<P>This fascinating biography looks at the life of Nelson Mandela, placing his awe-inspiring accomplishments in historical context for a new generation to admire. On a February day in 1994, Mandela visited Robben Island, a desolate rock where he had been held during his twenty-seven years as a prisoner. Days later, he triumphed in an election that rescued South Africa from the climate of oppression that had held sway for so long. By New York Times executive editor, Bill Keller, this inspiring biography looks at the events that led Mandela from his tribal homeland to the center of the struggle for racial equality in South Africa. From early acts of protest to the leadership of an apartheid-free nation, this is an honest portrayal of the astonishing life of a modern political and social icon.