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bwguinig's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely a case where the book is better than the movie. Though to be fair, the movie is good and I think they work well in concert.
The story of South Africa and its choice to move forward through reconciliation astounds to this day. And at the heart of it was Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for decades and yet able to see the path forward not from vengeance but rather forgiveness. The ability to see the best in people and the effect it had in the recipient served purpose better than perhaps anyone could have imagined.
Throw a fairy tale sports story in the middle of it all to wrap around an entire new country, it certainly seems too perfect. The author seemed to have access to a number of important players, and he guides his readers gently through the "foreign-ness" of multiple languages, places unseen and unheard of, history that though recent remains devilishly inhumane.
Lastly, I think it is of note that Carlin has an accurate read of a situation that one can find many modern parallels, where people are similar and dissimilar in terms of treatment or interactions with others. A keen sense of both perception and retelling.
The story of South Africa and its choice to move forward through reconciliation astounds to this day. And at the heart of it was Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for decades and yet able to see the path forward not from vengeance but rather forgiveness. The ability to see the best in people and the effect it had in the recipient served purpose better than perhaps anyone could have imagined.
Throw a fairy tale sports story in the middle of it all to wrap around an entire new country, it certainly seems too perfect. The author seemed to have access to a number of important players, and he guides his readers gently through the "foreign-ness" of multiple languages, places unseen and unheard of, history that though recent remains devilishly inhumane.
Lastly, I think it is of note that Carlin has an accurate read of a situation that one can find many modern parallels, where people are similar and dissimilar in terms of treatment or interactions with others. A keen sense of both perception and retelling.
bookish_wanderer's review against another edition
4.0
This book gave me a much better understanding of why people like Mandela so much, and how he managed to win the heart of the majority of South Africans, blacks, whites, and all the shades in between.
It was truly inspiring to see how after being treated the way he was, and after so many years in prison, instead of staying stuck in the past and going for revenge and hatred, he chose to move forward, to forgive and to believe in the goodness of people. That was a risky bet, but thanks to his charm and well thought out strategy, he succeeded in reshaping South Africa's mind.
I thought this book would only be about the 1995 World Cup, and the political atmosphere and schemes around it.
But it actually goes further back in history, when Mandela was still in prison, and when his secret meetings with members of the government were arranged. It was really interesting, but the writing was sometimes a little heavy, especially with all the political stuff.
It was truly inspiring to see how after being treated the way he was, and after so many years in prison, instead of staying stuck in the past and going for revenge and hatred, he chose to move forward, to forgive and to believe in the goodness of people. That was a risky bet, but thanks to his charm and well thought out strategy, he succeeded in reshaping South Africa's mind.
I thought this book would only be about the 1995 World Cup, and the political atmosphere and schemes around it.
But it actually goes further back in history, when Mandela was still in prison, and when his secret meetings with members of the government were arranged. It was really interesting, but the writing was sometimes a little heavy, especially with all the political stuff.
lasiepedimore's review against another edition
3.0
Puoi trovare questa recensione anche sul mio blog ---> La siepe di more
Se nel 2009 avete visto Invictus – L’invincibile, il film tratto da questo libro, è assai probabile che abbiate un’idea molto distante da quella che era la realtà del Sudafrica nel momento in cui Mandela ne divenne presidente.
John Carlin, giornalista e corrispondente in Sudafrica dal 1989 al 1995, inizia a narrare la storia fin dagli anni del carcere per Mandela e dall’inizio delle trattative segrete con il governo. È un momento cruciale perché proprio in carcere Mandela affinerà le sue capacità di persuasione e comprenderà quanto potesse essere cruciale il rugby per il Sudafrica.
È davvero una storia pazzesca: se si fosse trattato della trama di un romanzo, l’avrei di certo definita irrealistica, perché è un esempio di come talvolta la realtà superi la finzione. Diventato presidente, Mandela si è trovato seduto su una polveriera: c’erano gruppi di bianchi e gruppi di neri pronti a far esplodere la guerra civile, per le più svariate ragioni, e tutto il Paese si aspettava un qualche disastro.
In effetti, ci sono andati vicini più di una volta: eppure quest’uomo meraviglioso è riuscito a sventare ogni minaccia di violenza, riuscendo a inglobare nella sua visione di un Sudafrica unito e pacificato anche il bianco più razzista e il nero più arrabbiato. Leggendo le testimonianze di chi fu protagonista insieme a lui di quei giorni, si percepisce proprio lo sbalordimento suscitato dalle parole e dall’atteggiamento di Mandela, e la quasi inevitabilità di seguirlo nel suo progetto, indipendentemente da quali fossero le loro idee di partenza. Mi è venuto da pensare che, se Mandela avesse incontrato Hitler, quest’ultimo avrebbe finito per andare di persona a liberare i prigionieri nei campi di sterminio e a chiedere loro scusa!
