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Quiet Time with The President: A Doctor's Story About Learning to Listen
One Sunday in 2001 ear, nose and throat specialist Dr Peter Friedland received an unexpected call from Nelson Mandela's personal physician. The former president was struggling to hear. Could Peter visit him at home?
Friedland discovered that Mandela was using antiquated hearing aids and was struggling to maintain them. Soon he became a regular visitor to Mandela's home in Houghton where he experienced the elderly statesman, in the frailty of old age, away from the crowds. He was full of stories and always bearing a lesson.
But outside Mandela's quiet house, Friedland's life was ricocheting from treating one victim of violent crime to another. On many days he worked as a head and neck trauma surgeon and found himself drawn into the victims' families. When his own family and friends were exposed to violent crime, he was driven to make a life-changing decision.
In Quiet Time with the President, Friedland also examines the powerful forces that push people away from South Africa and those that pull them back. Telling his famous patient that he was planning to leave the country was insurmountably difficult for Friedland, but Mandela surprised him.
He'd accept his leaving, but on one condition . . .
Friedland discovered that Mandela was using antiquated hearing aids and was struggling to maintain them. Soon he became a regular visitor to Mandela's home in Houghton where he experienced the elderly statesman, in the frailty of old age, away from the crowds. He was full of stories and always bearing a lesson.
But outside Mandela's quiet house, Friedland's life was ricocheting from treating one victim of violent crime to another. On many days he worked as a head and neck trauma surgeon and found himself drawn into the victims' families. When his own family and friends were exposed to violent crime, he was driven to make a life-changing decision.
In Quiet Time with the President, Friedland also examines the powerful forces that push people away from South Africa and those that pull them back. Telling his famous patient that he was planning to leave the country was insurmountably difficult for Friedland, but Mandela surprised him.
He'd accept his leaving, but on one condition . . .
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2025
QUIET TIME WITH THE PRESIDENT.
Written by
Professor Peter Friedland
and his sister, journalist Jill Margo.
Where do I start … although this book was just over 220 pages, I stretched out my reading over 2 weeks. I did not want this book to end so I took my time, savouring and absorbing the words of wisdom of two remarkable friends , Peter Friedland and Nelson Mandela. I read, re-read and highlighted many beautiful sentences and words of wisdom that these two incredible men had to offer to their reading audience.
Professor Peter Friedland is a man of extraordinary intelligence. Peter and his twin brother were selected to study veterinary science in Pretoria (an Afrikaans speaking university.) Peter shares his frustration with the unfair treatment of his black (only 2 permitted) classmates. After several years, Peter changes direction and an ENT was now his preferred choice of career. I know he would say his greatest accomplishment would be his equally successful and intelligent wife and five wonderful children.
Peter was amongst the privileged few to spend his days with Nelson Mandela in order to attend to his failing hearing problems. I love Peter’s stories as he and Mandela talked and shared words of wisdom over a cup of tea, Peter continually trying to persuade Mandela to upgrade his out of date hearing aids.
Peter is way more than your regular ENT. He takes on the continual challenge of saving lives of victims
with serious facial gunshot wounds and the like.
As crime increased daily, Peter personally pondered the possibility of leaving his beloved South Africa. (“My internal landscape will always be South African.”
With the loss of a couple of dear friends he knew it was time to leave. And so his journey continues as he shares his story of the challenges of immigration and the eventual climb up the ladder to his remarkable success in his new home town of Perth, Australia.
Professor Peter Friedland has made a significant contribution to those that cannot hear.
In his words …
“For many patients, the doctor is the drug. If the doctor is fully present and listens. Hearing loss can be exhausting. Not only is there the social strain of asking people to repeat themselves, there is mental fatigue from the brain working overtime.”
I do hope you find yourself a copy of this beautiful book, so well delivered and a pleasure to read.
Written by
Professor Peter Friedland
and his sister, journalist Jill Margo.
Where do I start … although this book was just over 220 pages, I stretched out my reading over 2 weeks. I did not want this book to end so I took my time, savouring and absorbing the words of wisdom of two remarkable friends , Peter Friedland and Nelson Mandela. I read, re-read and highlighted many beautiful sentences and words of wisdom that these two incredible men had to offer to their reading audience.
Professor Peter Friedland is a man of extraordinary intelligence. Peter and his twin brother were selected to study veterinary science in Pretoria (an Afrikaans speaking university.) Peter shares his frustration with the unfair treatment of his black (only 2 permitted) classmates. After several years, Peter changes direction and an ENT was now his preferred choice of career. I know he would say his greatest accomplishment would be his equally successful and intelligent wife and five wonderful children.
Peter was amongst the privileged few to spend his days with Nelson Mandela in order to attend to his failing hearing problems. I love Peter’s stories as he and Mandela talked and shared words of wisdom over a cup of tea, Peter continually trying to persuade Mandela to upgrade his out of date hearing aids.
Peter is way more than your regular ENT. He takes on the continual challenge of saving lives of victims
with serious facial gunshot wounds and the like.
As crime increased daily, Peter personally pondered the possibility of leaving his beloved South Africa. (“My internal landscape will always be South African.”
