134th out of 1,940 books
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1,876 voters
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.
Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 d...more
Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 d...more
Paperback, 214 pages
Published
June 1st 2007
by Hay House
(first published February 15th 2006)
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Oct 18, 2012
Gilbert
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE LIVING!
Recommended to Gilbert by:
Arlene Amorino
"What was that all about, Immaculée? That was the man who murdered your family. I brought him to you to question...to spit on if you wanted to. But you forgave him! How could you do that? Why did you forgive him?"
I answered him with the truth: "Forgiveness is all I have to offer."
pg. 204
-----------------
THAT line is the goal....but how the heck did this woman get to that point is why you NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!!
Guilt and anger are forces destroying our cultures, our churches, and ourselves most...more
I answered him with the truth: "Forgiveness is all I have to offer."
pg. 204
-----------------
THAT line is the goal....but how the heck did this woman get to that point is why you NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!!
Guilt and anger are forces destroying our cultures, our churches, and ourselves most...more
Entering this book, I was expecting personal account of the Rwandan holocaust, despite the foreword stating otherwise. In some ways, my expectations were met, in some others, I was surprised. More than just a chronicling of atrocities, Imaculee Ilibagiza's tale is also a testament to inner fortitude, faith, and the power to forgive.
As an agnostic (though my views on spirituality are constantly in flux) I expected that her story would come off as a bit hokey, with too much Jesus-speak for me. Ag...more
As an agnostic (though my views on spirituality are constantly in flux) I expected that her story would come off as a bit hokey, with too much Jesus-speak for me. Ag...more
Faith can be defined as:
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.
(courtesy Dictionary.com)
How Immaculee Ilibagiza's faith was not shattered and completely destroyed after her ordeal in the Rwandan holocaust is astonishing. Tribal tensions between the Hutus and the Tutsis escalate and the Hutus set about...more
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.
(courtesy Dictionary.com)
How Immaculee Ilibagiza's faith was not shattered and completely destroyed after her ordeal in the Rwandan holocaust is astonishing. Tribal tensions between the Hutus and the Tutsis escalate and the Hutus set about...more
All those who harassed Eliece about this book, need to buck up and read it. This is a story that everyone should know. This is a story of great faith. Even though it deals with what happened in Rwanda (which we should all understand) it is the story of a young woman who found God in a bathroom and how he rescues her again and again even through some very difficult situations. My favorite quote from the book happens when there are killers outside the place she is hiding, calling her name and she...more
I'm not giving this five stars because I think it is a great piece of literature or that it in any ways matches up with the great books of the world. The five stars are more for how powerful and raw the book felt and how much it physically effected me. To me this is the job of a really great survivor testimony. They don't have to be perfectly written or come with accompanying historical footnotes, etc. There were times as I was reading this book that I had a physical reaction to her story. She t...more
Shocking and inspiring. Ms. Ilibagiza tells the story of what happened to her during the Rwandan Holocaust. The narrative's glut of horrific violence made me sick at heart, but Ilibagiza's faith and personal strength pulled me through.
These people are just like you and me: human, educated, desiring of a happy life, and it's stunning to see how quickly so much of this can go down the tubes when mob mentality, based on racial prejudice, sets in. And lest my dear review reader thinks that such thin...more
These people are just like you and me: human, educated, desiring of a happy life, and it's stunning to see how quickly so much of this can go down the tubes when mob mentality, based on racial prejudice, sets in. And lest my dear review reader thinks that such thin...more
Eye-opening. I didn't want to put it down. Most of all, humbling. I am ashamed at what horrendous things we, as human beings do to each other and also, what we ALLOW to happen. It broke my heart to read of all those refugees hoping and praying for help from someone--anyone, and no one stepped up to help. They were left to fend for themselves. I am ashamed at my own whining and complaining about nothing. I have everything! I am so very blessed.
I was inspired by Immaculee's ability to visualize w...more
I was inspired by Immaculee's ability to visualize w...more
Immaculee Ilibagiza, and six other Tutsi women hid from Hutu killers for three months during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Immaculee credits God for giving her the strength to survive and writes of her ongoing conversation with God and the dreams she had during her time in the bathroom. Her parents and two of her three brothers were killed during the massacre. In addition to training her thoughts on God, Immaculee teaches herself English which comes in handy when, after rescued, she applies for wor...more
It's sadly ironic that some people see proof that there is no God when they consider the evil manifest in the Rwandan holocaust. This author lived through that holocaust, her family were victims, and she says she discovered God amidst it. The style of this book is that of a religious faith journey. Considering the unbelievably horrible things she experienced, I can't suggest a better approach to the subject.
The terrible things that happened are beyond belief! I suppose it makes little sense to...more
The terrible things that happened are beyond belief! I suppose it makes little sense to...more
Incredible account of how this woman was sustained (and blessed) through prayer during the atrocities of ethnic cleansing and civil war while hiding in a crowded small bathroom with very little to eat.
Here is a thought from Elder Holland (fireside address, "Lessons from Liberty Jail", September 2008) that I thought went along well with the overall message of the book...
