Small Acts of Courage

A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy

De: Ali Velshi

Narrado por: Ali Velshi

This program is read by the author.

A captivating family history that illustrates how small actions can have an outsized political impact.

Small acts of courage matter. Sometimes, they change the world. Our history books are filled with the stories of those who fought for democracy and freedom—for idealism itself—against all odds, from Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. These iconic struggles for social change illustrate the importance of engagement and activism, and offer a template for the battles we are fighting today. But using the right words is often easier than taking action; action can be hard, and costly.

More than a century ago, MSNBC host Ali Velshi’s great-grandfather sent his seven-year-old son to live at Tolstoy Farm, Gandhi’s ashram in South Africa. This difficult decision would change the trajectory of his family history forever. From childhood, Velshi’s grandfather was imbued with an ethos of public service and social justice, and a belief in absolute equality among all people—ideals that his children carried forward as they escaped apartheid, emigrating to Kenya and ultimately Canada and the United States.

In Small Acts of Courage, Velshi taps into 125 years of family history to advocate for social justice as a living, breathing experience—a way of life more than an ideology. With rich detail and vivid prose, he relates the stories of regular people who made a lasting commitment to fight for change, even when success seemed impossible. This heartfelt exploration of how we can breathe new life into the principles of pluralistic democracy is an urgent call to action—for progress to be possible, we must all do whatever we can to make a difference.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2024 Ali Velshi (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Ali Velshi is the soulful, smart, principled, passionate future of American TV journalism. His family’s story is astonishing and inspiring in equal measure—what a surprising and wonderful book!"—Rachel Maddow, host of The Rachel Maddow Show and author of Prequel

“Velshi shares his noble inheritance, coming from a family of justice seekers and freedom fighters who endured British Colonialism, South African Apartheid, and discrimination, and who traversed continents to find safe harbor. He insightfully applies their ancestral lessons to our current challenges, writing in compelling, clear and incisive fashion about how to be responsible to the places we call home and the people with whom we share our planet.”—Imani Perry, National Book Award-winning author of South to America

“A book of wisdom and humility that offers a different sort of defense of democracy, grounded in one family’s lived experience on three continents, and informed by the lesson that freedom and responsibility work together.”—Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny

so so good

very satisfying and nourishing book. wonderful family stories with painstaking research behind it. earnest but also humorous

Engaging and Inspirational

I love to listen to Ali Velshi talk. Yes, he has a wonderful voice, but it is his intellect and insight that tends to make what he says an event of cognitive stimulation. In the history of his family’s migration he provides revelations about the history of conditions and attitudes that I really only had an inkling of. Caste systems and apartheid, bigotry and oppression, small minds and expressions of self-importance so outrageous they make the concept of a “bully” meek in comparison. I envy the richness of his family ties and, stressful though it often was, the meaningful experiences of their many journeys. I envy that he has garnered such insightful wealth from both the failures and wins of their lives. And I thank him for the inspiration of a most practical passion about viewing cultural differences as a bounty and not a threat. I’m sick to death of the small minds and self-serving attitudes of people with money and too much power working to foist their personal biases on everyone else. Thank you, Ali Velshi, for clarifying what I feel humanity should be.

This was a great story! I finished it on 2 days!

Thank you Ali! Your family history is so interesting! I can't wait for your next book!

Ali Velshi, citizen of the world! We love you!

Getting to know Ali Velshi through this audio version of his new book, SMALL ACTS OF COURAGE, helped me to understand why his family has thrived through the many places his parents called home. They live an attitude of gratitude and yet realistically face the hardships life throws their way. They were emotionally equipped for the grind of change. As an immigrants to Canada, they accepted other immigrants in such a genuine welcoming way. Civic engagement was a family goal. They admired their new Canadian neighbors. It gives me hope for America that perhaps we can all learn to respect other people for their differences, not despite their differences. The attitude of respect that his father taught to him and to his sister impressed me so much. Ali's dad taught him to help everyone, not just 'your own.' Multiculturalism as an official policy can give us all an opportunity to appreciate one another. Appreciation of differences can be a new reality! As a journalist, Ali Velshi has become one of my favorite authors through this book. He tell his life story so well!!!

Brilliant commentary on citizenship

Outstanding telling of the history of a fascinating family and the “why” of citizenship and civic engagement, all told from an exceptional storyteller and accomplished journalist.