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The struggle for racial justice will be won when we win over our adversaries. Find out how Nelson Mandela earned the trust of a white nationalist leader in this graphic novel.
Gold Medal Winner, 2019 Benjamin Franklin Awards, IBPA
Silver Medal Winner, 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards
“Intense.” – Booklist
“A riveting read.” – Morgan Freeman
“Fascinating.” – Library Journal, starred review
Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid hero and first leader of the new South Africa, is an international symbol of the power of a popular movement to fight structural racism. But that nonviolent struggle for equality and justice very nearly spiraled into an all-out race war that would have only ended in “the peace of graveyards.”
As the first post-apartheid elections approach in 1994, with blacks poised to take power, white South Africans fear reprisal. White nationalist militias claiming 50,000 well-armed former soldiers stand ready to fight to the death to save their white homeland. They need someone who can lead and unite them. That man was former general Constand Viljoen.
Mandela knows that he can’t avert a bloodbath on his own. He will have to count on his arch-enemy. Throughout those historic months, the two men meet in secret. Can they trust each other? Can they keep their followers and radical fringe elements from acts of violence? The mettle of these two men will determine the future of a nation.
The drama of this contest and the history that pivoted on it comes vividly to life in visual form. Veteran British journalist John Carlin teams up with Catalan artist Oriol Malet to create a historically and artistically rich graphic novel with obvious relevance to today’s polarized politics.
The fact that the peaceful change of government that Mandela accomplished was almost thwarted by an armed “white power” movement was new to me. I had never heard of General Viljoen. But I am glad now that I do. Reading this book gives me some hope for the future. If a country as divided and fractured as South Africa could come together; if a man who started out hating Mandela and thinking he should get the death penalty came to admire and like him, maybe there is some hope for our future as well. Gripping narrative and interesting artwork.
Graphic novels are a wonderful way to tell history. Not only does the reader get the subtle nuances of the written word, but they also get a graphic representation. This book does both very well. It is engaging without being over-cramped with facts. Beautifully inked. Definite recommend.
As a big fan of nonfiction in graphic novel form, this book was easy for me to get excited about. While Mandela as a public figure his highly recognizable, I do believe that a lot of the details on the process of abolishing apartheid is pretty fuzzy for people now. This book fills this gap by covering a crucial time in South Africa leading up to the first free elections in 1994 with the account of General Viljoen, an Afrikaaner who lead an opposition party. The story sheds light on the genius that was Mandela and how he used his knowledge of people and culture to pursue a path that lead to freedom and peace. The art work in the book is stunning.
This book shows the emotional turmoil that the leaders of both parties went through and how their willingness to listen to each other led to a massive change in politics, ideologies, and everyday life for many people. Both Mandela and the General were intelligent and learned men who could have easily fallen into emotional decisions and claimed that because they were “right,” they were correct in using violence. However, both men also saw that doing so would only lead to “peace in the graveyard.” A fantastic read for all ages.
What an enlightening graphic novel. Not only do we see Mandela’s pursuit of peace but also General Constand Viljoen’s goals, someone I saw as the villain in apartheid history. Think of the symbolism and ethical decision discussions that could take place; this is just a start of the conversations this book could lead too.
This is an excellent story about how Mandela brokered peace with the Afrikaaner minority by encouraging them to participate in the democratic elections instead of resorting to war. Mandela did this through diplomacy and negotiating with General Constand Viljoen, former chief of apartheid South Africa's military and the leader of South Africa's white nationalists. If Mandela had not had the wisdom and foresight to do this, South Africa would have descended into a bloodbath. Leaders like Nelson Mandela are incredibly scarce. Our world would be a different place if our leaders embraced the kind of leadership he practiced, but it is easier said than done.
I LOVE that writers are using graphic novel format to share important stories from history. John Carlin thoughtfully distills the complicated history of South African Apartheid by focusing on the relationship of two seemingly opposed leaders. Oriel Malet's artwork is beautiful and fits perfectly with Carlin's words. I appreciated the extra features throughout the book – asterisks that explained vocabulary and historical points that non-South African readers may not know, the visual timeline of events, and a couple of excerpts from newspaper articles. They add to the context and understanding. I look forward to having a copy of this book in my classroom library!
There are so many books about Mandela’s life and legacy, but I think this one is the first I’ve seen that could be easily read by children and younger audiences as well as adults. The color pallet of the illustrations really helps bringing the sense of tension to the story. The words were carefully chosen to give the impact needed.
