The Apology

By: Eve Ensler

Narrated by: Eve Ensler, Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

This program includes a bonus interview with Tony Award-winning author Eve Ensler and Audible Editor Rachel Smalter Hall, as they talk about the inspiration behind this story.

Like millions of women, Eve Ensler has been waiting much of her lifetime for an apology. Sexually and physically abused by her father, Eve has struggled her whole life from this betrayal, longing for an honest reckoning from a man who is long dead. After years of work as an anti-violence activist, she decided she would wait no longer; an apology could be imagined, by her, for her, to her. The Apology, written by Eve from her father's point of view in the words she longed to hear, attempts to transform the abuse she suffered with unflinching truthfulness and compassion and an expansive vision for the future.

Remarkable and original, The Apology is an acutely transformational look at how, from the wounds of sexual abuse, we can begin to re-emerge and heal. It is revolutionary, asking everything of each of us: courage, honesty, and forgiveness.

©2019 Eve Ensler (P)2019 Audible, Ltd

Amazing listen

It was such a deep & powerful listen. Then the bonus interview made it even better. I think everybody should take a listen to this book.

Perfectly written. Perfectly narrated.

This short book should be required reading for anyone who has been part of an abusive relationship of any kind and for anyone close to someone who has.

Deep Dive

a heartbreaking attempt to understand the mind and reasons of an abuser. a courageous attempt to try to figure out why people hurt each other and steal innocence. excellent choice of narrator I believe it was a great challenge to find the right tone to read this piece

a punch in the stoumeck with such tendernes

at the beginning it was hard listening to the detailed act of father-daughter rape from the father perspective, and it made me angry - am I supposed to understand him?! but the book is so much deeper. Eve Ensler weave the emotional state of every character in such precision. the complication of it just makes this book keep going in my mind. probably will remain there for some time. amazing book. thank you Eve.

A man apologizes for rape

I think Eve Ensler brings us into uncharted territory, the idea of a man apologizing (sincerely) for his rape. She encourages us to imagine what an apology from such a man would sound like.

Narration was Excellent

The subject matter is hard but truly incredible writing. I thought the narrator was perfectly cast. I’m recommending this to everyone. Beautiful writing if you can handle the subject. Must read.

Brilliant—though not for the faint of heart

WOW!!! A very powerful and horrifically detailed accounting that caused my heart to wail & weep and cry for the author and all the Eve’s within every survivor. The perspective and accounting from the perpetrators’ view was truly brutal and equally masterful. The father’s voice is written with operatic and grandiose tones that compels the listener to stay the disturbing course to the end.

I highly recommend the book with one bit of advice: stop reading if you sense you are being re-traumatized. This is not for the faint of heart.

The performance is stellar—Bravo!

Unspoken backstory

I honestly felt like I was listening to a Stephen King novel. this was like listening to unspoken backstory to the character Beverly in It. I downloaded this book after hearing the author speak on an NPR interview. I don't think I'm ready to write my own apology letters from my abusers. but this book helps strengthen my voice. gives me a solid ground to stand on and move forward.

Emotional

This book is from the perspective of her father who sexually and physically assaulted her from the age of 5 and on, it is the apology she always wanted but never got, and after 30 years of him being dead she finally was able to get one even though she had to write it herself. The book is not for everyone, it is heartbreaking and opened up some wounds I myself I had forgotten and thought I had locked away. This is probably one of the most impactful books I've ever read in my life.

I'm not even sure as I write this how I feel about this book, it was terrible, but amazing. Not terrible writing but moreso the subject was hard to read and the similarities Eve and I have gone through are so close it hurts even looking back right now. This book isn't for everyone because it is very triggering especially if you haven't dealt with your own traumas. I'm trying to think of this as a step in the right direction for myself to be able to let go of what has happened to me. To be able to finally allow myself to move past what has haunted me for the last 16 years of my life.

Reliving your abuse when coming to terms with it is hard enough for each of us, even harder when it comes from the person who abused you. This book is very needed in this day and age- in the time of the me too movement, and rape culture. We need to ask ourselves what can we do to break away from our abusers, how we can move on and how that changes us forever. Do we forgive? Do we attempt to understand why someone would do something so horrific? I will say for the most part none of us will ever get an apology from our abusers and if that's what's needed for us to be able to move on how can we?
The Apology is dark and sad and in the end I hope it is just what Eve needed to do to free herself from her past and move on with her life.
I hope I'm able to do the same too.

Painful but very creative

Could not stop listening even at very difficult moments when I thought I needed to breath! Moments I felt very sick to my stomach, extremely uncomfortable of what I was hearing!! What a strong woman! The narration is full of emotions and feelings, helps you relay with Eve's experience. I recommend this book not only to sexually abused women, but to anyone who experienced trauma. Well done!