NelsonMandela 　　Astheworld'smostfamousprisonerand,now,hiscountry'sleader,heexemplifiesamoralintegritythatshinesfarbeyondSouthAfrica. 　　NelsonMandelaisoneofthegreatmoralandpoliticalleadersofourtime:aninternationalherowhoselifelongdedicationtothefightagainstracialoppressioninSouthAfricawonhimtheNobelPeacePrizeandthepresidencyofhiscountry.Sincehistriumphantreleasein1990frommorethanaquarter-centuryofimprisonment,Mandelahasbeenatthecenterofthemostcompellingandinspiringpoliticaldramaintheworld.AspresidentoftheAfricanNationalCongressandheadofSouthAfrica'santiapartheidmovement,hewasinstrumentalinmovingthenationtowardmultiracialgovernmentandmajorityrule.Heisreveredeverywhereasavitalforceinthefightforhumanrightsandracialequality. 　　LongWalktoFreedomishismovingandexhilaratingautobiography,abookdestinedtotakeitsplaceamongthefinestmemoirsofhistory'sgreatestfigures.Hereforthefirsttime,NelsonRolihlahlaMandelatellstheextraordinarystoryofhislife-anepicofstruggle,setback,renewedhope,andultimatetriumph,whichhas,untilnow,beenvirtuallyunknowntomostoftheworld. 　　ThefostersonofaThembuchief,Mandelawasraisedinthetraditional,tribalcultureofhisancestors,butatanearlyagelearnedthemodern,inescapablerealityofwhatcametobecalledapartheid,oneofthemostpowerfulandeffectivesystemsofoppressioneverconceived.Inclassicallyelegantandengrossingprose,hetellsofhisearlyyearsasanimpoverishedstudentandlawclerkinJohannesburg,ofhisslowpoliticalawakening,andofhispivotalroleintherebirthofastagnantANCandtheformationofitsYouthLeagueinthe1950s.Hedescribesthestruggletoreconcilehispoliticalactivitywithhisdevotiontohisfamily,theanguishedbreakupofhisfirstmarriage,andthepainfulseparationsfromhischildren. 　　HebringsvividlytolifetheescalatingpoliticalwarfareinthefiftiesbetweentheANCandthegovernment,culminatinginhisdramaticescapadesasanundergroundleaderandthenotoriousRivoniaTrialof1964,atwhichhewassentencedtolifeimprisonment.Herecountsthesurprisinglyeventfultwenty-sevenyearsinprisonandthecomplex,delicatenegotiationsthatledbothtohisfreedomandtothebeginningoftheendofapartheid.Finallyheprovidestheultimateinsideaccountoftheunforgettableeventssincehisreleasethatproducedatlastafree,multiracialdemocracyinSouthAfrica. 　　Tomillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld,NelsonMandelastands,asnootherlivingfiguredoes,forthetriumphofdignityandhopeoverdespairandhatred,ofself-disciplineandloveoverpersecutionandevil.LongWalktoFreedomembodiesthatspiritinabookforalltime.