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)

Colorful, compelling, timely.

Compelling, colorful, and beautifully told. With all the fear and loss of reason that has accompanied COVID 19, the message is as timely as ever.

Outstanding!

What made the experience of listening to An Ordinary Man the most enjoyable?

Powerful story, extremely well read (you can easily picture the reader as the author).

What did you like best about this story?

Demonstrates the impact that just one individual can have when standing against a powerful tide.

A wonderful story from a wonderful man

What did you love best about An Ordinary Man?

I loved Paul's compassion despite his fear and horror as to what was happening to his beloved country, friend, family and neighbors.

Have you listened to any of Dominic Hoffman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first. I liked his performace

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Inspiring and Important

This is one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. I use it last in my college Holocaust literature course. It is a favorite among students for good reason. Paul has many important lessons to share, and this book illuminates them beautifully!!

The courage of ordinary men and women

I read this for a book club selection and in this pandemic year of 2020 it seems more important than ever to learn the lessons this story teaches. Yes it is gruesome and appalling to read of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 but it is also uplifting to hear of the courage and bravery of ordinary men and women. It tells of the pitfalls of an uncaring government, pride,group/mob mentality and bloodlust. It also tells of love and caring, tremendous courage and creativity, and the importance of listening and hearing. I highly recommend this book.

Great book! Never forget!

Lots of intriguing stories throughout the genocide. A great job to the author and I hope we never forget and repeat history.

Not An Ordinary Memoir

I just finished listening to "An Ordinary Man." It was an unbelievably poignant autobiography of the man that ran the hotel that the movie "Hotel Rwanda" was based on. It is not an easy listen. "Man's inhumanity to man" is really hard to believe. But, it is very well done and captivated me. I highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in hearing the behind the news media sound bite story of the genocide in Rwanda and how one man made a difference.

Walking In The Shoes of An Ordinary Man

Such a captivating listen through Mr. Rusesabagina's tragic and horrific account of the Rwanda genocide. For those who have seen the movie, the audiobook will help fill in the gaps in which the movie totally missed. Mr. Rusesabagina talks about his life as a child in the hills of rural Rwanda to how he received his job at the Hotel des Mille Collines. He also talks about the aftermath of the genocide and the politics behind the entire event. And for those who haven't seen the movie, this audiobook will engulf you into the life and horrors of this terrible event...you will not miss a thing. Overall, this is a fast paced and very informative account of not only the Rwanda genocide, but also the life & culture of the Rwandans before, during, and after bloodshed.

very good

Paul brings the reader through his life before, during, and after the genocide, sharing his perspective. It is very well written and Paul articulates his ideas and actions wonderfully. It was truly a horrible genocide and Paul navigated it admirably during this time and he is an inspiration.

Lessons in leadership, and humility

By the time I was halfway through Paul Russesabagina's An Ordinary Man, I knew two things. 1. The Movie Hotel Rwanda tells a tiny fraction of his story, and 2. I have never done anything hard in my life.

Russabagina's 100 days in the Spring of 1994, when he cared for his Family and over 1200 refugees and employees during the Rwandan genocide, may be the single greatest leadership event of the 20th century. Students of leadership will certainly balk at that comment, but not after they read this compelling autobiography. I thought that I was reading an account of one mans experience, but I found myself taking notes on life, leadership, communication, and the complexities of good and evil from a master teacher. Have a pen and paper nearby before you dig into this one.

With much of the book dedicated to his life before and after the genocide, his insights to life make it obvious that Russesabagina would be an extraordinary soul even if he hadn't been through the horror that was Rwanda in those days.

Another book has been added to the "Must Read" list.