TheCharlatan on Nostr: Finally read his autobiography, a long read indeed. I was familiar with most of the ...

Finally read his autobiography, a long read indeed. I was familiar with most of the events in the book, but all the politicking, descriptions of his leadership, and moral dilemmas he found himself in were fascinating. What took me aback was how true he stayed to his positions throughout his life. I don't think this was because the book tried to paint a coherent picture of his inner monologues over 50 years. Such a contrast is clear when he describes his impressions of society and his homes compared to how he remembers them. His vision always remained clearly communicated, even during the negotiations in the transition years. The book is accessible to any South African (and beyond) reader. He really was capable of communicating in a way that was not exclusionary of entire groups of peoples. The key thing for me during all his negotiations and organising was how he tried to include as many people as possible. He fought movements within the early ANC trying to make it a Xhosa only, or South African only, or black only organization. This was the true guiding thread in the book for me, a theme that carried over into prison quarrels, later covert negotiations, and the most dangerous portion of government talks in 1993.