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Madiba A to Z: The Many Faces of Nelson Mandela Paperback – Illustrated, November 26, 2013

by Danny Schechter (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 34 ratings
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From the makers of the major motion picture Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, a completely unique biography and thematic telling of the story of Nelson Mandela.  This book, which provided key source material for the film, is an unexpurgated collection of the views and opinions of South Africa's first Black president, and it draws on Danny Schechter’s forty-year relationship with "Madiba," as Nelson Mandela is known in his native South Africa.  

Each chapter of this unique portrait corresponds to a letter of the alphabet, and the letters cover major and minor, unexpected and fascinating themes in Mandela’s life and his impact on others: Athlete, Bully, Comrade, Forgiveness, Indigenous, Jailed, Militant, and President, to name a few. The book quotes liberally from Mandela himself, his ex-wives and other family members, global leaders, Mandela's cellmates and guards on Robben Island, the team behind Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, former president F. W. de Klerk, members of the South African Police, and his comrades including his successor Thabo Mbeki. 
 
Madiba A to Z reveals sides of Nelson Mandela that are not often discussed and angles of the anti-apartheid movement that most choose to brush under the table in order to focus on the happy-ending version of the story. As Schechter reports in the book, according to Mandela's successor as president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, “the fundamental problems of South Africa, poverty, inequality, have remained unchanged since 1994.” This is partly because, as Schechter writes, “six months before the 1994 elections, when South Africa was being governed jointly by the ANC and the National Party under a Transitional Executive Council (TEC), there were secret negotiations about the economic future.”
 
There are many rarely spoken of revelations in Madiba A to Z, a book about Mandela’s brilliance, his courage, his tremendous impact in saving his country and its people of all races, but one that also shows how far South Africa still has to go.

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  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Seven Stories Press
  4. Publication date
    November 26, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.76 x 8.18 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1609805577
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1609805579
  8. See all details
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4.2 out of 5 stars
34 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an engaging read with insightful stories about Nelson Mandela. They appreciate the poignant stories and personal journeys that detail his inner struggles and leadership. The book is described as a collection of short essays on Mandela's life, structured with letters from the leader. Readers describe it as a terrific historical must-read.

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Reading qualityInsightBook content
6 customers mention "Reading quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's reading quality. They find it a wonderful read with greatness and integrity. The book is described as unique.

"...In life a man of unquestionable integrity and greatness, but born to the same frailties that plague every human being, Danny Schechter's book..." Read more

"...In general a pleasant read but not clear enough...." Read more

"...I came to know and understand much about Nelson Mandela through this unique book...." Read more

"...Wonderful reading!" Read more

4 customers mention "Insight"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights into Nelson Mandela's life and journey. They find the stories poignant and informative, providing a deeper understanding of his inner and personal experiences, including his regrets.

"...Well, I think you get the point. The stories are poignant and tell us more about Mandela than a standard biography...." Read more

"...Danny Schechter provides some interesting details about the most famous political prisoner of all time and outlines the general impression of him...." Read more

"...The book explores Mandela's inner journey; his political and personal journeys; including his regrets; and takes the reader to a far deeper..." Read more

"Wonderful insights to the one and only Nelson Mandela and the journey it took to not only make him Madiba but to live on in legacy. Wonderful reading!" Read more

3 customers mention "Book content"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content engaging. They describe it as a collection of short essays on Nelson Mandela, structured with letters from the leader. Readers appreciate that the book is unique and not a straightforward biography.

"This book is a collection of short essays on Nelson Mandela, the renowned South African leader...." Read more

"Danny Schechter's book is unique. Rather than being a straightforward biography, it's structured with letters of the alphabet: A to Z. Each chapter..." Read more

"...wonderful book on President Mandela his struggle and leadership in forming the new south africa" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • James Kalomiris, The Peripatetic Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Man for All Reasons
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    To paraphrase a line from the movie Dr. Strangelove, Nelson Mandela was "a man of the people, but still a man." In life a man of unquestionable integrity and greatness, but born to the same frailties that plague every human being, Danny Schechter's book presents a full portrait of NM without falling into a shallow treatment of a hagiography.

    Schechter has taken all the letters of the alphabet, from A to Z, to emphasize a distinct aspect of Mandela's life. Each letter discusses a corresponding aspect of Mandela's life. To give you an example without belaboring the point, Schechter begins with the following:

    A, for "Athlete,"

    B, for "Bully,"

    C, for "Comrade,"

    D, for "Diplomat,"

    and so on to the letter Z, "Z for Zuid-Afrika to .za." Well, I think you get the point.

