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A review by hollymmcg
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
5.0
"It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both. Some say that has now been achieved. But I know that that is not the case. The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of our journey, but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning.
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."
As the descendant of a white South African, I felt it was imperative I read this book at least once in my lifetime. I admit I often struggle with reconciling the pride I have in being the granddaughter of a kind, caring, dedicated, and passionate man, who fostered a loving family and caring environment to grow up in, the pride I have in claiming heritage in one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, against the horrors of colonialism and Apartheid that my ancestors brought upon South Africa's peoples.
I was lucky enough to visit South Africa during Nelson Mandela's presidency, though I was only 7 years old at the time. I wish I could remember it better, I wish I was old enough to truly get a sense for the climate of the country, to learn about the work being done, and to talk to the African people about their history. I hope I can make it back there someday and do just that. My pride in where my family comes from remains, but I know that I must reflect and do the work in myself to dismantle the ingrained beliefs, conscious or unconscious, that come from being raised in a white supremacist society.
This book was powerful and inspiring; Nelson Mandela's commitment to ALL South Africans, regardless of race, is beautiful in its magnanimity and teaches a lot about caring for all humankind, regardless of creed and culture. I am positive I will return to it again.
When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both. Some say that has now been achieved. But I know that that is not the case. The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of our journey, but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning.
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."
As the descendant of a white South African, I felt it was imperative I read this book at least once in my lifetime. I admit I often struggle with reconciling the pride I have in being the granddaughter of a kind, caring, dedicated, and passionate man, who fostered a loving family and caring environment to grow up in, the pride I have in claiming heritage in one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, against the horrors of colonialism and Apartheid that my ancestors brought upon South Africa's peoples.
I was lucky enough to visit South Africa during Nelson Mandela's presidency, though I was only 7 years old at the time. I wish I could remember it better, I wish I was old enough to truly get a sense for the climate of the country, to learn about the work being done, and to talk to the African people about their history. I hope I can make it back there someday and do just that. My pride in where my family comes from remains, but I know that I must reflect and do the work in myself to dismantle the ingrained beliefs, conscious or unconscious, that come from being raised in a white supremacist society.
This book was powerful and inspiring; Nelson Mandela's commitment to ALL South Africans, regardless of race, is beautiful in its magnanimity and teaches a lot about caring for all humankind, regardless of creed and culture. I am positive I will return to it again.