LONG WALK TO FREEDOM by NELSON MANDELA

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"It always seems impossible until it's done" - Nelson Mandela

Growing up in the 80's I remember hearingthe name Nelson Mandela every now and the then in the news, in association with the terms Apartheid and Fight against Racism.

One day in the mid 90's that name became a symbol of victory and hope for freedom and justice. Released after 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela talked to his people and published his biography specifying that the battle was not over, there was still a long walk to freedom.

From 1994 to 1999 Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa and he remained involved in the World's politics until his death in 2013.

When I approached "Long Walk to Freedom" I feared the dates and facts would be overwhelming for a person like me who is not into politics and know pretty much nothing about South Africa. I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself reading a humble, felt tale of a down-to-earth man, admitting how he never actually decided to be a hero and how he regrets not having being present for his family as he wished. Nelson Mandela speaks of hope and beliefs that never faltered, not even when denied to receive visits from his family or attend his own son's funeral.

I recommend this significant and moving biography of a man who believed freedom is a natural right for everyone.

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THE WENDY DILEMMA by DAN KILEY

The Wendy Dilemma: When Women Stop Mothering Their Men by Dan Kiley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bestselling author of "The Peter Pan Syndrome", Dan Kiley wrote a second self-help book in 1984 called "The Wendy Dilemma" addressed to women who want to stop mothering their men.
Thirty years later, Dan Kiley theory is still actual and compelling, as women's role in society changed but feelings of inferiority and low self-confidence persist.
I started reading "The Peter Pan Syndrome" and "The Wendy Dilemma" as part of external research for a non-fiction book I meant to write before realizing someone else had already published my very same idea in 2011. Luckily I chose not to interrupt the reading and found myself clearly depicted in some of the examples offered from the author of women struggling to find themselves and express their feelings in appropriate ways.
The first part of the book explains who Wendy is, her characteristics and the reasons for them. There is a simple test to help the readers understand how much of a Wendy is hidden in each one of us.
The second half of the book helps Wendy to become a Tinker, by accepting oneself, overcoming through right behaviors an old sense of inferiority, and eventually set free from wrong relationships.
Dan Kiley has a simple, down-to-earth style with lots of examples taken from his daily practice with patients.
The book also offers a list of helpful readings for further support.

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EINSTEIN. HIS LIFE AND UNIVERSE - by WALTER ISAACSON

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Walter Isaacson's biography of Albert Einstein is based on a set of letters that were kept private for a long time and finally released just a few years ago, offering a deeper insight on some unresolved issues about the public figure of the Professor as we know him.
The biography is nicely calibrated to cover all aspects of Einstein's life: first of all his private life, his love for his family and his country, his rebellious way of thinking and his struggle to get accepted in the academic world. Secondly, the author takes the readers on a journey through physics and discoveries that changed the world for ever. As much as I was hoping to understand more about the theory of relativity and its connections to the atomic bomb I have to admit that didn't happen. Walter Isaacson's style is simple and concise, accessible to everyone no matter what scientific knowledge they possess. Still, my brain likes colors and words but refuses numbers and concepts. Nevertheless, I was still able to enjoy the reading and grasp the meaningful relations between Einstein, the world politics during his lifetime and the different atmosphere of Europe, Russia and the USA in those fervent years.
I recommend this book to everyone, not just to learn about the life events and scientific discoveries of a genius, but to enjoy his witty quotes and heartfelt humanity.

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