Long Walk to Freedom

📖 The Scoop

About the Book : - The official picture-book edition of Nelson Mandela's internationally bestselling autobiography

Nelson Mandela is a true hero of our times, loved and admired across the globe. This book tells the story of his life, from his carefree days as an ordinary village boy, to his unflinching leadership of the ANC, the long years in prison and his eventual freedom and extraordinary elevation to President of South Africa. 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.

About the Authors : -

Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on 18 July 1918. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling national Party s apartheid Policies after 1948, from 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island prison and then later moved to polismoor prison, during which his reputation as a potent symbol of resistance to the anti-apartheid movement grew steadily. Released for prison in 1990, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and was inaugurated as the first democratically-elected president of South Africa in 1994. He is the author of the international bestseller long walk to Freedom.

Chris van Wyk was born in Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto in 1957. He was educated at Riverlea High School in Riverlea, Johannesburg where he still lives and works as a full-time writer. He writes poetry, books for children and teenagers, short stories and novels.

Genre: History / Africa / South / Republic of South Africa (fancy, right?)