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El Factor Humano (2009)

by John Carlin(Favorite Author)

4.08 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

8432209104 (ISBN13: 9788432209109)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Seix Barral

review 1: Nelson Mandela. A citizen of the world. Universal icon of peace and democracy. He had a dream of uniting a country after decades of apartheid. He dreamed of a new South Africa. A South Africa that did not see race or colour, where whites and blacks are equal. secure. safe and educated. He uses Rugby as a mean to unify the millions of South Africans. friends and foes. Neighbors and enemies. slowly the masses accepted this strategy. An enjoyable book that mixes sports and history and current affairs
review 2: This book is our campus' Big Read for the fall semester, so while reading,it, I tried to imagine how it would be received by our incoming freshmen. While the life of Mandela is well-known to many, I'm not sure he is familiar to the typical first-year stude... morent. The author Carlin is an accomplished journalist and his writing reflects that. His work is well-researched and his access to Mandela lends authority to the book. The book increased my understanding of the many levels of racial tension in South Africa and how Mandela was able to knit together the people to form a new nation with a new identity. Throughout history certain men arise to meet the challenge of the time and Mandela is certainly one of those rare individuals who possessed the talent and acumen to appeal to a nation on the brink of civil war and to bring people together for the common good. He did this by rallying the nation around the game of rugby, a symbol of white supremacy and black oppression, by changing the symbolism of the game itself. What is most intriguing is how Mandela appeals to the best in individuals and they respond in kind, Carlin spends over half of the book setting the stage for the rugby season that will change the nation. While this background is fascinating and provides understanding of the political situation, I imagine that some readers will find this background too extensive. For those who want to get straight to the game, the film Invictus which is based on this book, will provide the expected excitement and action. less

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