Mandela: The Authorized Portrait - Book Report/Review Example

Mandela praised the amazing beauty of Robben Island. Mandela had family roots in Thembu people. In these tribes, power remained with right hand people and other remained counselors. Mandela’s father was a chief and advisor as well. Mandela’s father was sometimes outspoken when white authority showed some wrong intentions. Mandela had a wonderful childhood with his friends, stepbrothers and mothers. Mandela was the first person of his family who joined school. He wrote from his cell that he was given the name “Nelson” as British people were reluctant to pronounce African names.

Mandela’s father died due to lungs disease when Mandela completed two years in school. Mandela was then sent to a place known as Mqhekezweni. There Mandela learnt about white peoples and battles that led to defeat of native people. This place was judicial center where people came for complaints. Mandela was impressed by the judicial system as everyone had the right to speak. Mandela adopted same approach during his rule. Mandela remained busy in pressing cloths of different varieties. This habit of quality clothing had great impact on Mandela and he followed this habit in his complete life.

Thus, Madiba shirts remained hallmark of his presidency till his death. At the age of sixteen, Mandela went for circumcision with other 25 boys. They were given different training of handling various incidents of life because they were stepping in manhood. Then everybody was supposed to bury his foreskin to mark end of youth. Mandela writes in his autobiography that after the circumcision ceremony he was given a new name “Dalibunga” which means founder of the council. Chief Meligqili said on the day of ceremony that you all are men now but we black African do not have freedom and we are conquered people.

The promise of your manhood is illusionary and we do not have any control on our people and country. Soon Mandela joined the best educational center in Thembuland. Mandela