There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 472 pages
• Published by: Bloomsbury USA
• Edition: 1st Edition September 5, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1596911166
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1596911161
• Book Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.6 pounds

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Not unlike the AIDS pandemic itself, the odyssey of Haregewoin Teferra, who took in AIDS orphans, began in small stages and grew to irrevocably transform her life from that of "a nice neighborhood lady" to a figure of fame, infamy and ultimate restoration. In telling her story, journalist Greene who had adopted two Ethiopian children before meeting Teferra, juggles political history, medical reportage and personal memoir. While succinctly interspersing a history of Ethiopia, lucidly tracing the history of AIDS from its early manifestation as "slim disease" in the late 1970s to its appearance as a bizarrely aggressive [form] of Kaposi's sarcoma in the early 1980s, and following the complex path of medication (a super highway in the West, a trail in Africa), Greene rescues Teferra from undeserved oblivion as well as rescuing her from undeserved obloquy (false accusations of child selling). As with her previous books (Praying for Sheetrock; The Temple Bombing; Last Man Out), Greene takes a very close look at what appears to be the fringe of an important social event and illuminates the entire subject. Ethiopia is home to "the second-highest concentration of AIDS orphans in the world"; even as some of the orphans find happy endings in American homes, Greene keeps the urgency of the greater crisis before us in this moving, impassioned narrative. (Sept.)
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From AudioFile
Melissa Fay Greene documents the tragic lives of the children of Ethiopian AIDS victims. Greene focuses on the efforts of Haregowoin Teferra and her orphanage while chronicling how the Ethiopian government and much of the world ignore these innocent children. Greene herself has adopted two children from the orphanage. The highly personal book is read with intensity by Julie Fain Lawrence. Lawrence's emphasis of key phrases and critical events allows listeners to share in what Greene calls "an unfolding disaster." Despite the nature of the material, the story also celebrates the human spirit, and Lawrence's style allows listeners to share Greene's belief that these children can survive, and thrive, in a world that prefers to ignore them. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: There Is No Me Without You - One Woman's Odyssey to rescue Africa's children (Audio CD) Haregewoin Teferra's story is precisely what the world needs to hear - a powerful reminder that one person can make a difference. As read by voice performer Julie Fain Lawrence this story is straightforward and true. While it would have been easy for the actress to lapse into sentimentality she never does so, speaking strongly, courageously, which certainly befits the life of Haregewoin. A resident of Ethiopia, Haregewoin was devastated when she lost both her husband and her 23-year-old daughter within the space of five years. How does one react when everything in life they hold dear is taken from them? She became a recluse, isolating herself in a tin walled compound close to her daughter's grave. It was as if there was nothing on earth left for her and she was simply waiting to die. All of this changed when a priest brought a teenager, orphaned by the horrifying AIDS pandemic that is sweeping their country, to Haregewoin. Then he brought another. As she began to care for these young ones her life changed and so did theirs. It didn't take long before it was known that Haregewoin offered a haven for the lost - a baby was left at her doorstep, a grandfather gave up grandchildren he could not afford to feed, a young boy whose mother had died and whose father was terminally ill. Soon, there were sixty children in her care. A mighty task for a middle-aged 4' 8" tall woman. Yet she rose to it and more - she did so gladly, heroically. Yes, this is a tragic story in many ways but it is also a hopeful one, a reminder of the resiliency of the human spirit and the generosity of the human heart. - Gail Cooke Comment | | (Report this)