Fischer's Choice: A Life of Bram Fischer

(Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball, 2002) 9781868427185. 229 x 147 mm; pictorial wrappers; pp. xi + (i) + 164; photographs. Small crease to top fore-corner of lower cover. Near-fine condition. "Bram Fischer was born into an aristocratic Afrikaans family but became one of South Africa's leading revolutionaries. Regarded in his youth as having a brilliant career ahead of him, he rebelled not only against the apartheid system but also against his own people. As a defence lawyer, he saved Nelson Mandela from the death penalty demanded by state prosecutors for his sabotage activities. Fischer played a remarkable role in the underground movement aimed at overthrowing the government. To the very last, even when all other conspirators had been arrested or fled into exile, Fischer held out, sought for months by the security police. His single-handed efforts ended inevitably in failure and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The government continued to regard him as a potentially dangerous influence even when he was dying of cancer, refusing all appeals to release him until the last few weeks of his life. In FISCHER'S CHOICE, acclaimed author Martin Meredith successfully captures the life of one of South Africa's most important political figures." .