The first biography to cover the life of Desmond Tutu from childhood through the culmination of his struggle against apartheid and his subsequent campaign for reconciliation and human rights in and beyond South Africa.
Based on original archival research ranging from secret files of the apartheid government to internal White House files from the Reagan and first Bush administrations.
Offers Tutu’s unique insights on African post-independence politics from hitherto unpublished reports written during trips through the continent.
Discloses the intrigue in South Africa and the United Kingdom behind Tutu’s rise to leadership in the church.
Tells the inside story of Tutu’s dealings with apartheid leaders and his leadership in the church, the anti-apartheid movement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Reveals for the first time ground-breaking research on how Tutu was chosen above Nelson Mandela and other South African leaders as the 1984 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Provides eye-witness accounts and vivid reconstructions of Tutu’s defiance against apartheid, including leading illegal marches in the face of armed police and soldiers, his arrests and his teargassing.
Describes his interventions in situations of threatening violence to save lives and channel expressions of political feeling into creative activity.
Gives an account of Tutu’s work for justice and reconciliation in Africa, the Middle East and Northern Ireland.
Includes interviews with leaders ranging from Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk of South Africa to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former U.S. Vice-president Al Gore and rock star Bono of U2.
