A Paradise Built in Hell Audiobook By Rebecca Solnit cover art

A Paradise Built in Hell

The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster

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A Paradise Built in Hell

By: Rebecca Solnit
Narrated by: Emily Beresford
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About this listen

The most startling thing about disasters, according to award-winning author Rebecca Solnit, is not merely that so many people rise to the occasion, but that they do so with joy. That joy reveals an ordinarily unmet yearning for community, purposefulness, and meaningful work that disaster often provides. A Paradise Built in Hell is an investigation of the moments of altruism, resourcefulness, and generosity that arise amid disaster's grief and disruption and considers their implications for everyday life. It points to a new vision of what society could become - one that is less authoritarian and fearful, more collaborative and local.

©2009 Rebecca Solnit (P)2014 Audible Inc.
Disaster Relief History Social Psychology & Interactions Sociology Inspiring Nonfiction
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Critic reviews

"The freshest, deepest, most optimistic account of human nature I've come across in years." (Bill McKibben)

What listeners say about A Paradise Built in Hell

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Really informative and uplifting

This book was so worth my time. I loved the positivity. How humans respond to each other during disaster is a very interesting topic.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

For school

It was a book I needed to “read” for a college course and it was amazing! Really enjoyed the book and following along with audible really helped out! Recommend!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Necessary reading for now.

The first chapter is the gem. The takeaways about the role of beliefs, community and action are not only important but necessary in the Covid-19 reality.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Powerful Reportive Style

What made the experience of listening to A Paradise Built in Hell the most enjoyable?

Under current of ineptness around disaster zones when people are most in need brought to light.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Material is excellent! Narration is painfully bad

The narrator does accents for all of the people quoted. French ,Brittish,Mexicans and Chinese immigrants all get this treatment. It is tremendously annoying. The book is excellent and worth reading.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed the book despite the narration

Really interesting book, with a lot of interesting insights, well researched; however, the narration was really hard to listen too. The use of accents, which were not well done, was inconsistent and and honestly sometimes offensive. Also some strange pronunciations, like “New OR-lay-ahns,” which I’ve never heard from anyone before. It was so distracting that had to stop listening and just read the rest of the book my library. Perhaps this narrator would be better for fiction.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Narration Ruined Audiobook

Buy the hard copy. I am returning the book and doing so because the singsong voice of the reader grates.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read

Everyone needs to listen to this book! It is truly an eye opener. Two words.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The higher light.

Although a talented reader, the tone of the narrator's voice doesn't reach the higher light in this wonderful book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator is a problem

The narrator took little to no time to get pronunciation right. The very bad Spanish and French accents are annoying.

The basic thesis of the author merits careful consideration.

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