Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. Since his triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela has been at the center of the most compelling and inspiring political drama in the world. As president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality. The foster son of a Thembu chief, Mandela was raised in the traditional, tribal culture of his ancestors, but at an early age learned the modern, inescapable reality of what came to be called apartheid, one of the most powerful and effective systems of oppression ever conceived. In classically elegant and engrossing prose, he tells of his early years as an impoverished student and law clerk in Johannesburg, of his slow political awakening, and of his pivotal role in the rebirth of a stagnant ANC and the formation of its Youth League in the 1950s. He describes the struggle to reconcile his political activity with his devotion to his family, the anguished breakup of his first marriage, and the painful separations from his children. He brings vividly to life the escalating political warfare in the fifties between the ANC and the government, culminating in his dramatic escapades as an underground leader and the notorious Rivonia Trial of 1964, at which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Herecounts the surprisingly eventful twenty-seven years in prison and the complex, delicate negotiations that led both to his freedom and to the beginning of the end of apartheid. Finally he provides the ultimate inside account.

Average Customer Review: ( 209 customer reviews )

This manuscript is one of the most important pieces of literature ever laid to ink - cherish it and use it to make your own world a little wiser.

39 of 43 found the following review helpful:

The Struggle of One Man Can Change a NationMay 29, 2003

Long Walk to Freedom is an experience to be remembered. Although the book is an autobiography, the details are exquisite. It is apparent that Mandela wrote this book not to boast over a life of fame or fortune, but to guide us through a lifetime struggle filled of humiliation and pride, success and defeat. Throughout Mandela's journey, we learn insight into Mandela's thoughts, and the long walk he took to overcome the odds. Although his struggle was not easy, Mandela never quit, and for that he is a man to be commended by millions. Perhaps, Mandela wrote this book to teach us all a lesson in the true merit of human heart, "No one is born hating another person because of the color of their 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." (622) Though the book is long, and at times tedious, it is filled with a variety of storylines that keeps the reader intrigued. Between the fight to keep his family alive and well, Mandela also battles the South African government, other political organizations, oppressors of freedom, and the South African court of law. In doing this, Mandela shows how a man's life is not only a complex event, but also a road with many paths. He also shows us how one man's paths can cross and change the course of history, and the oppression of a nation. This book is bound to keep readers captivated, as it involves more than one element of Mandela's life. No matter your name, your age, or the color of your skin, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is a book that will guide you through a struggle that we all are fighting for; the struggle against discrimination.

33 of 37 found the following review helpful:

Well worth the lengthJun 02, 2003
By Josh Benson
I was required to read Long Walk to Freedom for a class in school. I had heard from students who were previously required to read the book that it was too long, and very bad. I did not go into this book with high expectations, which made Long Walk to Freedom a pleasant surprise.

Written by Nelson Mandela over the course of several years, beginning with a first draft written in prison (which was lost to authorities), the book covers each stage of Nelson's life. Beginning with his early childhood in an African tribe, through his education and career as one of the first black lawyers of Africa, and eventually his decision to join the famed political party, the African National Congress, where Nelson began his struggle for equal rights for his people. From there Nelson goes on to describe his life fighting for the freedom of the native people of Africa. Harassed and `banned' by the authorities for his actions, Mr. Mandela's struggle is not an easy one. He would be put on trial three separate times for crimes stemming from his political views, his third trial landing him a life sentence. But with Nelson's natural resiliency in bad situations, and nations all over the world calling for his release, he did not fear spending the rest of his life in prison. His years spent in prison would be long and hard, but he knew upon his release that the long walk to freedom would near an end.

The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela is written well, and its length is not of issue, especially when taking into account how expansive the story of his life really is. The pacing of the story is actually very well done, years are written away in a few pages without anything seeming to be missed. In my opinion, even if this book had the worst writing of any novel, it would still be worth reading; its story holds so much importance and teaches so much about so many aspects of life, that it would lose nothing.

Long Walk to Freedom leaves one feeling refreshed; if the racist policies of the government of an entire nation can be taken down by a group of common citizens, perhaps there is hope for reform in any nation that is going through a period of strife.

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