Review of Christmas with Nelson Mandela

[Gabriela Contreras Gonzalez]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Christmas with Nelson Mandela" by Adrian Hadland.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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In 1994, South African history started to change. With the disappearance of apartheid and its first democratic elections, a different path was starting to be created for the country. When the elections were finally celebrated, Nelson Mandela won. During almost 15 years, Adrian Hadland had a front-row seat in South Africa’s democracy, and in this book, he shares stories, interviews, and important aspects of this complicated journey. Christmas with Nelson Mandela: An Eyewitness Account of South Africa’s First Years of Democracy is a collection of columns, articles, interviews, and more that will give the reader a new perspective on democracy and South African history.

The book includes, at the beginning, a list of abbreviations used and a timeline. I appreciated this, as it allows readers from all backgrounds to enjoy the book and have a better understanding of it. Although the title might make some people believe that this book’s focus is Nelson Mandela, it is more like a day-to-day tale of South Africa’s democratic journey and includes details about local traditions, other politics, crime, and more. Part of what I enjoyed about the book is that it discusses the positive and negative aspects of South Africa’s history, not only the good that Nelson Mandela did, but also the brutality or abuses people suffered before the elections. The book never portrays a perfect paradise that started with democracy; instead, it paints a realistic, powerful recollection of the good and the bad, the joy and the suffering of the people. Some chapters had a brief explanation of the context of the article, which can also help readers understand them better.

I was born in 1994 in a country that has had some struggles with democracy. The same year South Africa had its first democratic election. It was strange to me to realize that, as I have often felt that apartheid happened a long time ago, and as complicated, corrupted, and frustrating as it is, my country has always been a democracy. This book was eye-opening. As much as I grew up in a third-world country with struggles that could be considered similar to other places like South Africa, their reality is something I could never have imagined.

Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The book has been exceptionally well edited, as I was unable to find errors; it is simple, honest, and realistic. The only critique I have is that the book is not linear; some chapters are set in 1995 and the following in 1998, for example. I would have enjoyed a more linear story, but the book is easy to understand, nevertheless. I also found some chapters and articles unnecessary, like they were not relevant. That being said, Christmas with Nelson Mandela is one of the most interesting non-fiction books I’ve read. The author uses vivid descriptions of places, feelings, and people to bring the story to life, to make the reader join South Africans in their quest for democracy, which was essential to ensure the reader does not get bored or uninterested with the book, especially.

I recommend this book to historians, politicians, or anyone interested in learning more about democracy, South Africa, Nelson Mandela, or his government. While I did not know much about some of the politicians mentioned in the book, I believe that with a little research and the information provided by the author, anyone could enjoy and understand the book.

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Christmas with Nelson Mandela
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[Ami Sanghavi]

This review really drew me in. Christmas with Nelson Mandela sounds like such a meaningful and honest look at South Africa’s journey through democracy. I like how you pointed out that the book doesn’t just focus on Mandela’s achievements, but also shows the struggles and realities people faced. Your reflections made me think about how easy it is to take democracy for granted. I’d love to read this to better understand South Africa’s history. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[Kibet Hillary]

I also do not know much about South Africa in the period immediately preceding and after the end of the apartheid regime and also the elections in 1994. I look forward to reading this book and learning more about South Africa's transformation from 1994 onwards. Thank you, @Gabriela Contreras Gonzalez, for the review.

[NIna Torie]

Well, here it is—a review of a review, which is a funny little thing to begin with, and we’re all just trying not to trip over our own metafiction. Gabriela Contreras Gonzalez writes about Christmas with Nelson Mandela with the kind of reverence that makes you feel like you’re sitting beside her on a creaky pew, craning your neck to see if the old man in the corner really is the saint they say he is. Spoiler: he is.

Gonzalez doesn’t tell the story so much as she lets it unspool, like one of those cassette tapes from the ‘80s that always got jammed in your car stereo. And thank God for that—because between Mandela’s patience and the holiday tinsel, she finds the absurdity and tenderness that make life marginally bearable, even when it’s all gone to hell.

Mandela floats through this yuletide memory not as a politician, not even as a philosopher, but as what Vonnegut might call “a decent human being doing his goddamn best.” Gonzalez wraps her reflections around him like a mismatched pair of mittens—soft, a little worn, but warm. There’s a sadness in the background, as there always is when someone mentions peace or hope or brotherhood, but she doesn’t dwell. She just hands you the feeling like a mug of lukewarm cocoa and says, “Here, drink this.”

So it goes.

[Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine]

I understand that the book is about democracy and a portion of the History of South Africa; but I feel like the title is misleading as one would expect the book to be more about Nelson Mandela.
Nevertheless I applaud the concept of the book, and I like that it acknowledges both bad and good times. South Africans went through a lot even after Apartheid. There are still a lot of crimes and corruption which make people's lives difficult on a daily basis.

[Kutloano Makhuvhela]

I am a proud South African who is born after the democracy and our generations are dubbed the Born-Frees. I have also had a front row to the democracy, as a citizen. I get to see the achievements, progress, and motion, and, at the same time, the corruption, spiking crime, poverty, and others. So, as a South African, this books seems to be relevant to me and begs for me to read it to understand my complicated country with its rich history.
Thanking you for taking time to read the book and sharing your thoughts with us. We appreciate it and you did a good job.

[Onyemuwa-dave]

You've really captured how it paints a realistic picture of South Africa's democratic journey, balancing "the good and the bad." While it sounds like a fascinating historical account, I'm personally not much into these types of books, despite its vivid descriptions and eye-opening content. Thanks for the detailed and honest assessment.

[Helen Waziri]

It sounds like Christmas with Nelson Mandela offers a deep and multifaceted look at the early years of South Africa's democracy. I can see how the non-linear storytelling and mix of columns and interviews might provide both richness and complexity, capturing a range of experiences. The fact that the author addresses both the triumphs and struggles of the new democracy makes this a balanced account. It also seems like the personal reflection on your own country's history alongside South Africa’s story adds another layer of connection to the material. Definitely sounds like a powerful read for anyone interested in the realities of post-apartheid South Africa.

[Etimbuk Eshiet]

This review really gave me a better idea of what to expect from the book. I appreciate how it highlights both the good and the bad sides of South Africa’s journey to democracy. It sounds like a powerful and honest account, especially for anyone curious about real-world political history.