Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sawyer, Kem Knapp. Nelson Mandela.


Sawyer, Kem Knapp.  Nelson Mandela.  Morgan Reynolds  176p  $28.95      978-1-59935-167-4 ms/hs Series: Champion of Freedom (Morgan Reynolds) E-BNS Biography  

After spending 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela went on to become the first president of democratic South Africa, as well as winning the Nobel Peace Prize.  This biography chronicles his life from his boyhood to his post-presidential work.        Densely packed with information and profusely illustrated with historical photos, this well-written biography of Nelson Mandela makes the freedom fighter and Nobel Prize winner’s life accessible to upper middle-school and high-school readers.  The tone is never preachy, even though some information-packed passages come off a trifle dry.  It is apparent from the copious chapter notes and bibliographical references that a great deal of research went into the creation of this biography.  It may be the most complete biographical work about Mandela for this age group. 

“Seeds of White Rule” sets the stage for apartheid, and gives the context for Mandela’s youth and college days.  All the important people in his life are highlighted, even to the present day, with his third marriage and current social activism.  The events leading up to his imprisonment are detailed, as well as the way the South African government was shaped after his release. 

A timeline and comprehensive index complete this excellent biography.  This volume is part of the Champion of Freedom series.  There are four volumes in the series at this time, and its focus is to profile the lives of courageous individuals.  Other titles include Bonhoeffer, Gandhi and Kyi.            The series is highly recommended for upper middle-school and high-school history and biography collections.  This highly readable biography will appeal to both browsers and researchers.                                                                                                           -- Pat Naismith           

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