Half the Sky

Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

By: Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.

With Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Drawing on the breadth of their combined reporting experience, Kristof and WuDunn depict our world with anger, sadness, clarity, and, ultimately, hope.

They show how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. That Cambodian girl eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon. A Zimbabwean mother of five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert on AIDS.

Through these stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to do just that, and how we can each do our part. Throughout much of the world, the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the population. Countries such as China have prospered precisely because they emancipated women and brought them into the formal economy. Unleashing that process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy for fighting poverty.

Deeply felt, pragmatic, and inspirational, Half the Sky is essential listening for every global citizen.

©2019 Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"This book isn't a sermon.... These stories are electrifying and have the effect of breaking down this enormous problem into segments the reader can focus on. Suddenly, these horrendous problems begin to seem solvable.... Again, this book is not a sermon about victims. Its range is wide, and sometimes it's even funny...Half the Sky is a call to arms, a call for help, a call for contributions, but also a call for volunteers. It asks us to open our eyes to this enormous humanitarian issue. It does so with exquisitely crafted prose and sensationally interesting material...I really do think this is one of the most important books I have ever reviewed.” (Carolyn See, The Washington Post)

“If you have always wondered whether you can change the world, read this book. Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have written a brilliant call to arms that describes one of the transcendent injustices in the world today - the brutal treatment of women. They take you to many countries, introduce you to extraordinary women, and tell you their moving tales. Throughout, the tone is practical not preachy and the book’s suggestions as to how you can make a difference are simple, sensible, and yet powerful. The authors vividly describe a terrible reality about the world we live in but they also provide light and hope that we can, in fact, change it.” (Fareed Zakaria, author, The Post-American World)

“The stories that Kristof and WuDunn share are as powerful as they are heartbreaking. Their insight into gender issues and the role of women in development inspires hope, optimism, and most importantly, the will to change. Both a brutal awakening and an unmistakable call to action, this book should be read by all.” (Melinda Gates)

A Must Read

This book sheds a light on the inequalities around the world against women and explains facts as to why we need women in leadership roles! Fantastic writing and experiences. A must read for all people and should be an assigned book for high schoolers as it may open their eyes!

La mitad del Cielo!

Imperdible lectura para sensibilizarnos sobre la terrible situación de millones de mujeres en el mundo, y motivarnos a cambiar esta injusta realidad por el bien de todos!

a literal "must read"

Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs to experience this book. Our world could change. Our world would change.

A well thought out and fair look at Women’s issues

I really appreciate this book and its fair, but thorough look at issues that affect women throughout the world and pointers on how we can help and not just throw money at the problem which oftentimes just makes the situation worse. The stories, particularly at the end are inspiring about how women have been able to overcome huge obstacles that not only better themselves, but also their community.

Powerful! A human right manifesto!

I love the powerful stories and their global reach. I was dismay by frequent references to Africa when referring to other nations (such as sponsoring a girl in India and in Africa). This appears to perpetuate the stereotypes of Africa as if the whole continent is a country.
I would recommend the book to anyone who cares about human rights, ministry, humanity and especially students studying helping professions.

A must read!

Eye opening and life changing. A must read for absolutely everyone! I just can't recommend it enough.

A valuable and educational book...

Valuable and hard stories concerning the treatment of women and girls around the world.

Life changing

This book touched me deeply. It is eye opening to listen to real stories from real people. To hear whole statistics as well as specific stories. I really liked how it kept such a formal view of each situation. The stories were not blown up with verbiage meant to pull at your heart because the factual stories themselves do that all on their own. And to see that there are programs that are more effective and less effective and why is important. This book has made me feel like I can do something about the problems and know that what I am able to do can be effective. Thank you for writing this important book Mr. Kristof. I will be sharing it with others.

Mind altering

When I first started listening to this book, I had no clue how much it would alter my perspective of the world around me. I feel inspired to make changes, spread the word, and help in the fight to educate women worldwide.
Highly recommend.

Life changing

Every bit of this book will leave an impression. The narrative, the content, the cadence and voice.