Mandela The Aristocrat and the Revolution

Xolela Mangcu has given us the first biography of Nelson Mandela written by an African, and its contents justify the wait. Mangcu challenges the prevailing paradigm of the shaping of Mandela's character primarily as a product of tribal tradition. Relying on previously unused archival sources, impressive scholarship, and personal accounts, Mangcu argues that the roots of Mandela's philosophy of pragmatic politics trace back to his Thembu royal family's strategic alliances with colonialists against the Xhosa-led resistance in the 19th century. Mangcu deconstructs prevailing depictions of Mandela by interpreting him through the lens of the classic "tragic heroes" of Greek tragedy. This riveting book is a major contribution to our understandings of one of the pivotal figures in the history of contemporary Africa, and it is a game changer.