The Rough Guide to Nelson Mandela is a fresh, honest overview of the life story & impact of one of the world's greatest modern icons. It assesses the influence of his rural, traditional childhood on his personality, & his early years as a revolutionary leader & master strategist; including his private life & marriages. It explores his 27 years in an apartheid jail & reveals the inside stories of the white government's first secretive contacts with him & how he encouraged the intelligence chiefs to advise their political masters to abandon apartheid & negotiate a political settlement. The Rough Guide to Nelson Mandela explains Mandela's remarkable lack of bitterness & commitment to reconciliation with the white minority after his release. Readers get a rare insight into Mandela's role in the crucial negotiations period & his term as South Africa's first black president. It critically examines his iconic status & his impact on the world stage. The Rough Guide to Nelson Mandela liberates Nelson Mandela from cloying myths & partisan portraits, pinpointing the true impact & legacy of one of the world's most recognizable figures.