L’idea di usare il rugby per pacificare e unire la nazione, poi, è geniale e, per quando il libro di Carlin mi abbia fatto capire perché questo sport fosse così visceralmente importante per i sudafricani, resto convinta che solo una mente brillante avrebbe potuto partorirla.
Un po’ noioso in alcuni punti, dovuto probabilmente al taglio molto giornalistico del libro, non posso fare a meno di consigliare la lettura di Ama il tuo nemico a chiunque: è una storia talmente bella e luminosa da sembrare una fiaba a lieto fine, e di questi tempi abbiamo proprio bisogno di positività.
Se nel 2009 avete visto Invictus – L’invincibile, il film tratto da questo libro, è assai probabile che abbiate un’idea molto distante da quella che era la realtà del Sudafrica nel momento in cui Mandela ne divenne presidente.
John Carlin, giornalista e corrispondente in Sudafrica dal 1989 al 1995, inizia a narrare la storia fin dagli anni del carcere per Mandela e dall’inizio delle trattative segrete con il governo. È un momento cruciale perché proprio in carcere Mandela affinerà le sue capacità di persuasione e comprenderà quanto potesse essere cruciale il rugby per il Sudafrica.
È davvero una storia pazzesca: se si fosse trattato della trama di un romanzo, l’avrei di certo definita irrealistica, perché è un esempio di come talvolta la realtà superi la finzione. Diventato presidente, Mandela si è trovato seduto su una polveriera: c’erano gruppi di bianchi e gruppi di neri pronti a far esplodere la guerra civile, per le più svariate ragioni, e tutto il Paese si aspettava un qualche disastro.
In effetti, ci sono andati vicini più di una volta: eppure quest’uomo meraviglioso è riuscito a sventare ogni minaccia di violenza, riuscendo a inglobare nella sua visione di un Sudafrica unito e pacificato anche il bianco più razzista e il nero più arrabbiato. Leggendo le testimonianze di chi fu protagonista insieme a lui di quei giorni, si percepisce proprio lo sbalordimento suscitato dalle parole e dall’atteggiamento di Mandela, e la quasi inevitabilità di seguirlo nel suo progetto, indipendentemente da quali fossero le loro idee di partenza. Mi è venuto da pensare che, se Mandela avesse incontrato Hitler, quest’ultimo avrebbe finito per andare di persona a liberare i prigionieri nei campi di sterminio e a chiedere loro scusa!
L’idea di usare il rugby per pacificare e unire la nazione, poi, è geniale e, per quando il libro di Carlin mi abbia fatto capire perché questo sport fosse così visceralmente importante per i sudafricani, resto convinta che solo una mente brillante avrebbe potuto partorirla.
Un po’ noioso in alcuni punti, dovuto probabilmente al taglio molto giornalistico del libro, non posso fare a meno di consigliare la lettura di Ama il tuo nemico a chiunque: è una storia talmente bella e luminosa da sembrare una fiaba a lieto fine, e di questi tempi abbiamo proprio bisogno di positività.
julie_bonjour's review against another edition
3.0
John Carlin writes at the beginning of the book that he wanted to write an « unapologetically positive story » and this book is most definitely that. While it’s probably not very objective, it’s a good introduction to the history of apartheid in South Africa. I learned a lot and it piqued my interest enough that’ll I’ll be looking for more books on the subject to read.
cbking's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pretty quick read and kept me interested, although at times the writing style was a bit simplistic for my taste. I do admit, however, to tearing up (on the subway, no less) several times during the book, mostly whenever Carlin described a moment when black and white South Africans came together. It might seem trite that rugby is the instrument for so much of that togetherness, but whatever works.
filawless's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting read with a different view point of the apartheid struggle. Must watch the movie now
fivetilnoon's review
5.0
A fantastic and gripping read from start to finish. I came away wanting to read even more about Mandela and South Africa. I was amazed at Mandela's accommodation of white South Africans, understanding of their fears, and political savvy in navigating a seemingly-impossible task of moving South Africa from minority rule to majority rule. As usual, the book is much better than the movie. It tells a deeper meaningful story of Mandela and his methods.
reallifereading's review
4.0
As I made my way through John Carlin’s Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation, I kept thinking back to the Clint Eastwood-directed, Morgan Freeman- and Matt-Damon starring movie Invictus, which is based on this book. The film was entertaining and thoughtful, although it seemed to be a bit more upbeat than I expected, considering that it follows Nelson Mandela from the beginning of his presidency, a time still very fraught with racial tensions in South Africa. Invictus focuses on Mandela and his involvement with the Springboks (the South African rugby team), whom he encouraged his countrymen to support (the Springboks were mostly supported by the Afrikaners, and for many non-whites symbolised white supremacy). The movie mostly suggests these tensions, and makes use of Mandela’s white and black bodyguards to illustrate some of these tensions (not all that effectively).
