Mao's Last Dancer
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Narrated by:
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Paul English
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By:
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Li Cunxin
About this listen
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Story
Clemantine Wamariya was six years old when her mother and father began to speak in whispers, when neighbors began to disappear, and when she heard the loud, ugly sounds her brother said were thunder. In 1994, she and her fifteen-year-old sister, Claire, fled the Rwandan massacre and spent the next six years migrating through seven African countries, searching for safety—perpetually hungry, imprisoned and abused, enduring and escaping refugee camps, finding unexpected kindness, witnessing inhuman cruelty. They did not know whether their parents were dead or alive.
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Narrator detracts from story
- By Laura on 01-16-19
By: Clemantine Wamariya, and others
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Slave
- By: Mende Nazar, Damien Lewis
- Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Mende Nazer tells the story of her kidnap, at age 12, from an idyllic life with her family in a village in Sudan, and being sold into slavery. Trafficked to Europe and the London home of a diplomat, Nazer escaped - only to find she had to fight for asylum.
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Heartbreaking dose of reality
- By Sarah on 09-02-09
By: Mende Nazar, and others
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Golden Earrings
- By: Belinda Alexandra
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 20 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Catalina, grand-daughter of Spanish refugees, is a disciplined student with the School of the Paris Opera Ballet. Little gets inthe way of her career until the visit of an otherworldly being, who leaves her a mysterious pair of golden earrings. Given a quest, Catalina realises she must explore her own Spanish heritage and makes the connection between the visitor and ‘La Rusa’, a young Andalusian flamenco star. La Rusa died in exile in Paris in 1952, her death ruled as suicide. But as Catalina begins to discover, there were those in the community, who had good reason for wanting La Rusa dead.
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Fabulous story
- By Paddington on 10-19-12
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Bend, Not Break
- A Life in Two Worlds
- By: Ping Fu, MeiMei Fox
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Ping Fu knows what it’s like to be a child soldier, a factory worker, and a political prisoner. To be beaten and raped for the crime of being born into a well-educated family. To be deported with barely enough money for a plane ticket to a bewildering new land. To start all over, without family or friends, as a maid, waitress, and student. Ping Fu also knows what it’s like to be a pioneering software programmer, an innovator, a CEO, and Inc. magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
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A true account as good as any Horatio Alger story!
- By Roy B. Paschal on 01-14-13
By: Ping Fu, and others
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The Vagrants
- By: Yiyun Li
- Narrated by: Jackie Chung
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Yiyun Li is the winner of the prestigious Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. The Vagrants, set in 1979 China, is the story of those affected by the execution of a 28-year-old counterrevolutionary. Though suffering, Li's characters nevertheless struggle to maintain hope amid cruel circumstance.
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Lovely prose, good story, deadly narration
- By Athene on 05-10-13
By: Yiyun Li
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After the Roundup
- Escape and Survival in Hitler’s France
- By: Joseph Weismann
- Narrated by: J. Clark Allison
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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On the nights of July 16 and 17, 1942, French police rounded up 11-year-old Joseph Weismann, his family, and 13,000 other Jews. After being held for five days in appalling conditions in the Vélodrome d'Hiver stadium, Joseph and his family were transported by cattle car to the Beaune-la-Rolande internment camp and brutally separated. A thousand children were left behind to wait for a later train. The French guards told the children that they would soon be reunited with their parents, but Joseph and his new friend, Joe Kogan, chose to risk everything in a daring escape attempt.
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A “must-listen” book
- By Jonathan R Scupin on 09-25-18
By: Joseph Weismann
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Infidel
- By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Narrated by: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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This New York Times best-seller is the astonishing life story of award-winning humanitarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali. A deeply respected advocate for free speech and women's rights, Hirsi Ali also lives under armed protection because of her outspoken criticism of the Islamic faith in which she was raised.
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Tough, Candid Assessment
- By Paul Mullen on 02-18-08
By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
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Dreams from My Father
- A Story of Race and Inheritance
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a Black African father and a White American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a Black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father - a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man - has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey - first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family.
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Powerful
- By Gene R. on 10-26-21
By: Barack Obama
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Mosaic
- By: Diane Armstrong
- Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
- Length: 19 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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>i>Mosaic is compelling storytelling at its best - from the fascinating details of Polish-Jewish culture and the rivalries and dramas of family life, to its moving account of lives torn apart by war and persecution, this an extraordinary true story of a family, and of one woman's journey to reclaim her heritage.
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Absolutely excellent!
