This compelling biography traces the evolution of Mohandas K. Gandhi as he forged the philosophy of Satyagraha--from Indian words for "truth" and "firmness"--amid the brutal racism of South Africa and helped lead the struggle for Indian independence. But Satyagraha was a bigger concept even than the Indian subcontinent and the mighty British Empire. Readers will learn about the Mahatma--"Great soul in peasant's garb"--often in his own words, as well as the philosophy of truth and nonviolence that would later inspire Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and other rebels with a cause for ages to come. Students will be guided through their reading with a glossary of important words, a timeline, and references for further reading on the topic.