Long Walk To Freedom - Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, one of the he greatest freedom fighters of the 20th century had the biggest impact on my life, via his autobiography 'Long Walk To Freedom'.

Via this book, I learned to admire a level of calm & patience I did not know before.

How Nelson Mandela was able to stay composed, and inspired to continue on a fight for the people, while experiencing agonizing hardship and family deaths while in-prisoned put my life, and probably anyone else's into perspective.

Why I recommend it

I learned humility, patience, acceptance and a very simple fact: 'Don't complain about what life throws at you'. Nelson did not complain, he moved forward. And if he was able to, you should be able to as well.

This kind of calm helped me in my entrepreneurial journey, where 3-4 of my first ventures were failures. It helped me deal with the associated stress & pressure that comes with start up life.

It helped me deal with the family losses & hardship that inevitable enter our life's journey.

It has the capacity to make you the person that people gravitate towards when seeking advice, be it business or personal - and it can be the most impactful life lesson for your personal career.

Reading the summary of this book won't cut it, you need to absorb his story, for a life changing impact in your life. That much I guarantee.

You will learn how to practice forgiveness, and it will put everything you have thus far experienced into perspective. That's not say that yours or anyone else's struggles are of lesser importance or lesser significance.

Short summary

"Long Walk to Freedom" is an autobiography written by Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, which details his life from his childhood in a rural village, to his time as a lawyer, his role in the African National Congress (ANC), his imprisonment on Robben Island for 27 years, and finally his release and the eventual end of apartheid.

Mandela's story highlights the struggle against apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government in South Africa. It also showcases the dedication and perseverance of the ANC, which fought for the rights of black South Africans, often at great personal risk.

Throughout the book, Mandela reflects on the lessons he learned during his life, particularly the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. He also chronicles the many struggles and sacrifices made by himself and others in the fight against apartheid, as well as the eventual triumph of democracy and the establishment of a multiracial South Africa.

Overall, "Long Walk to Freedom" provides a detailed and personal account of one of the most significant figures in modern history and the fight for freedom and equality in South Africa.