With the loss of a couple of dear friends he knew it was time to leave. And so his journey continues as he shares his story of the challenges of immigration and the eventual climb up the ladder to his remarkable success in his new home town of Perth, Australia.
Professor Peter Friedland has made a significant contribution to those that cannot hear.
In his words …
“For many patients, the doctor is the drug. If the doctor is fully present and listens. Hearing loss can be exhausting. Not only is there the social strain of asking people to repeat themselves, there is mental fatigue from the brain working overtime.”
I do hope you find yourself a copy of this beautiful book, so well delivered and a pleasure to read.
November 20, 2025
There are many insights to be gained in reading this book: knowledge of the latter years of Mandela ( or Madiba as the author refers to him), the management of the hearing deficit that brought the author into his life and the recent history of South Africa, but all three piqued my interest.
Peter Friedland was a doctor in the ENT field in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was referred to him as a patient and he subsequently updated and maintained Madiba's aids to maximise his efficiency in hearing. This gave him a view of the man who was so revered in the country for his work in the transition from Apartheid to democracy, and he learnt so much from this ongoing association over several years.
The book also tells us of the struggles after Apartheid and of the increasing dangers in the community for the white minority that hit the doctor hard, including three separate murders of his friends. So we live through the increasing tension the doctor is living through, while spending time with Madiba who is a quiet oasis and someone who Peter Friedland admires greatly.
The interactions between the men give us an understanding of how effective hearing and communication maximised the time Madiba had left in his ongoing diplomatic work.
Personal safety, especially the deaths of his friends finally decided Peter Friedland to leave South Africa for the safety of his family and he emigrated to Australia, although with regrets at leaving his country. He gives us an insight into the beliefs and actions of Madiba, and it is a most interesting and candid story. Regrettably Madiba's reputation was reduced as the country experienced much violence after his term as president, which Peter Friedland reflected on: the long period during which Madiba was incarcerated left him an old man, but his term in office brought South Africa through the transfer of power without the violent revolution that may otherwise have occurred.
As an Australian I also found it very interesting that Madiba told the author about his unwittingly omitting to meet the Indigenous leaders in Australia when he travelled here, and of their rebuking of him for allowing the white politicians to exclude them from discussions.
I recommend this book highly, as a candid and personal account of a great man of history.
Peter Friedland was a doctor in the ENT field in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was referred to him as a patient and he subsequently updated and maintained Madiba's aids to maximise his efficiency in hearing. This gave him a view of the man who was so revered in the country for his work in the transition from Apartheid to democracy, and he learnt so much from this ongoing association over several years.
The book also tells us of the struggles after Apartheid and of the increasing dangers in the community for the white minority that hit the doctor hard, including three separate murders of his friends. So we live through the increasing tension the doctor is living through, while spending time with Madiba who is a quiet oasis and someone who Peter Friedland admires greatly.
The interactions between the men give us an understanding of how effective hearing and communication maximised the time Madiba had left in his ongoing diplomatic work.
Personal safety, especially the deaths of his friends finally decided Peter Friedland to leave South Africa for the safety of his family and he emigrated to Australia, although with regrets at leaving his country. He gives us an insight into the beliefs and actions of Madiba, and it is a most interesting and candid story. Regrettably Madiba's reputation was reduced as the country experienced much violence after his term as president, which Peter Friedland reflected on: the long period during which Madiba was incarcerated left him an old man, but his term in office brought South Africa through the transfer of power without the violent revolution that may otherwise have occurred.
As an Australian I also found it very interesting that Madiba told the author about his unwittingly omitting to meet the Indigenous leaders in Australia when he travelled here, and of their rebuking of him for allowing the white politicians to exclude them from discussions.
I recommend this book highly, as a candid and personal account of a great man of history.
January 25, 2025
During the book launch time, i listened to author interview in local ABC radio and immediately waited for this book.
I have been always motivated by Madiba patience, persistence and never giving up attitude during adversity. Book didn’t disappoint on delivering that.
Author prose is so good that while he was explaining his interactions and encounters with the great soul, it was imminent to be there.
It is an easy read to judge balance of hard decisions and choices that we have to make and starting a new life in a new country finding one’s own feet sacrificing connections with families and friends for betterment of future generations, this resonated at a personal level to me. “The silent promise” chapter is an eye opener and requires lot of reflection while reading which i did.
I hope Dr Friedland likes more books.
I have been always motivated by Madiba patience, persistence and never giving up attitude during adversity. Book didn’t disappoint on delivering that.
Author prose is so good that while he was explaining his interactions and encounters with the great soul, it was imminent to be there.
It is an easy read to judge balance of hard decisions and choices that we have to make and starting a new life in a new country finding one’s own feet sacrificing connections with families and friends for betterment of future generations, this resonated at a personal level to me. “The silent promise” chapter is an eye opener and requires lot of reflection while reading which i did.
I hope Dr Friedland likes more books.
March 31, 2025
Enjoy reading about this ENT specialist who spends time with Madiba. A pleasant memoir.
April 20, 2025
Not an experienced author, an autobiography of a fan of Mandela. But I liked the non-lecturing style and the personal story of a doctor in South Africa.
July 31, 2024
"While being swept up by a greater good was glorious and politically fulfilling, it was also emotionally impoverishing."
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews