There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey To Rescue Africa's Children
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend My book about Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra, the story of a remarkable woman who opened her doors to Addis Ababa's orphaned children, is finished, but the vast landscape of the orphaned children flows on. On a recent return visit to Addis Ababa, I found I could not lay aside the impetus to see and to understand, the impetus to try to act, to try to bear witness. Product details and pricing info |
|---|
40 Customer Reviews Posted
- Powerful
- My wife and I are adopting from Ethiopia and I found this book a compelling look at the plight of orphaned children in Ethiopia. This could easily have been a depressing and guilt-inducing account, but the story of Haregewoin Teferra is uplifting and inspiring. A widow who has lost a daughter to AIDS, Haregewoin finds a new purpose in life by taking orphans into her home in Addis Ababa. Haregewoin is not a saint; at certain points she succumbs to pride and allows prejudice to cloud her judgment.
The author, who adopted an Ethiopian girl herself, also looks at the broader historical, political and economic context of the AIDS crisis in Ethiopia. In the U.S., HIV/AIDS has become less a death sentence than a chronic condition that can be kept in check with drugs. But in Ethiopia, and much of Africa as a whole, these drugs have only started to become available to non-wealthy patients in the past couple of years. The big pharmaceutical companies don't come off very well here, but the real story isn't about heroes and villains. It's about what can be accomplished through generosity and cooperation even in seemingly hopeless situations. - 2007-12-16, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- This author is fantastic
- I don't write to echo all the praise below, because that would be repetitive, but to also mention that all of Melissa Faye Greene's books are of similar, stellar quality. Although they all deal with very different topics, they are all meticulously researched and wonderfully written. You should read them all.
- 2007-10-30, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Opening our eyes to global needs
- Melissa Fay Greene has the gift of story telling. The book beckons the reader to think beyond themselves and consider what contribution they may make to the cause of the orphan/Aids in Africa. Thank you Ms. Greene for inviting us on the journey...for educating us on real life on the other side of the globe...for jolting us out of our comfort and compelling us to action. One would need to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this powerful story!
- 2007-06-30, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- awesome, informative book
- I am so thrilled that I spent time reading this book. I loved it. This is a well written, informative book. I enjoyed the writing style as it moved through factual historical perspectives to the story of one women making a difference. Take time to read...you will be happy you did!
- 2007-06-09, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Moving, informative, gripping picture of humanity in Ethiopia
- This is the best book I have read in some time. It is meticulously researched, insightful, and explains difficult technical issues clearly. It is gripping in its description of the plight of AIDS orphans and the incredible poverty of Ethiopia. But it is particularly special in the even-handed description of Haregewoin, not as a saint, thought she has given of herself like one, but as a flawed human (as we are all flawed) who has accomplished incredible good at a time when doing so put herself in great jeopardy in her society. This book is a great accomplishment by an accomplished author. I hope she receives the National Book Award for this one!
- 2007-05-29, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
