his battle for his people's freedom made the trip even more awe inspiring and humbling. History should never be forgotten, but learned from." Read more

"This was a remarkably breezy read as if Nelson himself had sat down and told his story...." Read more

"Just finished reading this excellent book ...." Read more

Customers find the story engaging, spectacular, and heartwarming. They also say it's a good history book on the struggle of an oppressed people. Readers also mention that the book is written with dignity and detail. They say it gives great perspective on the make up of society at the time.

"...to rise up again and again in the face of adversity is absolutely remarkable and incredibly inspirational...." Read more

"...for his people's freedom made the trip even more awe inspiring and humbling . History should never be forgotten, but learned from." Read more

"...Mandela’s story is a fascinating story of growing up , learning the ways of the world, and making the personal sacrifices of living a life for the..." Read more

"...The book is also very personal , and traces the personal growth of Mr Mandela from a fiery youth who cared more about who got credit for a campaign..." Read more

Customers find the themes in the book inspirational, giving great insight into how an organization like ANC works. They say it makes them determined to be a better person. Readers also mention that the book is descriptive, beautifully written, and teaches resilience, persistence, leadership, dignity, and hope.

"...again in the face of adversity is absolutely remarkable and incredibly inspirational ...." Read more

"...The book gives great insight into how an organization like ANC works, the nitti-gritty of the day to day management and organization of protests and..." Read more

"...It's exactly what I look for in a book - both entertaining and informative .Definitely a book that everyone should read." Read more

"...who can train and treat themselves with words of wisdom, fearless leadership demonstration , intellectual growth, and insight into the historical anti..." Read more

Customers find the storyline warm, engaging, and amazing. They also mention that the book makes them happy again.

"...What struck me about this autobiography is that it wasn't boring and was actually informative...." Read more

"...It's exactly what I look for in a book - both entertaining and informative.Definitely a book that everyone should read." Read more

"This book was interesting but not at all what I expected . The narrative is mostly fact-based concerning the process of ending apartheid...." Read more

"...Despite this comment and despite the book's size, it is never boring . Highly recommendable." Read more

Customers find the book's characters decency, kind, thoughtful, and ethical. They also say the book is beautifully constructed and free of rancour.

"...learn from this great man about resilience, persistence, leadership, dignity , and hope! Never give up hope!..." Read more

"...It’s laced with humor, love, judgment , and the inexorable evolution of Nelson Mandela’s soul." Read more

"...The time spent inside Mandela's head helps breed forgiveness , and openess to other's thoughts and a reassurance that God created all men with equal..." Read more

"...His intellect, courage and compassion are to be admired . I look forward to visiting his native land next month." Read more

Customers find the plot alternately funny, heartbreaking, riveting, and heartwarming. They also say the book is well written and a page turner.

"...It’s laced with humor , love, judgment, and the inexorable evolution of Nelson Mandela’s soul." Read more

"...This is a great read and a page turner ." Read more

"...on the make up of society at the time and Mandela recalls quite a few funny moments as well...." Read more

" Riveting , heartwarming, incredibly frustrating all at the same time! What an incredible time and story. Could not put the book down." Read more

Customers are mixed about the insightfulness of the book. Some mention that Madiba is self-effacing, candid about his own shortcomings, and unflinching in his self-judgment. They also say he is very open about his successes and failures. However, other customers feel the book is long with too many irrelevant details.

"...in a rather remote way and with a sometimes irritating lack of explanation or reflection ...." Read more

"...so in his own private biography Madiba is self-effacing, candid about his own short-comings , loyal to his supporters over the years...." Read more

"Very in depth account of the incredible life of NM. Actually too much detail and I would have been very interested in how he ran the country after..." Read more

"...He is unflinching in his self-judgment , meticulous on his reasoning and actions, explaining the inner workings of his half-century as a freedom..." Read more

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