The story chronicles the rise and fall of Oscar Pistorius, the groundbreaking amputee runner who made history at the 2012 Olympics. His heroic status was shattered on Valentine's Day 2013 when he shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The subsequent murder trial captivated a global audience, culminating in his conviction for culpable homicide after a seven-month legal battle. The book explores themes of fame, tragedy, and the complexities of justice in the public eye.
Will the freedom struggle end in a bloodbath? Only two men can avert it. . . . Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid hero and first leader of the new South Africa, is an international symbol of the power of a popular movement to fight structural racism. But that nonviolent struggle for equality and justice very nearly spiraled into an all-out race war that would have only ended in "the peace of graveyards." As the first post-apartheid elections approach in 1994, with South African blacks poised to take power, the nation's whites fear reprisal. White nationalist militias claiming 50,000 well-armed former soldiers stand ready to fight to the death to defend their cause. They need someone who can lead and unite them. That man is General Constand Viljoen, former chief of apartheid South Africa's military. Mandela knows that he can't avert a bloodbath on his own. He will have to count on his archenemy. Throughout those historic months, the two men meet in secret. Can they trust each other? Can they keep their followers and radical fringe elements from acts of violence? The mettle of these two men will determine the future of a nation. The drama of this contest and the history that pivoted on it comes vividly to life in visual form. Veteran British journalist John Carlin teams up with Catalan artist Oriol Malet to create a historically and artistically rich graphic novel with obvious relevance to today's polarized politics.
The murder trial of Oscar Pistorius will rivet the world's attention in a way no other case has since another famous sportsman, O.J. Simpson, was tried for the murder of his ex-wife in 1994. John Carlin brings his own extensive knowledge of South Africa and access to Pistorius himself, as well as to his friends and family, after the death of Reeva Steenkamp to tell the story of the rise and fall of a classically tragic hero.
'John Carlin did a magnificent job in South Africa. His lucid articles were
inspiring.' Nelson MandelaA personal tribute to the great Nelson Mandela, one
of the iconic figures of our time, written by the acclaimed South Africa
correspondent and author of the international bestseller Playing the Enemy
(filmed as Invictus) who has been reporting on Mandela since the 1990s.
* Revelatory memoir from the greatest sportsman in the world today. * Fascinating insight into the making of a champion. * First ever look into the life of a charismatic yet intensely private man.
Carlin pens this thrilling, inspiring account of one of the greatest charm offensives in history--Nelson Mandela's decade-long campaign to unite his country, beginning in his jail cell and ending with a rugby tournament.
Documents the anti-apartheid advocate's ten-year effort to unite his country, during which he worked with proponents of apartheid from his jail cell, won the presidency, and helped South Africa's national rugby team host the World Cup as part of a unifying campaign.