Reading Playing the Enemy became a game of ‘spot the difference’ for me. For instance, Invictus left the impression on me that prior to winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks were quite a hopeless team (apparently not all that true). They had, for instance, beaten the All Blacks before, as well as Argentina, another strong team, if I remember correctly from the book. Perhaps the biggest tragedy of Invictus was the lack of excitement in their rugby footage! The husband and I were commenting that even an episode of Friday Night Lights has more exciting sports footage than Invictus! And also, the role of team captain Francois Pienaar is played up. The movie portrays it as his idea to have the team learn the new anthem (it was the team manager’s idea). And the team did not react as negatively as the movie suggests, and many of the team members embraced it wholeheartedly, such as James Small, an Englishman who had felt ostracized by his teammates.
More importantly, Playing the Enemy also made me realize just how much was glossed over, or perhaps not even mentioned at all. The violence, the protests, the false arrests, the assassinations, especially of Afrikaners such as the defense attorney working to free the Upington 14 who were accused of killing a black policeman who had fired into a crowd. There wasn’t enough of a sense of this tension, of the background that shocked the world.
But enough about the movie. Movies tend to pale when compared to the book, don’t they? Playing the Enemy is yet another well-written non-fiction book, from which the movie pulled information from just the last few chapters. It sustains one’s interest in a subject that could easily have been bogged down by too much information. (Here I should admit that I am somewhat interested in rugby. Thanks to its colonial past, Singapore does actually have a national rugby team, and so do many of the schools and I have actually seen watched a little rugby – at the Singapore Sevens, although I never thought that I’d ever read a book on rugby.) There are ample interviews with relevant people, which was aided by Carlin’s journalism background (he was The Independent’s South African bureau chief in the late 1990s). The information is well laid out and interspersed with interesting anecdotes and quotes, and he provides plenty of background for ignoramuses like me, who need to a refresher on South Africa’s apartheid history. Unlike the movie, the book wasn’t all about the game. The Rugby World Cup final was the culmination of all this planning, strategic or accidental, so like the firework spectacular at a new year celebration, it gave the world a big bang to wow over. Carlin does a wonderful job capturing the issues, the hostility, introducing a host of other characters but at the same time keeping Mandela very firmly as the main personality, the driving force of these events, both captivating and enigmatic. This is Mandela’s story, this is South Africa’s story, as it very rightly is.
Highly recommended!
Reading Playing the Enemy became a game of ‘spot the difference’ for me. For instance, Invictus left the impression on me that prior to winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks were quite a hopeless team (apparently not all that true). They had, for instance, beaten the All Blacks before, as well as Argentina, another strong team, if I remember correctly from the book. Perhaps the biggest tragedy of Invictus was the lack of excitement in their rugby footage! The husband and I were commenting that even an episode of Friday Night Lights has more exciting sports footage than Invictus! And also, the role of team captain Francois Pienaar is played up. The movie portrays it as his idea to have the team learn the new anthem (it was the team manager’s idea). And the team did not react as negatively as the movie suggests, and many of the team members embraced it wholeheartedly, such as James Small, an Englishman who had felt ostracized by his teammates.
More importantly, Playing the Enemy also made me realize just how much was glossed over, or perhaps not even mentioned at all. The violence, the protests, the false arrests, the assassinations, especially of Afrikaners such as the defense attorney working to free the Upington 14 who were accused of killing a black policeman who had fired into a crowd. There wasn’t enough of a sense of this tension, of the background that shocked the world.
But enough about the movie. Movies tend to pale when compared to the book, don’t they? Playing the Enemy is yet another well-written non-fiction book, from which the movie pulled information from just the last few chapters. It sustains one’s interest in a subject that could easily have been bogged down by too much information. (Here I should admit that I am somewhat interested in rugby. Thanks to its colonial past, Singapore does actually have a national rugby team, and so do many of the schools and I have actually seen watched a little rugby – at the Singapore Sevens, although I never thought that I’d ever read a book on rugby.) There are ample interviews with relevant people, which was aided by Carlin’s journalism background (he was The Independent’s South African bureau chief in the late 1990s). The information is well laid out and interspersed with interesting anecdotes and quotes, and he provides plenty of background for ignoramuses like me, who need to a refresher on South Africa’s apartheid history. Unlike the movie, the book wasn’t all about the game. The Rugby World Cup final was the culmination of all this planning, strategic or accidental, so like the firework spectacular at a new year celebration, it gave the world a big bang to wow over. Carlin does a wonderful job capturing the issues, the hostility, introducing a host of other characters but at the same time keeping Mandela very firmly as the main personality, the driving force of these events, both captivating and enigmatic. This is Mandela’s story, this is South Africa’s story, as it very rightly is.
Highly recommended!