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Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide Audiobook
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(4.00) - 15,746 listener ratings
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From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. With Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Drawing on the breadth of their combined reporting experience, Kristof and WuDunn depict our world with anger, sadness, clarity, and, ultimately, hope. They show how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. That Cambodian girl eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon. A Zimbabwean mother of five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert on AIDS. Through these stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to do just that, and how we can each do our part. Throughout much of the world, the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the population. Countries such as China have prospered precisely because they emancipated women and brought them into the formal economy. Unleashing that process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy for fighting poverty. Deeply felt, pragmatic, and inspirational, Half the Sky is essential reading for every global citizen.
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"Nicholas Kristof does an extraordinary job of bringing to light the heartbreaking personal stories common to so many women and girls around the world. The vast quantity and depth of objective misery presented here can be overwhelming, but gratefully, Kristof balances this with stories of hope, and profiles of practical solutions. What impresses me about Kristof, is the line he walks between personal compassion and advocacy, and journalistic integrity and objective analysis. I have become convinced, largely through Kristof's work, that the key to alleviating social injustice and extreme poverty in the developing world, is the the liberation, education, and empowerment of women."
— David (4 out of 5 stars)
Half the Sky Listener Reviews
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" This book really opened my eyes the the plight of women around the world. While informative and often difficult to read (emotionally), it left me with a sense of optimism and a desire to help. I highly recommend this book! "
— Cynthia, 2/10/2014 -
" This is a very disturbing book about how women are treated in various parts of the world. I almost became desensitized to word, "rape," it was used so often. Some of the descriptions are violent and graphic. The sad and scary part is it's true. An important read to become aware of the injustice in the world, but certainly not pleasant. I found myself frustrated because there isn't very much that I can do. "
— Peggy, 2/7/2014 -
" wow. this is one of the most inspiring books i've ever read - highly recommended. "
— Lesley, 2/4/2014 -
" If you don't think the way girls and women are treated around the world matters, this book will enlighten you. I thought it was great! "
— Linda, 2/1/2014 -
" This book gets more optimistic as you move through. I like that it is nonfiction and the stories about individuals make the statistics pop. "
— Cristy, 1/31/2014 -
" This book made me so glad I live in Australia and appreciative for all the opportunities available to me. "
— Clare, 1/30/2014 -
" Half the Sky should be on everyone's must read list. Informative, if horrifying, and ultimately uplifting. The personalized tales are more persuasive than the citing of devastating statistics. Kristof and WuDunn wisely suggest that the solution to the persistent suffering of women and entire populations around the globe lies in the championing of women's rights as human rights, and in making small changes that allow women to empower themselves as their own free agents. "
— Zoë, 1/28/2014 -
" This was definitely an inspiring book. The documentary on PBS was also well done. "
— Jennifer, 1/20/2014 -
" One of the most important books of our time. What a labor of love by two incredible people. Please read! "
— Victoria, 1/10/2014 -
" Eye opening. Presents facts with personal stories. Great PBS special too! "
— Melissa, 1/2/2014 -
" Very earnest, sometimes a little holier-than-thou, but I doubt I'll read a more important book this year. "
— Fred, 12/31/2013 -
" This was educational and enlightening, although heartbreaking to read in places. I am glad that I read it and it definitely increased my awareness of critical issues for women (and human beings, in general) around the world. "
— Katie, 12/12/2013 -
" A make-you-think, change-your-life kind of book about how women, when empowered to earn their own income and make their own financial decisions, can impact entire communities for the better. "
— Valerie, 12/7/2013 -
" A must read. Life-changing. Stories are heart-breaking but author supports with amazing descriptions of grassroots actions against these human atrocities. You cannot read this book and continue without daily thinking if these brave women. "
— Thea, 11/30/2013 -
" Everyone needs to read this book! It's eye-opening. "
— Heather, 11/10/2013 -
" A brutal but informational must read! "
— Yvonne, 2/5/2013 -
" Painful but well written. Seems impossible given our lives. It's still an eye opener despite what you think you know --everyone should read it...including the suggestions of how to help. "
— Vanessa, 12/12/2012 -
" This is an important book. It is very readable and interesting -- and convicting! "
— Drgiv, 4/7/2012 -
" Half the Sky contains heart wrenching stories about the global oppression of women. Through those stories, however, are powerful examples of women with unfathomable courage and perseverance. It's not so much a feel-good book, but it does make you feel empowered to become part of the solution. "
— Michelle, 1/17/2012 -
" Everyone should read this book. "
— Liz, 12/11/2011 -
" No other book has ever made me cry so much and yet made me feel like I could actually do something; everyone should read this. "
— Katrina, 12/6/2011 -
" I'm an avid Kristof reader, and this book didn't disappoint. It was inspiring, sad, funny, enlightening and made me want to make a difference. I love Kristof's style of story-telling and the remarkable stories he finds. "
— Alexandria, 11/7/2011 -
" I thought this was well researched and well written with and overall approach to the problems presented with a case study or two included to make it more real/personal. I am inspired to do something to help women in the world. "
— Carol, 8/25/2011 -
" Wow! This is a book everyone should read. Amazing stories about amazing women. A real eye-opener for me. Can't wait for the PBS documentary, and looking forward to seeing Nicholas Kristof speak at Davisdon in December. "
— Betsy, 8/2/2011 -
" I would really wished that the book wasn't so heavy handed on numbers and statistics! It made me think about how lucky that I am to have been born in the U.S. "
— Dorothea, 8/1/2011 -
" This is the BEST book I have ever read! "
— Missy, 6/14/2011 -
" This book will blow you away! "
— Wonderstef1223, 5/11/2011 -
" I heard of this book on The Oprah Show and was inspired to read it. So far its been very inspiring and thought provoking. "
— Susmita, 5/10/2011 -
" Nicholas Kristof is not only the most important writer of his generation, but is also a critically important voice for women around the world. These stories of tragedy and triumph illustrate the power of the human spirit and the potential of women around the world. "
— Wendy, 5/10/2011 -
" An amazing, eye-opening book. "
— Imani, 5/7/2011 -
" Really hard subject matter, but very eye opening. The 2nd half of the book was really interesting with simple solutions to seemingly overwhelming global gender inequality issues. "
— Daphne, 5/5/2011 -
" an unseen world full of terrible and beautiful people. "
— Julie, 5/4/2011
About the Authors
Nicholas Kristof has coauthored four books with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn: Half the Sky, Thunder from the East, China Wakes, and A Path Appears. They were awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for their coverage of China and the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Now an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Kristof was previously a bureau chief in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo. He won his second Pulitzer in 2006 for his columns on Darfur.
Sheryl WuDunn has coauthored four books with her husband, Nicholas Kristof: Half the Sky, Thunder from the East, China Wakes, and A Path Appears. They were awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for their coverage of China and the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. WuDunn worked at the Times as a business editor and foreign correspondent in Tokyo and Beijing, and now works in banking.
About Cassandra Campbell
Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.