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| Long Walk to Freedom - The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela |
I learned about U.S. history and “Western Civ.” in school,
with a cursory overview of “World History.” College taught me more about
non-Western cultures, art and religion. As a working-class girl at a liberal
arts college, I met people from all walks of life, and continued to do so after
graduating, developing a passion for travel, and working at another liberal
arts college for many years.
As my curiosity about history, global inequity, and other
cultures increased, I read The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of
Zimbabwe, by Peter Godwin, and Sonia Nazario’s Enrique’s Journey, about a desperate
Honduran child’s perilous experience riding the “train of death” on a quest to
reunite with his mother. Tim Butcher’s Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s
Broken Heart, broke my heart indeed, as did King Leopold’s Ghost, by Adam
Hochschild, with their historical and modern accounts of the Congo.
Many people have read the classics, Anne Frank: The Diary of
a Young Girl, and the graphic (non-fiction) novels Maus I and Maus II, bearing
witness to accounts of Holocaust survivors. I recommend additional
autobiographical books such as Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, or the
film by the same name, I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, and
Giaconda Belli’s The Country Under My Skin, her memoir of the Sandinista/Contra
war and the revolution in Nicaragua.
I thoroughly enjoy movies that many consider total bummers
as well. Holocaust movies Schindler’s List and The Pianist both won multiple
Oscars. Hotel Rwanda, The Lives of Others, and The Last King of Scotland
received awards and critical acclaim as well. I recommend a few lesser known
titles: Welcome to Sarajevo, Beasts of No Nation, Walker, and the bizarre
truth-is-stranger-than-fiction exemplar, General Idi Amin Dada: A Self
Portrait. (The last is a documentary while the others are motion pictures
inspired by true events.)
I gravitate toward material on certain countries and
occurrences, but a quick search of the library catalog reveals no shortage of
true-war-crime reading and viewing options focused on Asia, Australia, the
former Soviet Union, and of course the United States too. Unfortunately, every
inhabited part of the world has experienced tragedy and injustice.
I understand that many avid readers seek to escape everyday
life, often with the help of Hobbits, aliens, or fictional characters embarking
on adventures and falling in love. I have nothing against sci-fi, historical
fiction, mysteries, or even the guilty-pleasure romance genre. Why then, do I
become engrossed in morbid tales of man’s injustice to man?
Continuing education: After finishing my formal schooling, I
made a commitment to lifelong learning. To converse about politics and history
and avoid sounding like a jerk when traveling abroad, I want to learn some
things beforehand. Regarding current events, I agree with the George Santayana
quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Inspiration: While millions have perished in wars and
genocides, some who survived have written their memoirs and documented
atrocities. It amazes me that Nelson Mandela endured Apartheid and Robbin
Island in South Africa. In spite of enormous struggles, Rigoberta Menchu became
an activist and change agent. I admire Holocaust survivors for preserving the
memory of those who met a different fate. True stories of heroes and people who
overcame adversity inspire me to advocate for human rights and to persevere in
my own times of trouble, which pale in comparison to what others have gone
through.
Perspective: Like anyone else, I complain about mosquitoes,
traffic, and long lines at the post office. Fortunately, I’ve never faced
unjust imprisonment. Police have never turned dogs or hoses on me. My father
immigrated to the U.S. as a war refugee, but in my lifetime no one has forced
my family to flee our home or our country. True stories of terrible events
remind me to practice empathy, express gratitude, and try not to take for
granted how lucky I am.
