Knowing I've taken on the Women Unbound reading challenge, my friend Halle put an ARC (advance reading copy) of this book in my hands today. I had not (yet) heard of it, but this evening I was reading news online and discovered that Nicholas D. Kristof, the op-ed-columnist, wrote about this book and this author yesterday. I love synchronicity, don't you? Since I haven't started reading it, I'll "tease" you with some of what Kristof wrote about A Thousand Sisters: My Journey of Hope into the Worst Place on Earth to Be a Woman by Lisa J. Shannon, which will be published April 1, 2010."Five years ago, Lisa Shannon watched 'Oprah' and learned about the savage, forgotten war here in eastern Congo, played out in massacres and mass rape."Lisa felt she needed to do something, and she did. From a 30-mile fund-raising run ("Run for Congo Women"), to sending $27 a month to help Generose Namburho (whose leg was chopped off when she shouted as militants prepared to rape her), to going to Congo in person. Recently, Nicholas Kristof went visiting with Lisa in Bukavu, Congo. He wrote:
"On this visit to Congo, Lisa is organizing a Run for Congo Women right here in Bukavu, for Feb. 28, with Congolese rape survivors participating. You can sponsor them at www.runforCongowomen.org. And one of those participating in the run, hobbling along on crutches and her one leg, will be Generose."Watch Kristof's short video about Congo, which was posted today. (By the way, I have just finished the book Kristof wrote with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn: Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, 2009.)
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Oops! While I was composing this post, midnight came and went without my noticing. So everywhere I said "today" now becomes "yesterday" instead.
5 comments:
I've added this one to my to-read list. Just the subtitle makes me want to know more!
A women's retreat I belong to is going to be reading and discussing Half the Sky when we meet in June. I haven't started it yet though.
Alison, you will probably read it fairly quickly, so it won't hurt to hold off on reading Half the Sky for a few months. Not that it's easy reading -- because of the subject matter (some of it appalling), not the excellent writing.
My guy was just telling me about a piece on NPR about the Congo. The extended genocide has killed more than 5 1/2 million over a decade.
I'm going to look for this.
I have a new post up for Women Unbound. Please come by.
Susan, notice that this book won't be published until April, though online sites show it available as a "pre-order." I'm still reading this bound galley copy, so I'm not yet ready to review it.
Duh. I never pay attention to pub dates, Bonnie.
Thanks.
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