Book Review of Long Walk to Freedom

Running head: BOOK REVIEW OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
BOOK REVIEW OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BOOK REVIEW OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
The title of the book is Long walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela written
by Nelson Mandela (President, Rep of South Africa).It is an Autobiography published first in the
year 1995 by Macdonald Purnell (PTY) Ltd, Randburg, South Africa. The journey of the Nelson
Mandela from prison to President of South Africa, his contribution against the regressive system
of apartheid and its abolishment earned him to win Noble Peace prize in 1993.
Nelson Mandela was a progressive political and anti-apartheid leader of the 19th century
in South Africa. He chronicled his experiences of early childhood, racism encountered in his
adolescent days, imprisonment in Robben Island and ultimately his greatest accomplishment to
abolish apartheid and become the first black president of South Africa (Mandela, 2013). Mandela
stands as a stalwart of patience and perseverance whose undulating life is presented to inspire the
generations about the darkest stories of apartheid prevailing in South Africa.
The author has decoded his battle against all odds including dire charges of terrorism,
sabotage and incitement of violence. This has been profiled to enthuse the patriotism, leadership
and an undying indomitable spirit for a progressive and forward looking generation. The author
has dedicated this book to children, grand-children and his family with whom he was alienated
for twenty seven years during imprisonment to the deserted island. The author has chosen this
subject to present to his countrymen of South Africa the immense sacrifices suffered by their
ancestors and revive the embittered experiences in the nerves of the people so that they value the
a apartheid freed country.
The author has used a greater degree of informal language and tone mostly to reflect his
point of view of his turbulent journey from childhood to a renowned political leader. Embarking

2BOOK REVIEW OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
his book with an in-depth insights of Themu tribe, kingship, Xhosa people and cultural life of
Xhosa fighting the book enables the reader to relive in the rustic life of South Africa. Gradually
the story emerges into his adolescent life, his transition to a political leader of freedom
movement, his contribution to uphold the human rights as an activist of African National
Congress, a leading organization for mobilizing people in the freedom movement (Mandela,
2013). His radical ideas are articulated in precision striking a deliberate balance with an accurate
play of words. An incessant charm of patriotic sentiments are recharges the readers to realize
their freedom in truest sense. The intense focus on apartheid forms a central idea of the book the
biased racial laws.
The genre extends to describe the political as well as social conditions of the South Arica
and their embittered feelings of racism in South Africa. South Africa witnessed racial
discriminatory laws which aggravated later in 1948 when the conservative National Party was
voted in power by all-white community. The National Party established an aggressive system of
racism by codifying extreme unjust laws to encourage separatism in the country. The white
people confined all power and privileges to thereby keeping the socially and politically
alienating the black people in separate group (Mandela, 2013). The author present a horrendous
life of subjugated people in quite lucidly to paint the terrible laws imposed on the people. The
author arouses deep interest and sympathy for people and their inability to fight against the
oppressive laws which prevented Africans from entering into recreation parks, public transport
and employment was meant for all-white people only. Dinning or interacting with the white
people was also outlawed thereby creating a superior class of white at the expense of black,
Indians of South Africa and other races. The homelands which were called as reservation also
prevented the black South Africans to enter employment legally(Mandela, 2013). They were

3BOOK REVIEW OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
given minute reservation only on the condition if they could prove through a pass document of
holding an employment in an area designated for whites (Mandela, 2013). The author gives a
detailed description of discriminatory policies of National Conservative Party in education, as
poor quality of education standards were meant only for blacks while whites were given the
highest quality of education.
Mandela moves ahead to describe his collaborations with various organizations and
African National Congress against the brutal system of apartheid. Defiance campaign of 1951 is
depicts a non-violent mobilization of people against apartheid and their peaceful method of
breaking the apartheid laws (Mandela, 2013). Their efforts garnered much attention from the
world as well as progressive whites of South Africans. Mandela touches on the critical aspects of
the non-violent campaign which awakened the people of South Africa from their deep slumber of
agonizing governance. Though the campaign was unsuccessful in repealing the regressive laws
yet the massive political consciousness it aroused cannot be ignored says Mandela.
The author portrays the strength of politically aroused masses in a progressive light
thereby emphasizing on the ideals of unity and courage of the people to take a stand against the
unjust government which did shake the white in shock (Mandela, 2013). The importance of the
freedom, equality and democracy the pivotal force in the book which moves the readers to
understand essential element of life of human dignity which the people were deprived of.
Mandela attended a summit to advocate the ideals of democracy and presented a document called
Freedom Charter demanding democratic government for the people which later culminated into
police raid and arrests. The document was declared as illegal document of communists thus
nulling the purpose of the Congress. The apartheid leaders took months to bring in legal case and