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Shridath Ramphal

Shridath ‘Sonny’ Ramphal has lived a long and global life. He is a lawyer and international diplomat who rose from humble origins to become a key adviser to Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth of Nations. Leaders from every continent engaged with him as the longest serving Secretary-General of the Commonwealth (1975-1990) and as the only person who served on all the Independent International Commissions that grappled with the world’s major issues.
Glimpses of a Global Life involves a cast of the world’s leading characters and the central role Ramphal played alongside them in issues such as ending apartheid in South Africa; laying the foundations for global concerns about the environment; the reform of global governance; and the resolution of conflicts. The core of the book is concerned with the fifteen years he served as Commonwealth Secretary-General; for eleven of which Margaret Thatcher was Britain’s Prime Minister.
Ramphal tells the story of the Commonwealth’s role in ending the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Southern Rhodesia by a minority white regime and bringing Zimbabwe to independence; of aiding the struggle against apartheid and securing its end, and the release of Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s freedom; of Thatcher’s obduracy against sanctions and the heroic stand against her by other Commonwealth leaders – from Africa, India and, particularly, in terms of effectiveness, Canada and Australia. Ramphal replaces conjecture over these dark episodes in human history with fact.
In these ‘glimpses’, the shadows of characters such as Uganda’s tyrant, Idi Amin, are recalled, as are the enlightened spirits of others like Germany’s Willy Brandt and Nelson Mandela – all of whom Ramphal encountered in his global life.
Glimpses of a Global Life is as well an analysis of major problems and challenges that dominated the 20th century which continue to shape the contours of the 21st.

“Sonny Ramphal ... was, by far, the ablest and most effective of all the Secretaries-General of the Commonwealth. He understood the principles which were important to the strength and unity of the Commonwealth.”  RT HON MALCOLM FRASER, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA (1975-1983)
“... a brilliant recollection ... of an intellectual Titan whose breadth of talents and depth of experience resulted in the summons to serve on six international Commissions.”  THE MOST HON P.J. PATTERSON, PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA (1992-2006)
“This is a book about tomorrow. Sonny Ramphal’s “glimpses” of a recent past are powerful guides to our troubling future.”  RT HON JOE CLARK, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA (1979-1980)
“... a beautifully written and revelatory story stemming not just from his adroit use of 20th century papers released under the 30-year rule, but his description of his ancestral past and the links between slavery and indenture.”  LORD DAVID STEEL OF AIKWOOD, LEADER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY, UK (1976-1988)
“Sonny Ramphal describes his vision and crafts a rich account of his service to the international community. The book provides a timely reminder of the importance of multilateral cooperation.”  KOFI ANNAN, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS (1997-2006)
“Sonny Ramphal has written an extremely valuable book. I know first-hand of the patience and strong leadership he displayed in bringing the Commonwealth nations together for the greatest achievements in its history ... [He] recaptures the drama and colour of some historic moments accurately and well.”  THE RT HON BRIAN MULRONEY, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA (1984-1993)
“This is a beautifully written memoir composed with sharp insight and clear vision by one of the foremost statesmen of the 20th century...”  IAN MCDONALD, AUTHOR AND POET

• 236 x 158 mm
• 624 pages
• Hardback