Dare not Linger is the second volume of Nelson Mandela’s memoirs, but he did not finish writing or editing the book before he died. Mandla Langa compiled notes made Mandela and previously written texts to put this book together. I wonder if this was why i found this book harder to read, in fact, I picked up and put this book down many times, sometimes even thinking I would not finish it. This may be because there was more political talk I didn't particularly understand or if it was the style of another writer putting his thoughts together in a way Mandela might not have. Whilst I say this I do belive that the people who are dedicated to the history should read this book to empathise with a country that is trying to move forward. I did read many of the quotes hearing Mandelas voice in my head.

I was expecting something of an epiphany when reading this book. Didn't happen - total anticlimax. I found this book utterly boring and uninspiring.

After reading Long Walk to Freedom I was really looking forward to Dare Not Linger. A book written in part by Nelson Mandela before his death, Madiba's notes and the first draft and edited by Mandla Langa, it doesn't flow as well as his first book.

But that's the thing, it's still a fascinating read and a book that deserves its place on a study bookshelf. Once again it gives us an insight into the great leader Mandela was and how complex his job was to shape a South Africa in turmoil. Although, when Mandela passed the batton to Thabo Mbecki (even though he favoured Cyril Ramaphosa), the country still had her problems, Mandela had steadied the political ship and optimism was possible.

Definitely a must read for anyone interested in the ANC and South Africa's history and politics.

Its very hard to read this book without getting upset. It is fantastic and detailed account told by Mandela himself. I think President Mandela will be known in future of one of the most important men that ever lived.

It’s always difficult finishing the works of someone who has since passed, but Mandla Langa does a great job. That said, Dare Not Linger does still rely heavily on factual information which is in complete juxtaposition to the emotion in Long Walk to Freedom.

I would recommend this biography more for people who are heavily invested in politics, particularly that of South African politics. I know little about South African politics, so in this sense, Dare Not Linger was somewhat difficult for me to read and fully comprehend.

This review is in response to an online copy received through Netgalley. I didn't find this book as engaging as the previous book "Land of My Father" though there is no doubt that it is extremely informative to the point that it almost reads like a textbook. I'd recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the politics of South Africa.

A well written book about an extraordinary man. Would recommend to anyone

A brilliant insight into recent South African history and the later life of Nelson Mandela. This book has obviously been very well researched and has taken a lot of time to put together.

1994 heralded a fresh dawn for South Africa, as Nelson Mandela stepped forward to become the first president of the new democracy. In five short years, he and his government performed a miracle. Out of a country torn apart by apartheid, they created a true democracy, in which South Africans of every race and culture were liberated.

Dare Not Linger, the inspirational story of Mandela’s presidency deserves to be on your bookshelf, right next to Long Walk to Freedom.

Acclaimed South African writer, Mandla Langa, has done a sterling job of completing Mandela’s memoir. His thorough research and meticulous attention to detail, serve to highlight Mandela’s incredible statesmanship. Langa gently reminds us of why Mandela became an international icon.

Mandela’s greatness, coupled with his compassion and humility, is highlighted by the superb writing of both authors. This book reminds us of the passion Mandela had for his country and all its people. Integrity and truth lie at the core of his vision and Langa spotlights the miraculous privilege South Africa enjoyed, in having Mandela to lead it into democracy.

I cherished the Mandela quotes and anecdotes and found myself choking back tears. Dare Not Linger made me ache for Mandela’s vision and what South Africa could and should be.

Put this under your Christmas tree. Read it, mull over it and treasure it for years to come.

Gigi

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

An amazing follow up and a crucial piece of South African history,

The positives about this book was reading things that you never knew about during Mandela's time as SA president, the negatives about it were that some of it was extremely dry and boring because you'd never heard of it as it was a SA issue and not necessarily a global one. Still an enjoyable book to read though.

‘Dare Not Linger’ takes its title from Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ where he reflects that “I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come[s] responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.’

It deals with Mandela’s period in office as the first President of post-apartheid South Africa (1994-1999), and the manuscript for what became this book was begun by Mandela himself, writing ten chapters, and has been expertly completed by Mandla Langa using those ten chapters and other materials left by Mandela, so that roughly a third of the text is autobiographical.

It is easy to forget just how many problems South Africa faced when Mandela took charge. Fragile national unity could have easily fractured irrevocably given the often widely divergent aims of Mandela’s African National Congress, de Klerk’s National Party, Chief Buthelezei’s Inkatha Freedom Party and the Pan-Africanist Congress. Any white flight would have jeopardized economic growth whilst continued white dominance of the army and police, especially in its upper reaches, would only breed increased resentment on the part of the black majority given the institutionalized racism of the past. Not only was the past poisonous but the future was equally problematic given inflated expectations of rapid reforms in housing, health and education for the black masses as well as plentiful potentially destabilizing rhetoric regarding the redistribution of wealth.

The South Africa which Mandela passed on to Thabo Mbecki (although the book shows he personally favoured Cyril Ramaphosa as his successor) was very far from perfect but was much more politically stable than would have been the case without Mandela’s inspired leadership, which shines through this text.

‘Dare Not Linger’ is, nevertheless, less inspiring than ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ because the tale it has to tell, whilst at least as important, is much more complex and the distinction between heroes and villains much more muddied. In short, this is an important book about the development of South Africa and the formal apex of Mandela’s political career but is unlikely to match the sorts of sales enjoyed by his first volume of autobiography.