Nelson Mandela: The Early Life of Rolihlahla Mandiba

by Jean Guiloineau

Here is the story of a boy who was destined for something larger than his tribal village, a boy who could not contain his wonder and curiosity about the world beyond the familiar. The circumstances of Mandela’s youth led him to a perpetual search for what is right and true, in constant pursuit of fairness and recognition for the colorful, valiant history and tradition of black South Africa. This unique biography tells of Mandela’s early years through the age of twenty-three—his upbringing and education, the rituals of tribal Africa and his rite-of-passage ceremony, the early death of his father and his subsequent move to the home of the Paramount Chief, the Regent who became his adoptive father.

168 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2002

Reviews

[Leah Moriarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most literature that readers would automatically think to go to would be straight from Mandela's adult life, but seeing where he began and where his ideas and actions came from is important and very interesting. Not only did I learn about where Mandela's roots are from, but the culture of the Xhosa tribe is also very interesting to read about, especially after reading a lot of African literature this past year.
The only qualms I have with this book is the way it is written (possibly due to the translation from french) The author uses too many exlamation points, and sometimes tries too hard to analyze the Xhosa rituals or Mandela's actions, rather than just describing them as they are, which I would rather have read and created my own analyzation. Otherwise, the book reads like a novel, a history book and biography, which is a nice mix of writing styles to keep it interesting to read.