Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation, (Paperback)

from docliz

Excellent easy read describing the role rugby played in the peaceful transition of South Africa towards democracy. A fascinating insight into characters that South Africans would know but perhaps not in this much detail. The political events of this time are well described and he captures the pre...

from Jcambridge

For those with an interest in South Africa and the struggles against apartheid, this will be an interesting and worthwhile read. The movie version of the book was somewhat disappointing -- the producers surely could have found some South African actors to play the lead roles! They also might have...

from bruchu

A storyline that needed to be told, John Carlin explores the intersection of the end of apartheid with the World Cup of Rugby held in South Africa for the first time since being boycotted by the rest of the world. "Playing the Enemy" is a story about politics, sports, and how a nation divided by ...

from RealLifeReading

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...

from ACQwoods

This book was the basis for the recent movie Invictus, which I had seen and enjoyed. The book is less rugby-focused than the movie and focuses more on the political challenges Nelson Mandela faced in ending apartheid in South Africa. I learned a lot about the process which I had never known befor...