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Strength in What Remains: A Journey of Remembrance and Forgiveness Audiobook
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(3.00) - 6,695 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Tracy Kidder, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of the bestsellers The Soul of a New Machine, House, and the enduring classic Mountains Beyond Mountains, has been described by the Baltimore Sun as the “master of the non-fiction narrative.” In this new book, Kidder gives us the superb story of a hero for our time. Strength in What Remains is a wonderfully written, inspiring account of one man’s remarkable American journey and of the ordinary people who helped him–a brilliant testament to the power of will and of second chances. Deo arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Having survived a civil war and genocide, plagued by horrific dreams, he lands at JFK airport with two hundred dollars, no English, and no contacts. He ekes out a precarious existence delivering groceries, living in Central Park, and learning English by reading dictionaries in bookstores. Then Deo begins to meet the strangers who will change his life, pointing him eventually in the direction of Columbia University, medical school, and a life devoted to healing. Kidder breaks new ground in telling this unforgettable story as he travels with Deo back over a turbulent life in search of meaning and forgiveness. An extraordinary writer, Tracy Kidder once again shows us what it means to be fully human by telling a story about the heroism inherent in ordinary people, a story about a life based on hope.
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"This is another Tracey Kidder classic - read Mountains Beyond Mountains first and then this. The young Burundi medical student chronicled in this book becomes a follower of Paul Farmer after escaping the genocide in Burundi and Rwanda and coming to New York. I'm a sucker for these stories of perseverance, but I'm always glad to get my head out of WAshington and be reminded of people who really overcome hardships."
— Laurie (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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Selected for the September 2009 Indie Next List
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A 2009 Time Magazine Top 10 Book for Nonfiction
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A 2009 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist for General Nonfiction
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A 2009 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Current Interest
Strength in What Remains Listener Reviews
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" I wanted to like this book more than I did. I have lots of admiration for Deo and everything that he has overcome, and I learned a lot about the history of Burundi and Rwanda. I only give it three stars because I didn't feel that engaged while I was reading it. I think that was my fault though, not the fault of the book. "
— Katie, 2/18/2014 -
" Okay. But I prefer his other books more. "
— Steven, 2/9/2014 -
" The part of this book that I liked most dealt with the main character's attempts to gain a foothold on life in New York. I really think everyone should read this book as we should all learn about the outrageous deeds of genocide that have occurred in Africa. "
— Susan, 2/7/2014 -
" I didn't read the book; I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Tracy Kidder. Since this story is told from Kidder's point of view, the narration was powerful and brought a sense of urgency and life to the story. The story itself is unbelievable and inspirational. "
— Ellie, 1/14/2014 -
" Not particularly well-written at all, but I gave it 4 stars because of the inspirational and motivating story, and thorough information on the civil wars of Burundi and Rwanda, of which I was ill-informed. "
— Caitlin, 1/14/2014 -
" interesting story; oddly written in a way "
— Liz, 1/13/2014 -
" This book sucks. I hate this book "
— Josie, 1/11/2014 -
" I thought this book was very informative about the crisis in Burundi. "
— Lena, 1/11/2014 -
" Couldn't finish it. Not because it was too sad, but because I didn't enjoy the style of writing. "
— Carrie, 1/10/2014 -
" Parts of this book were very hard to read content wise, it does address genocide in Barunda. That is not the heart of this book though, the main characters American experience is. "
— Bethbe, 12/14/2013 -
" Well written. Fascinating story of a doctor from Burundi. "
— Laura, 12/8/2013 -
" A moving account of Deo who survived civil war and genocide in Burundi and went back to set up a health clinic with support from Paul Farmer's organization. "
— Jennifer, 10/19/2013 -
" Read this one in order to balance my chi after reading Rob Lowe's autobiography. "
— Erica, 9/27/2013 -
" This is a painful yet hopeful book. After reading about the trauma this man endured in Burundi and learning about how he transformed his experience into creating a medical clinic was truly inspiring but it was not an easy read. Great writing by Tracy Kidder and an amazing subject. "
— Margaret, 3/25/2013 -
" I knew nothing about the issues between Hutu and Tutsi that contributed to the genocides on Burundi and Rwanda. So I learned a lot about that in this book. Also, it was a remarkable story about what happened to the author once he arrived in America. "
— Kerin, 2/19/2013 -
" EXCELLENT! This book along with Mountains Beyond Mountains should be on a list of most inspiring books ever! I hope to make a difference someday like Deo and Dr. Paul Farmer. "
— Perry, 1/29/2013 -
" wow, we DO live different lives "
— Jennifer, 12/18/2012 -
" An amazing look at the journey of a young man who leaves Burundi during the times of genocide there and in neighboring Rwanda, and travels to the US to start a new life. A well-written glimpse at the horror that he left, and hope that he found among strangers. "
— doug, 11/21/2012 -
" I liked it, but preferred Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains to this. Particularly liked Deo's return to Columbia when he revists with Kidder "
— Amy, 11/20/2012 -
" a little disjoint, but an amazing story of Deogratia who is a refugee from Burundi and lived through amazing experiences... "
— Audrey, 5/23/2011 -
" An interesting story but, ... It somehow seemed fragmented and incoherent compared to "Mountains Beyond Mountains". As terrific a writer as Kidder is, I'd almost wished Deo told his own story rather than have it related, in parts, by Kidder. "
— John, 5/23/2011 -
" Very well written. Hard to get through some parts about African violence. Good story. True I think. "
— Ashland, 5/22/2011 -
" Tracey Kidder writes non-fiction so that it feels like fiction. He is a master communicator--and this book is amazing. "
— Sandra, 5/17/2011 -
" This book shows the horrors we can inflict on each other and the amazing resilience and forgiveness we're capable of. Very valuable education about Africa and the "immigration" process in NYC "
— Kevin, 5/17/2011 -
" Very inspirational and thought provoking. Looking forward to the book club discussion. "
— Holly, 5/11/2011 -
" My book club needs to pick cheerier titles. Reading this after Pearl Buck in China was a double whammy of worldwide grief. "
— Dot, 5/6/2011 -
" I listened to this book in the car and found myself sitting at my destination, not wanting to turn it off so I could keep listening. A heart-wrenching and inspiring story of a young man who survived the genocide in Burundi in 1994. "
— Ann, 4/15/2011 -
" The slaughter of the Tutsis by the Hutus and the survival of one man is all consuming. Interesting, but not an easy read. "
— Janet, 4/15/2011
About Tracy Kidder
Tracy Kidder is the acclaimed author of numerous books. He has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and many other literary prizes. He graduated from Harvard University and studied at the University of Iowa.