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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
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.