Nelson Mandela's incredible story encompasses seismic political change in South Africa as well as extraordinary personal struggle, trauma and triumph. The Compact Guide: Nelson Mandela is the definitive short chronicle of perhaps the most recognised and best-loved statesman and activist in history. Starting from the very beginning of Mandela's life in the tribal Thembu clan, read how this unassuming young man became a figure that led the people of South Africa into a new world, away from the apartheid regime and into a multi-racial democracy. Nelson Mandela will always be seen as the face of world freedom, an ambassador for civil rights, and a heroic liberator whose influence and image of moral integrity extended way beyond his homeland. He spent 27 years in prison; his eventual release and election as South Africa's first black president were landmark events in twentieth-century history. Packed with narrative colour, this is the essential life of one of the world's most revered leaders.