As We Forgive

Stories of Reconciliation from Rwanda

By: Catherine Claire Larson

Narrated by: Bahni Turnpin

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

Can a country known for its radical brutality become a country known for an even more radical forgiveness? More than a decade after the 1994 genocide, the Rwandan government has released tens of thousands of murderers back into the communities they ravaged. Survivors and perpetrators have had to learn to live again as neighbors.

Inspired by the award-winning film As We Forgive, this book explores the pain, the mystery, and the hope through seven compelling stories as victims, orphans, widows, and perpetrators journey toward reconciliation.

©2009 Catherine Claire Larson (P)2009 Zondervan

Glorious story of forgiveness

I liked the deep feelings expressed so perfectly.
I talk about the stories to many. I want people to read/listen so they can understand how freeing forgiveness is and do it themselves.
Life is given through it. More people will see this because of this precious book.

The narration ruined it for me

Would you try another book from Catherine Claire Larson and/or Bahni Turnpin?

Maybe by Catherine Claire Larson, but not by Bahni Turnpin. The narration was so distracting that I couldnt see past it.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I didnt get that far, had to quit.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Bahni Turnpin?

Anyone. She spoke too slowly and dragged out words unnaturally. The worst part was that she put on Rwandan accents when she quoted Rwandans but she didnt ham it up when she quoted American men or other people. I couldnt listen to it. It also seemed overly sentimental in the reading. Very unnatural tones.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

I couldnt finish listening even though I was in Rwanda at the time and wanted to learn more.

heartbreaking yet inspiring

What made the experience of listening to As We Forgive the most enjoyable?

this book was hard to get through,it was so raw and visceral but the enduring message helps to get you through it.This was one of the most brutal conflicts in recorded human history yet somehow those who survived have managed to move past the ingrained hatred that one side felt for the other.The narrative of this book is essentially showing the brutality of individual attacks and then how survivors and perpetrators overcame the most nerve crushing pain and anguish that was felt by both parties

If you’ve listened to books by Catherine Claire Larson before, how does this one compare?

N/A

Which character – as performed by Bahni Turnpin – was your favourite?

is hard to say in a book like this

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

is heartbreaking and not for the faint hearted.
i have read/listened to many books like this as it shines a light on the dichotomy of humanity,the hatred and hurting and our overwhelming spirit that helps people get through situations most of us have thankfully never faced.

Any additional comments?

the only downside for me,and maybe i am being churlish but to constantly crowbar religion(christian in the most part)and god in a book that is about breaking down barriers and divisions in all societies seem completely counter-productive.I know many people use there faith to help them overcome heartache and attribute this to the powers of god which may be the case but if we say that god/faith helped these people forgive then we must also be even handed and say that god/faith also helped allow the perpetrators carry out some of the most sickening rampages of terror ever seen.we can not just pick and choose what we want to attribute to any cause and ignore others just because it doesn't fit with our own narrative we want to portray