The Struggle is My Life

by Nelson Mandela

"My political beliefs have been explained in my autobiography, The Struggle Is My Life".--Nelson Mandela.

Genres: Africa, History, South Africa, Nonfiction, Politics, Banned Books, Biography

249 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99.

Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. The South African courts convicted him on charges of sabotage, as well as other crimes committed while he led the movement against apartheid. In accordance with his conviction, Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island.

In South Africa he is often known as Madiba, an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela's clan. The title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela.

Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa. Since the end of apartheid, many have frequently praised Mandela, including former opponents. Mandela has received more than one hundred awards over four decades, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/nelson...

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much information for my brain to handle. Really good, just, hard for me to follow...

I am sure someone with law background would love the detailed speeches and letters.

[Marc Lichtman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read Mandela's autobiography Long Walk to Freedom but his political development is perhaps even sharper in this book, which contains all the most important speeches before his long imprisonment (and just a few from after, which is when this third edition of the book came out). His early speeches as leader of the ANC Youth League are African Nationalist, showing just a hint of interest in other segments of the population. He sounds like the young Malcolm X, and just like Malcolm X, his vision broadened, and his interest becomes the fate of humanity. Brilliant speeches by the best of so many outstanding leaders South Africa produced.

This is a facsimile edition published under license from the International Defense and Aid Fund for Southern Africa, which managed to provide aid for thousands of political prisoners and their families for decades, as well as putting out a large amount of educational material. Follow this up with 'Nelson Mandela Speaks' which covers from his release in February 1990 into April 1993, when he was still campaigning for the presidency. These are the speeches which inspired and led the campaign of mass action which finally ended apartheid. And they still inspire and provide lessons for all struggling against racism and other forms of oppression.

Also worth reading is a later collection Nelson Mandela Speaks: Forging a Democratic, Nonracial South Africa.

So different from "Wokeism" which is trying to make whites feel guilty--he is trying to build a new nation in which differences of skin color will play no role.

[Jim]

“Those who prefer abstractions or empty phrases, or fanciful—supposedly political—ideas, would do best to avoid this book, because Nelson Mandela is not a Quixotic fighter of windmills and imaginary monsters but a man who is fighting the bitter reality of the apartheid monster that is destroying the essence of his own beloved people, in the same way that colonialism is destroying the essence of my own people. In this book we meet an idealist with his feet firmly planted in the earth.”—Rafael Cancel Miranda

“A useful addition to both public and college libraries.”—Library Journal

“Reveals the patience, thoughtfulness and wisdom of the man who is the real leader of South Africa …. Especially valuable for the insights into his character and the character of those fighting for freedom in South Africa ….”—Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winner, author of The Color Purple

“A useful introduction to Mandela’s life and work through his speeches and writing.”—Los Angeles Times/The Book Review

“A concise, low-cost updated documentary study of the man, his life and thought …. There is a solid index and thirty-four evocative photos to enhance the text.”—The International Journal of African Historical Studies

“Perhaps the most riveting and revealing documents are the transcripts of Mandela’s trials …. They give the reader a better understanding of Pretoria’s fear of Nelson Mandela.”—Christian Science Monitor

[Sergio GRANDE · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published more than a decade before Madiba was released and it is a collection of his speeches.
For many of us it was the only source of information to gain some insight into the character of this man whom we didn't know. We didn't know if he was ever going to be released; if he'd come out blood-thirsty screaming for revenge; if he'd be politically active or even compos mentis.
Getting this book in South Africa was nay impossible; getting caught with it was a sure stay behind bars. A great historical document.