Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Just finished reading this excellent book. In Indian minds African anti-apartheid struggle has a special place, because it was in South Africa that Mahatma Gandhi first experienced the injustice of colonialism and took his first steps towards fighting against it. As an Indian, we were always taught that this was an important incident in both South African and Indian history. From reading this book, apparently not so for South Africa. It may have been a transformational moment for Mahatma Gandhi, but not for African National Conference. In fact, at least Mr. Mandela was slightly anti-Indian in his early attitudes, fearing that they would usurp the blacks in the African freedom struggle.

Something else that I liked about the book was the detailed descriptions of how the non-white Africans were repressed in day to day lives. The book gives great insight into how an organization like ANC works, the nitti-gritty of the day to day management and organization of protests and rallies. This was a contrast from the Indian independence books and histories. Looking back, I do not really know exactly how the British repressed Indians. We all know of the few big highlights, like Jalllianwala Bagh massacre, but not so much about day to day lives of Indians under British rule. Also missing is the organizational details of Congress. We all know how Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement, but we have no idea, how the message was conveyed to all the people all over India about the movement in absence of 24 hour news channels.

Long Walk To Freedom is rich in all these details, the shocking and unbelievable attitude of Afrikaners (the white ruling class of South Africa) towards blacks and repression, till so late in 20th century when it seemed all the rest of the world had left these things so far behind. Given all this, its even more amazing that Mr. Mandela espoused reconciliation with the former oppressors, and was even successful at it.

The book is also very personal, and traces the personal growth of Mr Mandela from a fiery youth who cared more about who got credit for a campaign rather than the results, to the great selfless statesman that the world knows now. From the person who started the military arm of ANC and was its first commander in chief, to the noble peace prize winning first president on South Africa responsible for the only country in Africa to peacefully integrate former colonist into the new black dominated order.

Overall a very educational book.