Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

Version: Abridged
Author: Immaculee Ilibagiza
Narrator: Immaculee Ilibagiza
Genres: History, Religion & Spirituality, Biography & Memoir, Africa, Christianity
Publisher: Hay House Audio Books
Published In: April 2006
# of Units: 4 CDs
Length: 4 hours
Ratings:
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Overview

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee's family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love--a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family's killers. The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman's journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

Selected Reviews

Not a victim!

by fred
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Awe inspiring

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 5

Reviews (5)

Not a victim!

Written by fred on July 9th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Some people go thru tragedy and for the rest of their lives they are in the victim mode. Not this woman!! She not only lost almost her whole family, had friends and neighbors turn against her and even murder family members, and spent 3 months piled up in a tiny bathroom with 7 other ladies. The killers came back many times to hunt for them and they were continually terrorized. She lost half her body weight. Yet she didn't spend time feeling sorry for herself. She forgave those responsible rather than giving way to bitterness and hatred. I so admire this woman! This was a fantastic book, my only complaint being why was it abridged? My husband and I had the book right next to us as we listened, and had to read aloud the parts that were left out. It wasn't that long a book and the missing parts were crucial to the story.

Awe inspiring

Written by Anonymous on June 21st, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This book should be read by everyone so the truth of what happened is known. We all need to take responsibility to make sure we never allow suffering of this magnitude to occur again on this earth. That the book is narrated by Immaculee gives it so much power. An amazing testament to the spirit and power of love.

Riveting and Inspirational

Written by Rick on October 9th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

A riveting account of the author's experience as a survivor of the Rwandan Holocaust. In her own voice, you hear the story of her childhood, her growing understanding of ethnic tensions, and the role her parents played in trying to prevent bloodshed. Eventually, she alone is able to go into hiding, while most of her family is killed. The core of the book describes her experience while in hiding, including her grappling with religion as she tries to understand the genocide. This section of the book is truly inspirational. How she eventually escaped is also a fascinating story. My only (tiny) complaint is that the story is abridged. I bought my sister the paperback version of the book, and though I didn't read it, as best as I can tell most of the excised sections describe her life after she left Rwanda. After reading about this amazing woman, I wanted to know more about what she is doing now.

Left to Tell

Written by ladykay on September 6th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This book was riveting and compelling. An amazing story of how one woman overcame tremendous adversity through a strong faith, which grew stronger during her ordeal. A real "page-turner". Absolutely, positively recommended.

Left to tell

Written by Anonymous from Gales Ferry, CT on October 31st, 2006

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This audio was great. I found myself carving time out to listen to it and spent a great deal of time reflecting on it once I finished the program. It really reaches to a persons humaness and ability to overcome and heal. I was inspired to re-examine my faith and appreciate my life and my family a lot more. Great read for every and any one.

Selected Reviews

Not a victim!

by fred
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Awe inspiring

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 5

Author Details

Author Details

Ilibagiza, Immaculee

Immaculee Ilibagiza was born in Rwanda and studied electronic and mechanical engineering at the National University. She lost most of her family during the 1994 genocide. Four years later, she emigrated to the United States and began working at the United Nations in New York City. She is now a full-time public speaker and writer. In 2007 she established the Left to Tell Charitable Fund, which helps support Rwandan orphans.
Immaculee holds honorary doctoral degrees from The University of Notre Dame and Saint John's University, and was awarded The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reco