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Unbowed: A Memoir Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,317 listener ratings
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Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, Wangari Maathai has been fighting for environmental responsibility and democracy in her native Kenya for over 35 years. Unbowed recounts the incredible journey that culminated in her appointment to Parliament in 2002. Despite repeated jailings, beatings, and other obstacles along the way, Maathai created the Green Belt Movement and never relented in her goal to bring democracy to Kenya.
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"i wonder why i didn't like her writing as much as i wanted to. i can understand boundaries, but sometimes she would mention her children and then at the next mentioning, they were living with their father for an extended period of time. i guess i just wanted them in or out, but not in this weird limbo land because that made me want to know a lot more about maathai as a mother in addition to her as an activist. oh well. her stories are amazing and this book was a good compliment to the documentary i saw about her at a film fest in brattleboro, vt. last winter. finally, i feel like this book helped me understand pieces of what's going on in kenya right now that the press isn't talking about at all - government involvement in tribal violence."
— Annie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Gripping, honest, and beautifully written—a gripping account of modern Africa’s trials and triumphs.”
— President Bill Clinton
Unbowed Listener Reviews
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" I think that what she does is amazing and inspiring, esp. as a plant person, but it was a hard read for me and I can't really pinpoint why. "
— Penny, 2/18/2014 -
" Wangari Maathai plants trees and gets in trouble. Born in 1940 in a village in Kenya, she is the daughter of an illiterate mother in a country where many, especially females, were not literate. But the world is changing and Wangari gets a golden opportunity to attend school -- it propels her into the future and we are all beneficiaries. This Nobel Prize winner has a story worth reading. I predict that you will remember her and feel inspired. "
— Kristine, 2/6/2014 -
" Fantastic! It's amazing what Wangari Maathai has managed to accomplish in her short life and through such hardship. She is a true inspiration to all. It really puts things in perspective to assess the struggles of Wangari and her fellow countrymen and the minor issues we deal with in our privileged society. "
— Suzanne, 1/25/2014 -
" I think this is the longest it has ever taken for me to read a book. A lot has changed since I started it--new job, new house, a fiance--but I'm glad I stuck with it. Wangari's story really is amazing. "
— Abby, 1/23/2014 -
" Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai is the featured speaker on Senior Day at Vanderbilt University next month, the day before a certain someone I know also will be receiving his diploma! "
— Ann, 1/19/2014 -
" This is a marvelous read! I read it so long ago, that I don't have more to say other than it is inspirational. "
— Susy, 12/7/2013 -
" A slower but educational interesting read "
— Debbie, 11/29/2013 -
" Bit difficult to understand/comprehend sometimes because it is a direct translations. However, Wangari Maathai is such an inspiration to all people, especially women :) "
— Megan, 9/22/2013 -
" Offers contemporary perspective on Kenya's development -- political, post-colonial as well as environmental -- since indpendence. Matthai doesn't skirt around the legacies of colonialism, racism and sexism. "
— Chad, 8/18/2013 -
" amazing woman and an amazing story. her writing style took a bit of getting used to though. "
— Caitrin, 4/29/2013 -
" A marvel of a book by a marvel of a woman. One of my heroes. "
— Linda, 6/3/2012 -
" An epic story of the life of a remarkable woman. A deep insight of her home country, Kenya, its history from colonial times to today, and the struggles of women in Africa. "
— Gabriela, 3/9/2012 -
" eh. she makes me feel tired. "
— *nicole*, 12/16/2011 -
" Wangari Maathai is an inspiring woman and writes an interesting autobiography. She has overcome political oppression, sexism, and personal strife to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the Green Belt movement in Kenya. I highly recommend this book. "
— Sarah, 8/7/2010 -
" A very moving memoir. Wangari is a special woman and very inspiring. I am so glad I got to read about her through one of my Women's Studies courses otherwise I might not have read the book. "
— ♥Meagan♥, 4/8/2010
About Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first woman to earn a doctorate in biology in East Africa. A recipient of numerous awards for her work on environmental and social issues, in 2004, she was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya.