"Few individuals have had such a profound impact on humankind as Nelson Mandela. In spreading the message of freedom, equality, and human dignity, Mandela has helped transform not only his own nation, but the entire world." "Now, for the first time, his most eloquent and important speeches are collected in a single volume. From the eve of his imprisonment to his release twenty-seven years later, from his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize to his election as South Africa's first black president, these speeches span some of the most pivotal moments of Mandela's life and of his country's history."