Saturday, January 9, 2010

SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM

AUDIO BOOK
BY UWEM AKPAN
READ BY ROBIN MILES
and DION GRAHAM


ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK:

Each story in this jubilantly acclaimed collection pays testament to the wisdom and resilience of children, even in the face of the most agonizing circumstances.

A family living in a makeshift shanty in urban Kenya scurries to find gifts of any kind for the impending Christmas holiday. A Rwandan girl relates her family's struggles to maintain a facade of normalcy amid unspeakable acts. A young brother and sister cope with their uncle's attempt to sell them into slavery. Aboard a bus filled with refugees-a microcosm of today's Africa-a Muslim boy summons his faith to bear a treacherous ride across Nigeria. Through the eyes of childhood friends the emotional toll of religious conflict in Ethiopia becomes viscerally clear.


Uwem Akpan's debut signals the arrival of a breathtakingly talented writer who gives a matter-of-fact reality to the most extreme circumstances in stories that are nothing short of transcendent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Uwem Akpan was born in the village of Ikot Akpan Eda in southern Nigeria. After studying philosophy and English at Creighton and Gonzaga universities, he studied theology for three years at the Catholic University of East Africa. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 2003 and received his MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan in 2006. "My Parents' Bedroom," a story included in this, his first collection, was one of five short stories by African writers chosen as finalists for The Caine Prize for African Writing. In 2007, Akpan began a teaching assignment at a Jesuit college in Harare, Zimbabwe.

REVIEW:

What an amazing awesome audio book! Uwem Akpan has writen a book of five short stories that have to move you or else you must not be alive. All the stories are set in different parts of Africa and they are told from a child's point of view. The topics aren't video games and dolls but rather religious conflicts, slavery, genocide, poverty and hunger. The stories are written with compassion and reflect love and sacrifice and confusion and wonder. Reading these stories makes one want to know how these children can possibly grow up and survive? The brutality in some of their lives and the horror that is every day for some is often more than I could almost comprehend.

The first story is "An Ex-Mas" where a poor family has to depend on their 12 year old daughter to bring money in for them to survive. The child prostitutes herself for the food and money as well as trying to get enough money to send her younger brother to school.
"In My Parents' Bedroom" a nine year old girl is forced to watch as the horrors of contemporary Rwanda play out in her own home. "Fattening for Gabon" is about two young siblings who are being raised by an affectionate uncle as their parents lie dying of AIDS. The other stories are just as powerful and Akpan uses language to show the differences and similarities between the varied and diverse people of Africa. I found listening to the stories on an audio book was even better for me, at least, than reading it because of the dialect. This is not one to miss! This is one that all of us should read and understand as best we can that all is NOT right in the world...on any day, in any way, as long as this inhumane injustice continues.

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO ANNA AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I HAVE
3 COPIES OF THIS AWESOME AUDIO
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!




--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!
HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOUR FEELINGS ARE ABOUT READING, OR IN THIS CASE LISTENING, TO STORIES LIKE THESE

+1 MORE ENTRIES: IF YOU BECOME A GOOGLE FRIEND FOLLOWER TODAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS I AM WORKING TO GET TO 600.


+1 MORE ENTRY:
IF YOU ARE ALREADY A FOLLOWER, PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW OR WHERE YOU FOLLOW.


GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 6 PM, EST,
JANUARY 15 FOR THIS BOOK!


HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO
ENTERED DURING THE BLOGIVERSARY
WEEKEND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
GRAND PRIZE TO COME ON JANUARY 16...
THAT IS THEY WIN ALL 12 BOOKS

NOTE: BLOGIVERSARY WEEKEND
GRAND PRIZE ELIGIBILITY IS OVER!

BUT YOU CAN STILL WIN THIS BOOK!

71 comments:

Benita said...

I am amazed, in awe, sorry, confused. Emotions burst forth; emotions I am not even sure I possess. These stories need to be told. I listen with great interest and great compassion.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I follow via Google Friend Connect. I also subscribe via email.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Lacey said...

