Richard Stengel,Nelson Mandela'sMandela's Way: Fifteen Lessons On Life, Love, And Courage [Hardcover](2010) (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
The topic of his life had come up during a discussion about work-life balance, actually, and it was with great curiosity that I picked up this book some years ago about this otherwise giant of a man. So it's from my dimming two-year-old memory that I write this review, but I can say that I still occasionally reflect on some of the takeaway anecdotes from this book.Richard Stengel writes of Mandela's beginnings as young tribal royalty, learning the art of leadership, negotiation, and manhood through his stoic observations of the clan chief. Those early experiences shaped him greatly. He was a learner, a man who could bridge people in times of conflict, who intimately understood his friends as well as his enemies, and who appreciated multiple sides to every argument. In fact, he rarely ever chose to ruffle feathers if he could help it, even going so far as to never pick a favorite sports team because it may alienate other teams' fans. He was a consummate, careful diplomat who knew when to draw into a situation and when to step back. I remember being surprised to learn how fluid he was with the methods to his means. Stengel describes how young Mandela unflinchingly went from being a peaceful activist to considering more militant routes with the ANC when it became clear that nonviolence would only go so far. But that, in my mind, follows with his understanding and acceptance of the existence of both methods. IIRC, Stengel recalls a conversation where Mandela tells him a proverb about a man who set off to experience the world and then came home and married the girl next door, and the author asked, mystified by the moral, (and I'm paraphrasing, obviously) "Does it mean that he finds that nothing in the world compares to home, or perhaps that his experiences in the world makes him see the preciousness of home?" Mandela impatiently says, "Why can't it be both?" The enlightenment in that, the ready acceptance of mutual possibilities -- especially as demonstrated in his life -- was the biggest takeaway I had from the book.Clearly, there were 14 other lessons, though, but the rest of the book kind of blended together, and two years later this is the only lesson I remember. Pathetic, I know. :[As for work-life balance, I am getting the impression that there isn't any. At least not all at the same time. Richard Stengel seems to suggest that being a hypocrite is being worse than a being a contradict - which is what Mandela seems to be in his eyes, for at least being a contradict is human, and being a hypocrite stoops you a level lower because you are perfectly aware of your contradictory actions. For the sake of simplicity I'll write down the 'lessons' that appealed most. Time and time again we see this value, perhaps told in a different fashion and in a different light; courage. And in the book it is iterated that courage is not the absence of fear but putting up a front of valour even though you're (rhetorically) wetting your pants. Also along this vein, Mandela who is conscious about first impressions, is very particular when it comes to 'looking the part'. Trying to reconcile with the sentiments of a leader, it would be shallow to judge someone on first impression, but the harsh reality is that everyone does it, and that first few seconds imprints the image of the man in one's mind and last almost indefinitely. With that in mind, Mandela justifies splurging on fancy clothes and putting up a courageous front when meeting with important people. I also found that while Mandela endorses 'Seeing the Good in Others' and is like a personal mantra to enrich one's view in life, realistically, it only gets yourself hurt when you're too trusting in someone else that you do not see their hidden agenda. Mandela also admits to have been betrayed but never ceasing to see the good in others. As the old saying goes, 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'. Mandela adheres to this almost strictly, except with a slight tweak - he keeps enemies close (one example is when he placed a member of the opposition in the cabinet so he can have close tabs on him) but at the cost of unwaveringly distancing himself from friends and family (due to the course of his work, he would justify). It would also seem that Mandela is down with using others as tools to reach his goal (while the goal of a better nation is noble, the means where he admits using others to reach the goal begs the question of morality), namely using people like de Clerk and speaking Afrikaans to gain the support from the other side. I found the chapters of 'Lead from the Front' and 'Lead from the Back' almost identical, save for slight change in wordings - essentially advocating to know when to be at the front to lead and knowing when to step back and watch seeds of leadership come to fruition. Mandela was a fan of gray areas - for a yes-or-no question, more often than not, he'll reply with a 'maybe', 'it's both' or something to that effect. Mandela appreciates that the two extremes are certain, but at times can be too harsh, and prefers to accept that for most problems, there is always a bit of both. The final lesson is called 'Find Your Own Garden', and to Mandela, it was taken quite literally. While imprisoned, after months of protocol, he finally managed to have a plot of land by his cell to plant vegetables (mainly to supplement his and the diet of other prisoners with veggies together with the cornmeal and occasional slab of meat they would have). Tending to his garden while in prison also gave him a lot of time to think and strategize where he claims to have found peace. While not all of us have spare soil for gardening, he urges people to find things they really love most and indulge in it, at least for a moment in a day to escape from the harsh reality of the world. One may argue that this move is no different than running away from one's problems but who's to judge? All-in-all a mediocre book which gave insights to what Mandela is like from the perspective of Richard Stengel while dipping one's toes into the realm of African politics.
What do You think about Richard Stengel,Nelson Mandela'sMandela's Way: Fifteen Lessons On Life, Love, And Courage [Hardcover](2010) (2009)?
Very interesting. I'm a big Mandela fan and have read others about him. This was IMO okay.....
—Milan
Good view into the man, Mandela was, and his life. However I missed a bit more details.
—Tray_see
Well written! Now I feel like I know the character of this amazing man!
—ponyman120
Very interesting life. Great lessons to consider.
—Obalucas