    The stories are poignant and tell us more about Mandela than a standard biography. It is good reading and a fitting tribute to this great man.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Leon Lam
    3.0 out of 5 stars A sketch of Nelson Mandela
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a collection of short essays on Nelson Mandela, the renowned South African leader. Danny Schechter provides some interesting details about the most famous political prisoner of all time and outlines the general impression of him. In general a pleasant read but not clear enough. The structure of the book is a bit disorganized and the narration too brief for anyone without in-depth knowledge of South African politics and history. The chronology is helpful though.
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  • Book lover
    4.0 out of 5 stars Generally good, slightly odd format
    Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2014
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    This is basically a good book about Nelson Mandela. As the title indicates, the book is organized into 26 little chapters, one for each letter of the alphabet, each representing some aspect of Mandela's life.

    I had mixed reactions to this book. Read straight through, the overall effect of the book is that material is scattered through the various chapters. Readers not familiar with Mandela's life would do well to first read the Chronology that begins on p. 261, and perhaps consult the list of biographical references at the end of the book. The "Q" chapter, entitled "Questions," also helps provide a sense of continuity and deeper understanding.

    What I did appreciate about this book was the attention given to the "real" Mandela as opposed to the image portrayed in the various media through the years. It was fascinating to read about the ways Mandela's attitude evolved through his years of activism struggle and his prolonged imprisonment. I also felt that I gained a somewhat better understanding of South Africa's history and political and social struggles.

    Most fascinating of all was reading about the formidable discipline, imagination, and deep wisdom reflected in Mandela's ways of adapting to prison life. In the words of the author, ""Despite the isolation, he was not forgotten, organizing the men around him into a unit of resistance, and politically educating younger captives in what was dubbed "Robbins Island University" The emphasis was on self-education and self-improvement, the outlook forward-looking. As one former inmate on 'the island' told me, We became prisoners of hope.'" (p. 161)

    Despite the quirkiness of this book, I felt inspired by it. Recommended.
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  • An Avid Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb View of An Iconic Man
    Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Danny Schechter's book is unique. Rather than being a straightforward biography, it's structured with letters of the alphabet: A to Z. Each chapter covers a facet of Nelson Mandela (Athlete; Jail; Humble, etc.) bringing the man to life, and painting an intimate portrait. The book explores Mandela's inner journey; his political and personal journeys; including his regrets; and takes the reader to a far deeper understanding of Nelson Mandela than the traditional biography tends to do. I came to know and understand much about Nelson Mandela through this unique book. I recommend it to anyone wanting to know more than is provided in the usual iconography we get in traditional biographies. Five solid stars!

    Mark Rubinstein
    Author of Mad Dog House and Love Gone Mad
    One person found this helpful
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  • Stewc22
    5.0 out of 5 stars terrific historic must read.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I purchased the book and audio.always listen while driving, waiting on line doctor's office
    wonderful book on President Mandela his struggle and leadership in forming the new south africa
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  • valerie
    5.0 out of 5 stars The News Dissector on his subject of passion!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Wonderful insights to the one and only Nelson Mandela and the journey it took to not only make him Madiba but to live on in legacy. Wonderful reading!
    One person found this helpful
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  • me
    3.0 out of 5 stars ho-hum
    Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    It was okay, not written like I find easy to read. I did like the shorter topics making up the chapters.
    One person found this helpful
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  • wogan
    4.0 out of 5 stars ABC
    Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2014
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    This book is written in a different format, choosing a descriptive word for each letter of the alphabet to describe Mandela, or Mandiba - which he is interchangeably called. We read stories from acquaintances covering subjects such as; athlete, diplomat, jailed, recognition and youth. Danny Schechter picks these elements from Mandela's life. It is a simplistic form, in its way, but interesting for those who are not inclined to read pages of a biography.

    What is especially fascinating are the number of different people who have reminiscences and details to tell of his life. The timeline does shift back and forth in its subject matter, for instance, the trial and then we read of his years of a youth. Unless one is extremely familiar with the events you might not know at what point during Mandela's life the incident that is being covered is occurring. Many personalities of the African National Congress are written about, as if the reader would be extremely familiar with them, little or no explanation is given.

    Mandela's amazing presence is always given, but his flaws such as being a womanizer are not overlooked.
    There are many mentions of the movie `Long Walk Home'. At times it almost seems like an advertisement. You do get to know the man by all the personal observations of Mandela, from his friends, political followers and even his prison guards.
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