I began to think God for everything I have and this great free country we live in.

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Lacey said...

I follow with google friend connect.

Lacey914@sbcglobal.net

Linda Kish said...

I am sure this is a very moving book and probably at times hard to listen to. But I agree, these stories need to be told because so much of this occurs worldwide. We are so lucky to live where we do.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am already a GFC follower. I see you are getting close..564!

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Listening to stories such as these make me grateful that there are people strong enough, brave enough, and capable enough of telling them because the world needs to be reminded that such horrors continue to exist.

Sheila
skkorman@bellsouth.net

Unknown said...

These type of stories make me sad, but also make me want to help these people.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Unknown said...

I'm an old follower.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

DarcyO said...

I imagine there will be a lot of cringing while reading this book, but these stories need to be told and listened to.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I follow with Google Friend Connect.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Anonymous said...

It makes me very thankful for my situation.

Wendy
ebeandebe at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I subscribe with google reader.

Wendy
ebeandebe at gmail dot com

Jessica ( frellathon ) said...

It's amazing what one can do can go through when you have to. Sadness and admiration really.

jessica(at)fan(dot)com

Jessica ( frellathon ) said...

+ 1 I follow on google friend connect.

jessica(at)fan(dot)com

rubynreba said...

I feel very sorry for the lives some people have and also feel grateful for what I have.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I follow on google friend.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Simply Stacie said...

I love books that can move me and make me realize how powerful the human spirit is.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Simply Stacie said...

I follow.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I think it would be uncomfortable but enlightening and uplifting all at once
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I follow by email and google friend
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

I think reading or listening to these kinds of stories helps me to see what other people are going through and how blessed I am.

Unknown said...

I think of the rawness of life...and how vulnerable it really is in the end.

Unknown said...

I am a follower:
ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com

Alyce said...

I already own this one, so no need to enter me. I am conflicted about this type of book. I think it's important, but also difficult to read.

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Mitzi H. said...

I honestly don't know if I can listen to a story that is so devastating...My Heart Breaks.

But I would like to try and I know that althoug it will be unpleasant at times, I will grow from the knowledge.

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Mitzi H. said...

I'm a follower on google friends and google reader!!!

mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

Stories like these inspire us to be better people and to realize that there are people out there who have things worse so we should be thankful for what we have. These stories also encourage us to help people in the world in ways that we can.

miller4plusmore(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

I am a loyal follower via Google Friend Connect.

miller4plusmore(at)bellsouth(dot)net

LoveMyCoffee said...

I agree with what everyone's posted. These stories need to be told. I also come away very thankful for everything that I have in life, things that are normally taken for granted.

Dutchlvr1@aol.com

Renee said...

I am not usually an audiobook person but this one fascinates me so I'm willing to try while I walk on my treadmill

reneesuz82@msn(dot)com

nfmgirl said...

I love books like these. Not only do they stir my compassion, but they often inspire me-- either through their courage, or their hopelessness may inspire me to try to DO something!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

I follow via Google Friend Connect

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

sharon54220 said...

If these stories aren't told, we don't know what is going on in other parts of the world. Usually we only hear about things when something terrible happens.

sharon54220@gmail.com

sharon54220 said...

I follow via Google Friend Connect.

sharon54220@gmail.com

Angie said...

I always feel so sad for children who have to go through these things everyday, and also a little angry at todays youth who have so much and more often then not do not appreciate any of it.

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

Angie said...

I subscribe by email

aksimmo at brainerd dot net

Carol W. said...

As difficult as it is to read or hear stories such as these, they are evidence of the remarkable resilience of people. It causes me to reflect on and appreciate my own life and to put into perspective any obstacles I may meet.

wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

Carol W. said...

I follow with Google Friend Connect.

wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

booklover0226 said...

