Strength in What Remains

A Journey of Remembrance and Forgetting

De: Tracy Kidder

Narrado por: Tracy Kidder

Tracy Kidder, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of the bestsellers The Soul of a New Machine, House, and the enduring classic Mountains Beyond Mountains, has been described by the Baltimore Sun as the “master of the non-fiction narrative.”

In this new book, Kidder gives us the superb story of a hero for our time. Strength in What Remains is a wonderfully written, inspiring account of one man’s remarkable American journey and of the ordinary people who helped him–a brilliant testament to the power of will and of second chances.

Deo arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Having survived a civil war and genocide, plagued by horrific dreams, he lands at JFK airport with two hundred dollars, no English, and no contacts. He ekes out a precarious existence delivering groceries, living in Central Park, and learning English by reading dictionaries in bookstores. Then Deo begins to meet the strangers who will change his life, pointing him eventually in the direction of Columbia University, medical school, and a life devoted to healing. Kidder breaks new ground in telling this unforgettable story as he travels with Deo back over a turbulent life in search of meaning and forgiveness.

An extraordinary writer, Tracy Kidder once again shows us what it means to be fully human by telling a story about the heroism inherent in ordinary people, a story about a life based on hope.

©2009 Tracy Kidder (P)2009 Random House

Reseñas de la Crítica

“That 63-year-old Tracy Kidder may have just written his finest work -- indeed, one of the truly stunning books I've read this year -- is proof that the secret to memorable nonfiction is so often the writer’s readiness to be surprised. Deo’s experience can feel like this era’s version of the Ellis Island migration. Deo is propelled, so often, by pure will, and his victories…summon a feeling of restored confidence in human nature and American opportunity. Then we plunge into hell. Having only glimpses of Deo’s past, we suddenly get a full-blown portrait. Kidder’s rendering of what Deo endured and survived just before he boarded the plane for New York is one of the most powerful passages of modern nonfiction.” –Ron Suskind, The New York Time Book Review

“Kidder tells Deo's story with characteristic skill and sensitivity in a complex narrative that moves back and forth through time to build a richly layered portrait. One of the pleasures of reading Kidder is that sooner or later, in most of his books, someone puts us in mind of the closing lines from 'Middlemarch': 'For the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs'.”–Boston Globe

“A tale of unspeakable barbarism and unshakeable strength.” –Time Magazine

Good book but...

This was a great story.
I am a huge fan of Traci Kidder and of his previous book...BUT...he was painful to listen to.
Nasal voice in an un-emotional mono-tonal drone...a pity....

Moving and unforgettable

An incredible book about a man who endures trauma and tragedy and goes on to make the world a better place. Tracy Kidder, the author, narrates the book, which makes it an even more moving and authentic experience, I think, than reading it in print.

My Favorite of Kidder's Books

This is Tracy Kidder's true life story about one Burundi named Deogratias (or Deo). Deo was a medical student in Burundi forced to leave his home during the genocida civil war. He made his way to New York where Kidder begins Deo's story.

The story of his beginning life in New York City is heart rending, but the chapters on the genocide are particularly frightening. Every skill Kidder has at hand is focused on this informative, enlightening story. The reader learns about communication, immigration, war, and many aspects of the human condition.

The compassion that Kidder has for his subject is clear. His characterizations are rich. Kidder does a wonderful job of reading his own book. I am going to buy copies for my friends this holidays.

Mr. Kidder, thank you for opening our eyes to Deo's plight and the horrors many face even in our own country.

good parts.

struggle to finish this book but it was a ok read with good parts in it.

Good, but not Great

Strength in What Remains" tells the admirable, indeed inspiring, story of one man's miraculous escape from the Rwadan/Burundan genocide of 1994, and his subsequent life in the United States. If it were fiction, it would be found in either the adventure, or the fantasy, section of any bookstore. Because it is so well-written, it has the feel of literature. Yet, I'm not as high on this book as are many others, for two reasons.

While the outer details of the life of Deo, a medical student in Burundi, are meticulously detailed, I never had a sense of his inner life, his interior construction; hence, he comes across as one-dimensional, as impressive as that dimension is. Then, the last third of the book, in which Deo, now a Columbia University graduate, makes a return journey to Rwanda and Burundi, accompanied by the author, is, quite frankly, boring, and adds nothing to the narrative in chief. Other readers have noted this also.

Quite a bit of the book is devoted to the many generous and dedicated Americans who helped Deo establish himself and thrive in the US. Their unselfish efforts on his behalf are as inspiring a tale as is Deo's escape from the genocide in Rwanda and Burundi, and they made me proud to be an American.

The author did an okay job of reading his book. I did not find his voice annoying, as one reviewer did. It was acceptable, but I think that the book would have gained from a professional reader.

Strength Indeed

Any additional comments?

It is amazing that Deo was able to survive and to achieve his life goals. I was especially moved by the descriptions of how the memories of the horrors he saw will always haunt him. Hearing of the generosity of his "sponsors" was also moving. I thought the trip to revisit the places of the horrors was anticlimactic and focused too much on the author. I would have preferred to have listened to a professional narrator.

An amazing story of a survivor of genocide

This is a difficult story to hear, but very engaging as the miracles of Deo's survival, and the help he received, unfold. the characters are described so wonderfully! it was read by the author, which has both pros and cons. I like hearing things read in the author's voice, but at times the reading was a bit sing-song and monotonous. also in the 2nd half, there were several chapters about the author traveling with Deo to see the areas in his story. these dragged and could have been condensed.

My one major critique was that I wish the author had learned a little more about trauma treatment. he dismisses psychiatry as not being able to help existential questions of good and evil with medication. however, trauma survivors are primarily treated by helping them to rebuild a sense of safety and trust, and then to create a narrative to make some sense of what happened, and then sometimes to retell the story while grounded in a supportive relationship. this is in many ways what happened in this book, but I wish that connection would have been drawn. it might have helped other trauma survivors to understand the process. it also might have helped resolve the author's confusion between Deo's compulsive retelling of the story and the times when retelling was therapeutic and cathartic.

overall, if you are prepared to hear about both the absolute worst and the absolute best of humanity, I highly recommend this book.

Another good Kidder book.

A companion to MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS with a great character study inside an incredible journey of survival. I have a bias against authors reading their own books but this is an exception. Kidder does a good job with the narration.

Narration

Very sad book but written well. The narration style makes listening tedious. Every sentence trails off in volume and pitch. This may be a cultural habit of speech but it does not make for a good listen. Recommend a prospective buyer listens to the audio sample and ask himself if he can listen to that same style for hours on end.

Thought Provoking

The thought provoking story of a brilliant young survivor from Burundi who with hope, persistence, and intelligence survives the slaughter in Burundi (and despair of the slums of New York) to go to Columbia and medical school. The horrifying effects of failed colonial policies and the paradox that a person would be happier under the threat of genocide than living in poverty in New York raise important questions about our culture and politics, all in the context of a great story of generosity, persistence, and the triumph of the human spirit.

I wish we had an epilogue about how the protagonist is doing now, especially following the renewed violence in Burundi.

The author does an adequate job reading, but it is a rare author who does as well as an actor. The recording would have benefited from a professional reader.