Presse, Topnews, Südafrika in Deutschland,...

12. Oktober 2010

Former President Nelson Mandela`s new book released

On this day former President Nelson Mandela`s new book, “Conversations with Myself” will be released simultaneously in 22 countries, translated into 20 languages. It contains letters and notes from five Decades of his life.

To have an archive means to have a house full of treasures”, says Nelson Mandela. And for the first time everyone will be allowed to look at these treasures.  Amongst them are letters to his former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela that he wrote during his prison time on Robben Island and parts of his diary that he wrote after his son Thembi died in an accident and whose funeral he was not allowed to attend.

Nelson Mandela`s main aim is also to demystify himself. To make everyone see that he is not a holy man but very human in his emotions and thoughts. “One of the problems that I was concerned with already during my time in prison was the wrong image that was projected onto me from the outside world”, says Mandela. And he continues: “Everyone saw in me a holy man” and this is an image that he does not agree with. “Not even when your definition of a holy person is a sinner who continuously tries to be a good person”.

In German the book is called “Bekenntnisse” which can be translated into “Avowal” in English and has been published by Piper-Verlag. The book certainly gives a very in-depth view into the life of Nelson Mandela.

Copyright by SA Embassy 2021