Are you the sort of person who likes birthday presents to be a surprise?

Well, this morning I woke up sort of knowing what I was going to get for my birthday … well, besides the Johnnie Walker that is!

Sam, my soon-to-be-betrothed-better-half, has spoilt me with one of the most eagerly anticipated literary pieces (at least in my eye's) of recent years: Mandela: The Authorized Portrait.

Now, knowing it was going to be in my pressie stack, it took some measurable amounts of discipline in keeping myself away from my local bookstore, choosing a comfy couch, and immersing myself in the narrative of Mandela as depicted in this book.

Just an initial note: this is one of those rare peices that manages to weave narrative and photo-narrative together immensely well.

Get it!