Preview
  • What the Eyes Don't See

  • A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City
  • By: Mona Hanna-Attisha
  • Narrated by: Mona Hanna-Attisha
  • Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (730 ratings)

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What the Eyes Don't See

By: Mona Hanna-Attisha
Narrated by: Mona Hanna-Attisha
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Publisher's summary

A New York Times Notable Book

The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis, by a relentless physician who stood up to power.

“Stirring...[a] blueprint for all those who believe...that ‘the world...should be full of people raising their voices.’” (The New York Times)

“Revealing, with the gripping intrigue of a Grisham thriller.” (O: The Oprah Magazine)

Here is the inspiring story of how Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, alongside a team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders, discovered that the children of Flint, Michigan, were being exposed to lead in their tap water - and then battled her own government and a brutal backlash to expose that truth to the world. Paced like a scientific thriller, What the Eyes Don’t See reveals how misguided austerity policies, broken democracy, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. And at the center of the story is Dr. Mona herself - an immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother whose family’s activist roots inspired her pursuit of justice. What the Eyes Don’t See is a riveting account of a shameful disaster that became a tale of hope, the story of a city on the ropes that came together to fight for justice, self-determination, and the right to build a better world for their - and all of our - children.

Praise for What the Eyes Don’t See

“It is one thing to point out a problem. It is another thing altogether to step up and work to fix it. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a true American hero.” (Erin Brockovich)

“A clarion call to live a life of purpose.” (The Washington Post)

“Gripping...entertaining... Her book has power precisely because she takes the events she recounts so personally.... Moral outrage present on every page.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“Personal and emotional... She vividly describes the effects of lead poisoning on her young patients.... She is at her best when recounting the detective work she undertook after a tip-off about lead levels from a friend.... ‛Flint will not be defined by this crisis,’ vows Ms. Hanna-Attisha.” (The Economist)

“Flint is a public health disaster. But it was Dr. Mona, this caring, tough pediatrician turned detective, who cracked the case.” (Rachel Maddow)

©2018 Mona Hanna-Attisha (P)2018 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

“A stirring and personal account.... For all her doggedness, Hanna-Attisha is a goofy, appealing, very human narrator.... Hers is the book I’d recommend to those coming to the issue for the first time; the crisis becomes personalized through the stories of her patients and their parents.” (Parul Sehgal, The New York Times)

“Mona Hanna-Attisha’s account of that urban man-made disaster reads both as a detective story and as an exposé of government corruption.... Her book’s message is that we each have the power to fix things, to make the world safer by opening one another’s eyes to problems. Her book reinforced my belief that the first step to becoming a citizen activist is seeing the world as it should be, not as it is given to you.” (The Seattle Times)

“Essential for all readers who care about children, health, and the environment. This should be required reading for public servants as an incisive cautionary tale, and for pediatricians and youth advocates as a story of heroism in the ranks of people who have the capacity to make a difference.” (Library Journal)

What listeners say about What the Eyes Don't See

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Sad

The story is sad and frustrating but beautifully written. It’s real and real doesn’t have to be wrapped up in a perfect bow. Great read!

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A powerful look at the costs of our profits-over-people culture

Cannot recommend this book strongly enough! Poverty, racial and economic inequality, white privilege, political corruption, corporate greed, and every other social issue of our time is explained through the ongoing tragedy that is Flint, Michigan. Yet, this is so much more than just the story of the Flint water crisis through the eyes of a pediatrician. It is the story of the awakening of middle class America to the lies and apathy of its governments at every level, and the valuing of profits over human life that underlies every aspect of our society. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha has given us an unvarnished and personal account of the struggles of Flint citizens and their allies to save themselves and seek justice.

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Wonderful

Important read for anyone who cares about the future of our children and our country. The author does an amazing job reading and you can hear the emotion of the fight in her every word.

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if you ever wondered....

If you didn't follow the Flint Water Crisis closely and wondered, what exactly went so terribly wrong....THIS is the book for you.
Dr Mona put her own family stories and history into a well woven book about the beloved children of Flint that gave her the will to fight and to look past the government officials that did nothing for so long.

it is an excellent book that is both heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.

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Amazing a Woman and Work

After having met Dr. Hanna-Attisha at a Michigan Alumni dinner, I needed to listen to this book. She is a high energy, authentic, and brave medical researcher/pediatrician. Very inspiring story, reminding me that, when the opportunity to create a change becomes a responsibility, there is, for some, no other choice. She embodies the “Michigan Woman.” Many thanks to Dr. Mona’s family, for supporting her as she did what she needed to do for the children of Flint, Michigan.

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Awesome Book

It is absolutely disgraceful that politicians ignore the health of people who have trusted them to do what is right... and then to cover it up when they know the harm they have done! Unbelievable!

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Compelling true story

I loved everything about this book. I have recommended it many times to friends and acquaintances. This true story is about bravery and conviction and doing what is right. It is about optimism in the face of terrible obstacles. It demonstrated how the government does not have the citizens’ best interest, especially if those citizens are poor and of color. It is a story where the good guys win against the government machine. We need to be even more vigilant, given the politics and leaders of today. I also want to say the book was beautifully read by the author, it seemed as if she was conversing with me.

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Read it now!

She’s absolutely amazing. Well written, inspiring, and educational. This book is a must read. Thank you Mona Hanna-Attisha

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Must Read!

This is just an incredible true story. As someone in the public health field, Dr. Mona is an inspiration. Her perseverance and dedication to the kids of Flint is a reminder why we cannot willfully look the other way when an injustice is occurring. Thank you.

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Important Social Commentary

Author shared interesting personal stories to help digest a tough topic. She somehow simplified, without dumbing down, complex political, engineering and social issues.

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