Mandela: The Lost Tapes Audible
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- History
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Special thanks to the Mandela Foundation. To find out more about the life of Nelson Mandela, visit NelsonMandela.org.
In 1993, after 27 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela sat down with ghostwriter Richard Stengel to begin working on Long Walk to Freedom, a critically acclaimed memoir that would become a best seller around the globe.
Mandela: The Lost Tapes reveals never-before-heard audio from Stengel’s interviews with the Nobel Prize winner, freedom fighter, and former South African president. Hours of rare recordings detail the turning points of Mandela’s life, key moments that shaped a revolution and the man who was to bring freedom to his nation.
In this Audible Original, Stengel relives his intimate chats with Mandela, attempting to answer the questions ‘What made Nelson Mandela who he is?’ and ‘How can the rest of us be more like him?’
In Stengel’s own words: “It’s partly the story about how Mandela and I wrote his memoir Long Walk to Freedom. But much more than that, it’s a story about our unusual friendship, my struggle to learn who Mandela really was, and my quest to understand what makes a human being great.”
Mandela: The Lost Tapes provides an intimate look at who Nelson Mandela was beyond his carefully curated public persona. Through Mandela’s own words, he reveals his extraordinary journey to becoming one of the greatest leaders in modern history.
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Episode 1: Most Wanted
Nelson Mandela, the most hunted fugitive in South Africa, is captured. 30 years later, the most famous prisoner in the world, is released.
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Episode 2: Underground
After South African police step up their violent attacks against protestors, Mandela launches a guerrilla movement.
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Episode 3: The Art of War
Mandela travels across Africa for military training—but he experiences a life-altering betrayal when he returns.
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Episode 4: Trial of the Century
With the whole world watching, Mandela confronts the apartheid government in court.
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Episode 5: Robben Island
Mandela is sentenced to South Africa’s Alcatraz—but discovers unexpected ways to continue the struggle.
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Episode 6: Branch-Puller
Mandela’s boyhood in the Transkei—where he was adopted and raised by a king—shaped the freedom fighter he became.
Customer Reviews
History is a Valuable Resource
Besides the abuse of African terms and names 😃 I found this podcast to be a source of considerable delight. It provided me with valuable insights into the historical trajectory that has led our nation to its current state. Engaging with this podcast felt akin to introspection, akin to scrutinizing one's own reflection. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my understanding of our governing party—information that had previously eluded me.
Well narrated and insightful gem
Ten years after his passing, listening to this felt as though I was listening to someone tell me about my grandfather. This has provided me an authentic experience of the man, the leader and the politician in tat’ Mandela. It has privileged me with the agency to make up my own mind about who he was. I smiled and chuckled a few times at how typically Xhosa (and generally African) and grandfatherly he was with the “Young American writer”, stern yet gentle and guiding, his insistence to spell words and to teach the importance of specific values that were contrary to American culture. This was truly a gift for me and I have shared it with my friends and family.