Madiba A to Z: The Many Faces of Nelson Mandela
Author(s): Danny Schechter
"Madiba A to Z: The Many Faces of Nelson Mandela," tells the story from personal experience and goes beyond the surface with a lively sense of humor and deep caring that even we South Africans can learn from." --Ronnie Kasrils, former commander in the armed struggle and South Africa's Minister of Intelligence in the post-apartheid government 16 years went into the making of the forthcoming feature film LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, a fictionalized biopic based on Mandela's bestselling autobiography, coming out November 29, 2013. Danny Schechter, who has spent 40 years getting to know Mandela, was asked to make a non-fiction documentary about the biopic and this book is his companion to the feature, the documentary, and Mandela's life itself. In Schechter's words: "What do we see when we see Nelson Mandela? Many of those who adore him projected on to him a god-like persona as political superman. Others projected on to him the qualities they wanted or feared. For many years, his government silenced him as a faceless terrorist and communist. Others saw him as a savior who single-handedly won freedom for South Africa. Many of us only saw the political mission, not the man behind it, and, when we did, what man was that? Was it the victim turned victor, prisoner turned President, the lone hero and political magician or the wise leader of a liberation movement? He was courted by kings and queens, the biggest names in show business and world leaders--who appealed to his often unseen vanity--but despite some compromises and co-optation, he largely stayed true to the values that shaped and guided him becoming, as he aged, even more reflective and self-aware."
General Information
- :
- : Seven Stories Press,U.S.
- : Seven Stories Press,U.S.
- : 0.367
- : 31 December 2013
- : United States
- : 01 January 2014
- : books
Other Specifications
- : Danny Schechter
- : Paperback / softback
- : 114
- : 968.065092
- : 256
More About The Product
"Here is story-telling that is unique, refreshing, and revealing, and the Nelson Mandela who emerges--more nuanced than I ever understood and even more admirable--is someone you will want to know. You will be both surprised by Mandela's profoundly complex personality and grateful for Danny Schechter's creative journalism."--Bill Moyers"Danny Schechter's life-long involvement with the freedom movement in South Africa is very well known and respected. He knows Nelson Mandela's story deeply and his new book features insights and stories we haven't heard before."--Reverend Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader and President of Rainbow Push "In "Madiba A-Z", Danny Schechter gives credit to the many living and dead who carried the torch that helped light the way on Nelson Mandela's long walk to freedom. No one is better positioned than Schechter to help us understand the challenges, complexities and triumphs of those who made that journey. "Madiba A-Z" is a must-read companion to Anant Singh's brilliant film adaptation of Mandela's book, "Long Walk to Freedom", for anyone who wants to appreciate what it took in the past and what it must take in the future for us all to be truly free."--Charlayne Hunter-Gault, veteran activist, MacNeil-Lehrer Report news anchor, and reporter for CNN and NPR"Danny Schechter has long earned his spurs by embracing our struggle and communicating its strengths and weaknesses from those risky times, to deepen a lifelong contribution over five decades as a committed and insightful writer, reporter, critic and filmmaker. He's an outsider who learned to think like an insider. "Madiba A to Z" tells the story from personal experience and goes beyond the surface with a lively sense of humor and deep caring that even we South Africans can learn from."--Ronnie Kasrils, former commander in the armed struggle and South Africa's Minister of Intelligence in the post-apartheid government
DANNY SCHECHTER is an American journalist and a documentary filmmaker who made six non-fiction films with Mandela and who was asked personally by the filmmakers of LONG WALK TO FREEDOM to make a five-hour television documentary about the making of the forthcoming film. Schechter has worked in South Africa since the 1960s, which has given him unprecedented access to insiders. Schechter wrote about the liberation struggle and produced a TV news magazine for three years in its most crucial years l988-91. Having worked both in public television and for CNN and ABC News, Schechter has been part of the anti-apartheid movement globally, earning him the confidence of many activists and leaders. He continues to work around the world and lives in New York City.
