Breaking Night

A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard

By: Liz Murray

Narrated by: Liz Murray

Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Liz Murray was born to loving but drug-addicted parents in the Bronx. In school she was taunted for her dirty clothing and lice-infested hair, eventually skipping so many classes that she was put into a girls' home. At age 15, Liz found herself on the streets when her family finally unraveled. She learned to scrape by, foraging for food and riding subways all night to have a warm place to sleep.

When Liz's mother died of AIDS, she decided to take control of her own destiny and go back to high school, often completing her assignments in the hallways and subway stations where she slept. Liz squeezed four years of high school into two, while homeless; won a New York Times scholarship; and made it into the Ivy League.

Breaking Night is an unforgettable and beautifully written story of one woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds.

©2010 Liz Murray (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Murray tells an engaging, powerfully motivational story." ( Publishers Weekly)

unbelievably inspiring

Would you listen to Breaking Night again? Why?

After listening to this detailed autobiography, one has to simply ask oneself: After all, are my circumstances really that bad? Am I really gonna blame my parents' divorce, mum's illness, my brothers stupidity for loosing all our family's saving...am I really really gona blame them for the mental state I am in? Or should I just look, like Liz Murray did, at what possibilities I have and to chose every moment another empowering choice?

The story made me rethink my own opinions and it let me question my own capability.

I would def. recomment this book to everyone who simply seeks for inspiration and hope that things can turn well, despite all your difficulties.

Hope this makes sense.

Best Book I Have Ever Listened To!

This book is narrated by the author and she does an absolutely amazing job! Her story is so heartfelt and compelling. I am surprised she wasn't crying while recording. This book was so inspiring to me, that I ran my 1st marathon after listening to her book. It is beyond motivational. Her true life story is so unfortunate and her outcome is so magical for a lack of better reference. I cannot do this book justice. A MUST LISTEN for everyone. A great family book. Really puts life into perspective. I wish I could go on and on! I am so proud of her, she is the epitome of a fighter! What a wonderfully courageous human being!

Simply phenomenal!

I loved ever minute of this book. The poverty Liz experienced brought back memories but most off all, her resilience is paradigm shifting!

Completely inspired!

As a 53 year old woman that has gone through a huge life upheaval of losing my business and career of 29 years, my marriage of 30 years, my home, my car, my father to cancer, I am completely inspired by Liz Murray's tenacity to not let her circumstances define her life or her future. Thank you, Liz for sharing your story. I am anxious to use your example and inspiration to not let my circumstances define my life or my future. Bless you, sweet girl.

inspiring story, very good writing

This book - the writing and the story it tells - is remarkable. I was inspired by the author and look forward to learning more about and from her in the future.

Lovely And Thought Provoking

Liz is a wonderful author. She doesn't only wright of her life, she gives insight into her feelings. She lets you understand her. This book kept me transfixed from the first sentence. She is also one of the best narrators I have ever heard. Her voice is soft, warm and ful of emotions. Yes, I did feel for her, though I knew the ending all along. No, this is not an easy listen. However, it's worth it. If you look at the summary and think it is intersting, go for the book. If you liked The Glass Castle, this is the book for you.

Inspirational as well as deeply personal, but ...

I dealt with a couple issues that prevented me from giving this book the glowing reviews it has been receiving. Although Liz does a wonderful job narrating her work/life, I found many of her early childhood experiences, while talking in the first person, not to be the thoughts and feelings of a child her age at the time. Rather, many of them seem to be thoughts that were developed as an adult in retrospect. Not to take away from, or minimize, Liz's tragic childhood years, but it just did not seem to be the voice of a child that I was listening to although she was seeming to present it as such. Secondly, and this is strictly a personal preference, while I found the first and last thirds of the book incredibly interesting and almost fast paced, the middle third of the book (her high school years) to begin to drag and the theme becoming almost repetitive. Although I realize that her life at that time was a daily grind, the read started to grind and I actually sped up the narration a click.

That being said; although this was a tough listen, it gives a vivid image of what life is like for too many children in our country and I would highly recommend it to most anyone. The author, narrating her own life, makes it all the more personal and powerful. This is a book of helplessness conquered by hope, inadequacy overcome by tenacity, and pain dissolved via redemption.

Finally, this book should speak to any and all of those that propagate the victim mentality so prevalent in our culture today. If more people would be willing run the same race that Liz Murray persevered through, they, too, could meet their goals and find happiness.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1)

Incredible story

Where does Breaking Night rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was an incredible read. Liz pulls no punches about the realities of her life, but does so in a way that expresses sympathy and compassion for the people in her life who have hurt her.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Breaking Night?

Liz's determination to get back to school. I could just hear it in her voice

Any additional comments?

I think Liz Murray reading her own book both added to and took away from the listening experiences. Liz is quite obviously not a trained narrator, but no one can tell their own story better than they themselves can. While the narration lacks polish, the autobiography itself carries this one through.

Very inspiring story!!!

Very inspiring story....I was very impressed with how Liz overcame so many obstacles and untimely graduated from Harvard. I plan to share with others.

well told story

loved this book. she did a great job telling her story. gives a great inside understanding to teen homelessness. recommending this book to others.