Smith, Charlene. Mandela: In Celebration of a Great Life.

SMITH, Charlene. Mandela, in celebration of a great life. International Publishers Marketing. 184p. illus. bibliog. index. c1999. 1770073523. $25.00. SA

In 1990, people all over the world celebrated when Mandela was released from Victor Verster prison. They cheered again in 1994 when he led South Africa in participating in its first democratic election and when he was inaugurated as the country's first black president. But what of the long road that led to Mandela's impressive accomplishments? Many in my generation, who were not even born when Mandela was imprisoned in 1963, wept and applauded in the 1990s, but did we really know the magnitude of Mandela's work? Smith's book provides knowledge about the man whom Archbishop Desmond TuTu, who wrote the book's foreword, describes as "a phenomenon ... our greatest asset."

In 1963, while working relentlessly to fight apartheid, Mandela was sentenced to life in prison for sabotage. A political prisoner, Mandela began arguing for his, and others', release. In the mid-1980s negotiations with the government were established. After Mandela was released, he served as president of the African National Congress (ANC) political party while negotiations with President FW De Klerk continued. These talks led to the country's subsequent adoption of democracy.

One drawback is that the book's language is dull and Smith often writes as if her readers are already knowledgeable about her topic. Readers would benefit from a glossary and photo captions more clearly aligned with the pictures they describe. The sidebars call attention to excerpts of speeches, interviews, meeting minutes, and books that highlight Mandela's ideas about life in South Africa, adding to the book's appeal. The photographs, full-color and b/w, also enhance the book. This extensive look at Mandela's influence on South African politics offers important information to high school students, teachers, and adults with an interest in the subject. KaaVonia Hinton, Ph.D., Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.