Presents a complete biography of the South African leader who has become a symbol of the triumph over apartheid, drawing on 27 years' worth of unpublished correspondence from prison and the original draft of Mandela's prison autobiography, and on interviews with virtually every significant living figure associated with Mandela, from his ex- wife Winnie to former president F. W. de Klerk. Covers the prison period and Mandela's transformation from headstrong activist to skilled statesman, and discusses troubled relations with British and American diplomats and political infighting between anti-apartheid factions. The author is a distinguished British journalist. His connection with South Africa dates back to the 1950s, when he was editor of the black magazine Drum in Johannesburg. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less