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Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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Roilihlahla was born in South Africa during a time when it was "ruled by white people only." His father, a Thembu chief, unknowingly gave him a name in Xhosa which meant "troublemaker." It was if it were a prophetic name, but he never could have known the troubles and triumphs that lay in front of this small happy child. When his father died when he was nine-years-old he went to live with his father's friend, Chief Jongintaba. He was not alone because he had Justice, Chief's son, and they "became best friends." Education was important and Nelson, as he became known in school, went to Fort Hare, "a university for black students in the Eastern Cape." Nelson Mandela was a young man of promise, but no one really knew how important he would be to the world.

He met a fellow student named Oliver Tambo, a young man who would play a critical role in his life. He left the University before he graduated because he stood up for his beliefs. When Uncle Jongi picked out wives for him and Justice they fled to Johannesburg. No love, no wife, but adventure interested them. There he found love and a family, but Evelyn and Nelson "soon parted" ways. Oliver and Nelson set up a law firm in 1950. In 1948 the "government started passing laws that introduced apartheid, which divided black and white people into separate groups." Nelson began to move in a direction no black had ever taken. It was a path that would compromise his own freedom and safety, but was he bold enough to continue on a path that could change the world?

This marvelous book is an abridgement of his autobiography, "Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." It was so well done it ended up being one of those types of books that makes me want to rush to the end and when I get there I end up wishing there were more to the story. I feel that any young person who is interested in Mandela may wish to read the unabridged version after getting a taste through this top notch abridgement. The watercolors, which graced practically every page, were very appealing and leant a lot to this autobiography. In the front here is a photograph of Nelson and a brief introduction. In the back of the book is a timeline, and a glossary. This is an excellent portrait of a man who stood up for his beliefs, despite the heavy personal cost.

Nelson Mandela, born into South Africa's Thembu tribe to a chief who taught him bravery and a wise mother who taught him kindness, learned at an early age that white people ruled the country and controlled virtually all the wealth. Named Rolihlahla, or "troublemaker", Mandela grew up in an extended family that believed in the power of education, and he ultimately completed a bachelor's degree and studied law. True to his moniker, Mandela did stir up plenty of trouble in his decades-long struggle to end South Africa's oppressive system of racial apartheid.

Angry that the country's institutionalized form of discrimination left most black people living in poverty while whites enjoyed a comfortable standard of living, Mandela and his collaborators formed the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League, and they organized numerous non-violent protests. When the government responded with violence in 1960, the ANC's strategy became more drastic, leading just a few years later to the arrest of several ANC leaders, including Mandela. Mandela spent 27 years in prison, more than half of which he served at Robben Island under very basic conditions that involved hard labor and virtually no contact with the outside world.

Following growing international pressure, the South African government finally released Mandela from prison in 1990. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, and a year later became South Africa's President in the country's first multiracial election. As an abridged version of Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom makes these incredible events accessible to younger readers in an engaging and interesting way. The book's publication coincides nicely with the United Nation's announcement of Mandela Day and the movie industry's release of a major motion picture about Mandela.

The book was in excellent condition. My kids loved it. Thank you very much for fast postage and delivery.