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Quote by Nelson Mandela

Work

Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations

This book compiles a selection of quotes from Nelson Mandela, providing a glimpse into his wisdom and the principles that guided his life and leadership. more

Author

Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, was born on July 18, 1918, and passed away on December 5, 2013. He was a leader in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and was imprisoned for 27 years for his opposition to apartheid policies. Mandela dedicated himself to promoting democracy and equality in South Africa, becoming a symbol of anti-racism and peace worldwide. more

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“I could have protested of course, who says I couldn't--I could have risen to my feet at any moment, walked up to them, and--no matter how difficult it would have been--made it abundantly clear that I was not seventeen but thirty. I could have--yet I couldn't because I didn't want to, the only thing I wanted was to prove that I was not an old-fashioned boy!”

“Do not forget, do not ever forget, that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man.' Valjean, who did not recall having made any promise, was silent. The bishop had spoken the words slowly and deliberately. He concluded with a solemn emphasis: Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to what is evil but to what is good. I have bought your soul to save it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.”

“A book, being a physical object, engenders a certain respect that zipping electrons cannot. Because you cannot turn a book off, because you have to hold it in your hands, because a book sits there, waiting for you, whether you think you want it or not, because of all these things, a book is a friend. It’s not just the content, but the physical being of a book that is there for you always and unconditionally.”

“We should always aim to read something different=not only the writers with whom we agree, but those with whom we are ready to do battle. Their point of view challenges us to examine the truth and to test their views...and let us not comment on nor criticize writers of whom we have heard only second-hand, or third-hand without troubling to read their works for ourselves...Don't be afraid of new ideas.”