The Tears of a Man Flow Inward Audiobook By Pacifique Irankunda cover art

The Tears of a Man Flow Inward

Growing Up in the Civil War in Burundi

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The Tears of a Man Flow Inward

By: Pacifique Irankunda
Narrated by: Pacifique Irankunda
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About this listen

A prize-winning young author tells the moving story of growing up during Burundi’s ethnic civil war in this powerful memoir hailed as “a jewel of a book” (Margaret MacMillan).

“There’s nothing like a great love song, and Pacifique Irankunda sings a beautiful one here to his homeland and to all those who choose love even in the bleakest of times.” (Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were)

Pacifique Irankunda’s childhood in Burundi was marked by a 13-year civil war - a grueling struggle that destroyed his home, upended his family, and devastated his country’s beautiful culture. As young boys, Paci and his brother slept in the woods on nights when the shooting and violence grew too intense; they hid in tall grass and watched as military units rolled in and leveled their village. Paci’s extraordinary mother, one of the many inspiring beacons of light in this book, led her children - and others in the village - in ingenious acts of resilience through her indomitable kindness and compassion, even toward the soldiers who threatened their lives.

Drawing on his own memories and those of his family, Paci tells a story of survival in a country whose rich traditions were lost to the ravages of colonialism and ethnic strife.

Written in moving, lyrical prose, The Tears of a Man Flow Inward gives us an illuminating window into what it means to come of age in dark times, and an example of how, even in the midst of uncertainty, violence, and despair, light can almost always be found.

©2022 Pacifique Irankunda (P)2022 Random House Audio
Africa Biographies & Memoirs Civil War War
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Critic reviews

“In this moving memoir, Irankunda recalls living through a 13-year civil war that upended his life in Burundi when he was only 4 years old and contemplates the loss of his country’s culture and tradition to the violence.”—The New York Times

“Pacifique Irankunda has written a lucid and deeply personal history of Burundi’s brutal colonization and the thirteen-year civil war of which he is a survivor. But for Burundi and Burundians, Irankunda wants more than survival. Drawing on ancient teachings and traditions and on his mother’s extraordinary generosity, his vision for the future is a revelation and a rallying cry we would all, wherever we come from, do well to heed.”—Nadia Owusu, author of Aftershocks

“In this elegant debut, Irankunda recounts how he survived the 13-year civil war that defined his childhood. Irankunda was four in 1993 when he and his family, members of the Tutsi minority, were swept up in the ethnic war that dominated Burundi following the assassination of the nation’s Hutu president. . . . [Irankunda has written] a stunning tribute to his land and its people . . . awn intelligent and immensely moving story of resilience.”—Publishers Weekly

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A beautiful read from a talented young author

A beautiful love story to a war torn country that is at once inspiring, emotional, funny, and delicately heart breaking.

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Tragically romantic history

Pacifique’s story is one worth hearing and sharing. History rhymes, this book is an excellent reminder to learn from the events that unfolded in Burundi, and that led this author to the US like many others fleeing their homes.

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