I think reading/listening to such stories will make cry,laugh, depressed and blessed and humbled.

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 At gmail dot com

booklover0226 said...

I'm an old follower through Google.

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 At gmail dot com

Wickdogg said...

I have wanted to read this and by your review and comments I think the audio book would be best way to do that..it is a tough subject but I also hear great things about it

wickdogg AT gmail dot com

Wickdogg said...

I became a follower today on GFC

wickdogg AT gmail dot com

Wickdogg said...

I follow via email

wickdogg AT gmail dot com

Marie said...

These types of story make me sad. I wish that things like this didn't have to happen. I agree with the others who have said that these stories must be told and we must read them or listen to them.

It also makes me greatful for the opportunities I've been given.

mparke[at]mts[dot]net

Marie said...

I follow your blog using my Google Reader.

mparke[at]mts[dot]net

Kaye said...

They break my heart but at the same time makes me grateful for my own life and that my children never suffered like that. I think it helps us grow as a citizen of the world to see how other people live and try to make it better.

florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Kaye said...

I follow through google connect

Wendy said...

Listening and/or reading stories such as this break my heart, but leave me hopeful that their stories will help to educate the world on the atrocities that still exist.


Thanks for the entry!

Wendy
wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

Wendy said...

I'm a follwer via Google Connect and read your blog on my Google Reader!

Thanks for the entry!

Wendy
wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

I love to read stories like these. They show the strength of the human spirit in the direst of circumstances.
Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com

Cheffer said...

I am an old follower on Google Friend Connec and twitter. I have been following since mid July.

Fourevermandm@aol.com

Edna said...

Please enter me into this contest

Mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Edna said...

I am an old follower



Mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Denny, Alaska said...

"Listening" to stories such as this are 1)inspirational, and 2) introduce me to areas of the world I will likely never visit. Thank you for hosting this giveaway.

denny(dot)gill(at)gmail(dot)com

Rebecca Orr said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Libby's Library said...

Sometimes I enjoy reading (or listening) to short stories. I go back and forth with stories like these...feeling so blessed that I have so much, and so sickened that there are so many that have so little. I wish that I could do more for others. I try to remember that old story about the person on the shore who was throwing back the numbers of starfish that had been washed up in a storm. A passerby, said "You know you can't help them all, what possible difference can you make?" The starfish thrower, tossed another starfish into the ocean and said, "I just made a difference to that one!" Good philosophy to embrace.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

+1 I'm a follower:-)

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Rebecca Orr said...

I think that as hard as it may be to hear, these stories need to be told. I think that we (as a whole...in America anyway) take our lives and the things we have for granted. We do not always think about the people in other countries because they do not always have a direct effect on our lives here. I would love to listen to this. Thanks for the chance.
bekki1820cb at gmail

Rebecca Orr said...

Follower via gfc, reader, and email.

bekki1820cb at gmail

Linda Henderson said...

Although I might personally find it very distressing to read these kinds of stories, I think they need to be told and while I can't say I enjoy reading them, I do read them.

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

I already follow by Google Reader.

seriousreader at live dot com

Lee P said...

Even though it may be hard to read these stories, I believe that it is very important that they be written so that we will be educated about their lives and learn how we can help.

chinook92 at gmail dot com

Lee P said...

I follow Bookin' With Bingo via Google Friends.

chinook92 at gmail dot com

Nancye said...

It makes me feel very grateful and thankful for my home and plenty of food to eat. It really puts things into perspective.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Loyal Follower thru Google Friend

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Missa said...

I enjoy reading/listening to these types of stories because they're inspirational. They also make me grateful for the things I have in my life.

sweetmissa at gmail dot com

Missa said...

I'm a follower!

sweetmissa at gmail dot com

Sue said...

I listen/read and feel grateful for what I have! Thanks for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I love reading books like this. learning of other people's culture, and learning about what goes on in other countries.

shopgurl101@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I am already a follower

shopgurl101@gmail.com

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