Nelson Mandela

The Profile

Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, lawyer, political leader and author. He was imprisoned for many years during the apartheid era and served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Imprisoned for 27 years (including on Robben Island); awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (shared with F. W. de Klerk); first black President of South Africa (1994–1999).

The review highlights Nelson Mandela as an emblematic figure of the struggle against apartheid and the defense of minority rights. It focuses on a short book containing his words before the judges who tried him, presenting Mandela as both a liberator and a witness to the possibility of peaceful coexistence. The reviewer finds the book morally and politically powerful, a challenge to complacent beliefs about law and order. It frames Mandela's history as both tragic and hopeful.