Meer (Fatima) Higher Than Hope: A Biography of Nelson Mandela, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "to Simon & Sheila, With our compliments and best wishes, N Mandela 15.4.90" on front free endpaper, original boards, dust-jacket, spine faded, ends a little creased, otherwise excellent, 8vo, 1990.

*** A Mandela item with strong associated provenance.

Nelson Mandela was released from the Victor Verster Prison in Cape Town on 11 February 1990, and over next few months visited England on various occasions. On Easter weekend of 14^th – 16th April, together with his then wife Winnie, he stayed at the Churchill Hotel in London and attended several meetings with representatives of the African National Congress (ANC) and Anti-Apartheid campaigners. During that visit, he was also Guest of Honour at an International Concert for a Free South Africa held at Wembley Stadium on the afternoon of Monday 16th April, before flying by Concorde to New York that evening.

The dedicatee was the Metropolitan Police Special Branch Detective responsible for the Subject's Close Protection detail on that and subsequent visits to England. He was personally requested for the role by Mandela and the ANC UK Representative Mendi Msimang, as he had developed a trusted relationship with the latter in the previous year following a number of terrorist incidents against the Organisation in London. The book signed and inscribed to Simon and his wife Sheila, was presented to Simon by Mandela in his suite at The Churchill Hotel on the afternoon of Sunday 15th April.