An Ordinary Man

An Autobiography

By: Paul Rusesabagina, Tom Zoellner

Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

The remarkable autobiography of the globally-recognized human rights champion whose heroism inspired the film Hotel Rwanda

“Fascinating…your book is called An Ordinary Man, yet you took on an extraordinary feat with courage, determination, and diplomacy.”–Oprah, O, The Oprah Magazine

As Rwanda was thrown into chaos during the 1994 genocide, Rusesabagina, a hotel manager, turned the luxurious Hotel Milles Collines into a refuge for more than 1,200 Tutsi and moderate Hutu refugees, while fending off their would-be killers with a combination of diplomacy and deception. In An Ordinary Man, he tells the story of his childhood, retraces his accidental path to heroism, revisits the 100 days in which he was the only thing standing between his “guests” and a hideous death, and recounts his subsequent life as a refugee and activist.

©2006 Paul Rusesabagina (P)2006 Penguin Audio, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Now, thankfully, we have not just his words but a whole book." (Library Journal)

AnOrdinary Man: Rawanda from an Insider

I was very intrigued by this book. The author was the Hospitality Manager, who protected more than 1200 people in a hotel that was made to accommodate 300, for the whole time of slaughter in Rwanda. I have heard this told from several view points. This is his story, in his own words. He doesn’t claim any courage or special talent. He showed how the skills he had developed as a manager and how the people skills he had developed as a man of his culture helped him accomplish this miracle. I was amazed how much work and negotiating it entailed to keep these people safe for such a long time. The "hollywood" movie version didn't begin to tell the details. I was also very interested in how his culture gave him a total different outlook on how to work with other people. I really respect this man and can see how I could gain from his experiences and apply his values to my own life. If you really want to see a man who did everything he could to save as many as he could during this time of slaughter - this is the man you should hear tell the story.

This is a great listen. Very interesting

Would you consider the audio edition of An Ordinary Man to be better than the print version?

I dont know, but I imagine it would be. You get the proper pronunciation of the names and things

What did you like best about this story?

His perspective on how he made it all happen.

Which scene was your favorite?

the images of where he grew up.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

drinking out of the swimming pool. Too many others to mention.

Any additional comments?

This is a really great experience. Educational, interesting and compelling.

A book we all need to read.

A must read. History has an ugly habit of repeating itself. and this could happen in any country when governments manipulate the population in order to gain and keep power. There is also the message that love and kindness does conquer evil.

great experience

Amazing story of personal commitment, passion of the human spirit, desire to live, and phenomenal negotiation skills in the face of genocide. Recommend to all!

A Must read--Superb!

Having worked in a Rwandan mission hospital with many who are survivors of this terrible event, this book is an incredible account of the happenings particularly in and around Kigali. It also gives an historical account of the events leading up to the clash between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Courage, savvy and a cool demeanor enable one man to save many. For another view, those interested in this event are also encouraged to read Romeo Dallaire's "Shake Hands with the Devil."

I loved this book about an extraordinary man

I saw the movie and loved it so I wanted to read the book too. It did not disappoint. The audio book gave the extra details about the story and expecially the man that rounded out the experience. Paul is an extraordinary man and this is a great book.

I learned so much!!

Where does An Ordinary Man rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed this book! I learned so much more than what I saw in the movie. I learned everything about a man's clever ways to keep so many people alive. I am glad to have listened to this book. Very inspirational story!!

Thoughtful and Disturbing

This book sets forth the most complete first hand story of the Rwandan genocide that I have seen. The genocide began when a missile shot down the Hutu president's plane, killing all aboard. It is clear from the book, however, that the seeds of the genocide had already been sown before that by government propaganda and earlier violent battles for power between Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda and in neighboring Burundi. The book shows how fragile was Paul Rusesabagina's position at the Hotel Rwanda. His personal story was one of guile and gumption that managed to save his own and 1,200 other lives that sought refuge in the Hotel.

He makes a convincing case that the genocide arose from an intentional policy of the government to instill fear and hate in the Hutu majority against the formerly dominant Tutsis (through radio station propaganda and the organization of poorly disciplined militias composed of young men crammed into refugee camps) in order to maintain power. One forgets that in neighboring Burundi the Hutus had earlier been victims of mass killings encouraged by governing Tutsis, and a formidible Tutsi rebel army had already entered Rwanda. Still, it is horrifying to read of savage, merciless murders of innocent Tutsis (of all ages, sexes, and conditions) that seemed to be carried out as a patriotic mission by crowds of Hutus, who had formerly had cordial relations with their Tutsi neighbors. The final tally was 800,000 dead in 100 days. The terrible consequences of fear, vicious propaganda, thinking about others in stereotypes, and the dynamics of "groupthink" are well worth pondering for all of us.

reads like a great story

authors shares his story with a bit of his childhood and community. the narrator speaks well, like a good neighbor telling a personal story. i enjoyed it. Fast action!

An Ordinary Man

I wanted to play the audio for some of my struggling students, but the audio chapters don't match up with the text version. If anyone has figured out what page numbers match up with the audio chapters, please share!
Sincerely, Noelle DeMars