First published to mark the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth,
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela sparked celebrations
around the globe for one of the “greatest warriors of all time”
(O, The Oprah Magazine). Featuring 94 letters selected from that
landmark collection, as well as six new letters that have never been
published, this historic paperback provides an essential political
history of the late twentieth century and illustrates how Mandela
maintained his inner spirit while imprisoned. Whether they’re
longing love letters to his wife, Winnie; heartrending notes to his
beloved children; or articulations of a human-rights philosophy that
resonates today, these letters reveal the heroism of a man who
refused to compromise his moral values in the face of extraordinary
human punishment, invoking a “story beyond their own words” (New
York Times). This new paperback edition—essential for any
literature lover, political activist, and student—positions Mandela
among the most inspiring historical figures of the twentieth century.