- By Roberta on 09-22-11
By: Diane Armstrong
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Tears of the Desert
- A Memoir of Survival in Darfur
- By: Halima Bashir, Damien Lewis
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Halima Bashir was born into the Zaghawa tribe, whose customs have remained unchanged for centuries, in the remote western deserts of Sudan in the region of South Darfur. Halima's father named his daughter after the traditional medicine woman of the village, and she grew up in a happy and close-knit childhood environment. Her father became a wealthy man by his tribe's standards, so he could afford to send Halima to school and university. Halima went on to study medicine, and at 24 she returned to her tribe and began practicing as their first ever qualified doctor.
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A story that takes you there
- By Justicepirate on 05-22-17
By: Halima Bashir, and others
What listeners say about Mao's Last Dancer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- KarenLee
- 09-24-17
Li Cuaxhin's story made my heart do an Arabesque!
Although my ballet knowledge consists of just 2 years in elementary school to please my mother and seeing the Nutcracker once by a Professional Corps and my knowledge of Red China limited this story was enthralling! A wonderful story of love for family and superman dedication to dance. I had never heard of Li Cuaxin and I regret not having seen him dance. I have since pulled up some YouTube videos of him dancing. Wowed by his wonderful performances! And growing up a peasant under Mao- difficult to imagine. I loved his family stories, especially his Nana who hobbled around on her crippled bound feet and took the blame for his youthful catastrophe and his love and respect for his parents and brothers. The narrator was very good and professional but as other reviewers have noted his accent throws off the narrative for me a little. Otherwise a great great book! I am going to look for the movie on Netflix or Hulu!
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2 people found this helpful
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- nicolette schonken
- 09-20-16
wonderful
loved every word, great story and i can recommend to anyone. well worth the time
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- Lina
- 09-02-16
Fabulous book
This was a really fabulous book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd totally recommend it to anyone.
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- Nancy J. Hyde
- 01-30-22
This book is in my top 2 most favorite!
I found this book exception in content of story, performance and overall entertainment!!! I've recommended friends they absolutely will not be disappointed. It's a must get!!
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- Empacted Colon
- 12-12-22
PERFECT!!! Chinese Communism ABSOLUTELY SUCKS!!!
This story reminded me of just why it’s SO UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME to be out of China and in THE UNITED FREAKING AWESOME STATES OF FREAKING AWESOME AMERICA!!!
Chinese communist government regime ABSOLUTELY BLOWS!
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- M Pasley
- 09-23-24
Beautiful
Amazing, moving story. Paul English is the perfect reader. Enjoyed every bit of it.
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Overall
- Derek
- 12-05-07
A Life Story Beautifully Told
As a Chinese American born in Taiwan, I can relate to the Chinese custom and tradition in the story. But I was struck by the poverty living in the Communist China in that era.
The story was truly inspirational. It taught us that determination combined with hard work paves the way to greatness. And yet Li's deeply-rooted Chinese family values and love for his family still came through all along. This is the "hero's journey" at its best.
The narration was excellent. At times, I thought there were several people speaking for each role. The British/Australian accent didn't take much time to get used to and the pronunciation of Chinese names were pretty good.
This is among one of the best memoirs I have listened to.
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33 people found this helpful
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- Jo Beth Grubbs
- 04-02-15
Inspiring story
I loved how the storytelling from his father and his teachers were a part of shaping his core values and inner strength.
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3 people found this helpful
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- G. Johnson
- 01-03-17
I should be an Audible Poster Child
Would you listen to Mao's Last Dancer again? Why?
ABSOLUTELY. I plan on it. I rarely listen to a book twice but this one is a re-listen for sure! I am going to take notes this time.
What other book might you compare Mao's Last Dancer to and why?
The Boys in the Boat. I love factual historic stories. They are both epic
What about Paul English’s performance did you like?
EVERYTHING! He was wonderful. I fell in love with him.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Absolutely. Only I couldn't take the time. It felt like a dear friend waiting for me when I could get back to it.
Any additional comments?
I love Audible. I am an American living and teaching at a university in Beijing. This story and presentation went right to my heart. I travel a lot and as a result of that and poor internet I have regular questions. It is wonderful to be able to chat with an Audible person. They are always kind, helpful and responsive. If more businesses had such integrity the world would be a better place. Thank you to all of you. I just gave Mao's Last Dancer as a gift to a dear Chinese friend. I plan to give it again and again to others. I am off on another adventure, loaded with more Audible books to keep me company.
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1 person found this helpful
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- sanguine_air
- 09-02-16
Starts strong
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I loved the book and do recommend it with caveats. The simple straightforward story telling of the child hood years is thoroughly engaging and reminded me vaguely of Angela's Ashes (with a more functional family). Gradually as the author ages the storytelling suffers. Characters flatten as he begins writing about people who are likely to read what he has written. I wonder if he shouldn't have stopped this telling when he was 19 or 20 and left the rest of the story to ripen. But its not hard to get through. You are driven to see it through to the end, to see what happens.
What about Paul English’s performance did you like?
Accents were amazing. Will be looking to see what else he has narrated.
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