No Future Without Forgiveness

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whom Nelson Mandela appointed to chair South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, reflects on the commission's attempt to move the country from apartheid to democracy by exposing past atrocities and seeking reconciliation with former oppressors. Tutu argues that reconciliation cannot be built on denial of the past, yet admits how hard it is when a nation looks squarely at what was done. Instead of easy words about forgiveness he offers a spirituality that faces human cruelty and still holds on to the hope of reconciliation. He also recalls growing up under apartheid and voting for the first time at 62, and he compares South Africa with Northern Ireland, Rwanda, the Middle East and the Balkans.

Richard Branson named it among his top 65 lifetime reads in a list he drew up for World Book Day.