"...when you have to, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in any situation you are...more
Here is a thought from Elder Holland (fireside address, "Lessons from Liberty Jail", September 2008) that I thought went along well with the overall message of the book...
"...when you have to, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in any situation you are...more
To give this book fewer than five stars would be a statement that it was somehow incomplete or flawed. How could I find fault with something so heartfelt and genuine? This is a book I will not read again. This is a book I did not ENJOY reading, but it is a book that is worth reading. It is a book that uplifts, even while it subdues.
Would I recommend this book to my friends? Only certain of them. If you like to read books that entertain and put your brain on cruise control, this isn't the book fo...more
Would I recommend this book to my friends? Only certain of them. If you like to read books that entertain and put your brain on cruise control, this isn't the book fo...more
Jan 27, 2009
LaSchelle
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to LaSchelle by:
Teri's pick for January 2009
Amazing survival story! Through her ordeal, she was isolated with 7 other women for 3 months in a tiny bathroom. She turned to prayer and meditation as she had no idea how long this ordeal would last. Through this horror, she became closer to God. She listened to inspiration from God and it saved her life and the lives of those with her.
It was a great reminder that money and power can influence people to do evil. Slowly, people can be influenced to believe things that are not true or act inhuma...more
It was a great reminder that money and power can influence people to do evil. Slowly, people can be influenced to believe things that are not true or act inhuma...more
I think this is the most heartwrenching book I have ever read. I was emotionally exhausted when I finished reading it! I usually stay away from books like this because I just can't handle the violence, and I as I read it, I was reminded why I don't read stuff like this! I will forever have in my mind those images of what the Hutus did to the Tutsi people. I know that the author could have described things much more explicitly, and I'm grateful she didn't. It is unbelieveable to me that this happ...more
It's a pleasant relief from most information about the Rwandan holocaust, as she doesn't hold bitterness, anger or revenge in her narration. It's the journey of surrendering to God and having faith, not a chronicle of the genocide (outside of her own experience). If you wish for complete accounts, facts or a political understanding of the event this is not the book to read. But if you wish to understand how such atrocities are lived through and spiritually dealt with successfully, this is a defi...more
Jan 14, 2008
Emma
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who need help learnign to cope with hate
Recommended to Emma by:
my grandpa bill
Could you imagine spending over three months in a crowded bathroom, with little food, little hope, absolute silence and horrible living conditions? Well the author of this absolutly, 100% true story, LEFT TO TELL, was forced to try survive in a such situation. Immaculee Ilibgiza, is one one of the few surviving Tutsi victims in the 1994 Rwandan Genecide. This novel is about Immaculee Ilibgiza, and her horrific experiences struggling to survive. Immaculee herself describes the book as the follow...more
Left to Tell is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. In style it reminded me of Life and Death in Shanghai which was a Chinese woman's memoir of the Revolution in China. Like that book, Left to Tell displays the atrocities of the Rwandan Genocide of the mid to late 1990's without any hate or darkness. It's rare to find a book or movie depicting this kind of pain without the presence of anger or blame.
The author, Immaculée Ilibagizaa, is a Tutsi Rwandan who hides in the bathroom of...more
The author, Immaculée Ilibagizaa, is a Tutsi Rwandan who hides in the bathroom of...more
This book is much like "The Hiding Place" in its focus on forgiveness and God's love and support through such great trials. It is very difficult to get through, with details of the violence and horror that were a part of this genocide. Very disturbing. Most distressing to me though, was how much about this event I didn't know. It's hard to imagine that we live in a world where things like this happen, and we don't tune in or send help. I think of W. H. Auden's poem, "Musee des Beaux Arts," and I...more
How is it that I was a teenager when the Rwandan Holocaust was taking place, and I can't remember it? It was less than 20 years ago! My eyes were opened to the harsh realities of this terrible event. I cried a few times while reading this book. Even though the genocide was terrible and horrifying, this book is more about forgiveness than hate. Immaculee did a wonderful job telling her story of survival and how she came to know God and find peace amidst the Rwandan storm.
Nov 28, 2009
Jess Michaelangelo
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE
Recommended to Jess by:
My aunt :)
This is definitely the most powerful book that I have ever read. Reading this book brought me to tears so many times, and it truly takes a phenomenal woman to go through what she did and then forgive the perpetrators after all was said and done. I believe that this is a book that everyone needs to read at some point in his life. Not only will reading this book make you realize how much you may take for granted in your life, but it also shows you that if she can find forgiveness through God, so c...more
I LOVED this book. It is about a survivor of the Rwandan Holocaust and her experience of learning to forgive and actually love the killers of her family, friends, neighbors, and countrymen.
It is not beautifully written. Her words are simple but her message super powerful. Immaculee Ilibagiza is now ranked in the same category of Victor Frankl for me - unforgettable examples of how to see people who do wrong with compassion, understanding, and even love. I want to be like them.
I would recommend...more
It is not beautifully written. Her words are simple but her message super powerful. Immaculee Ilibagiza is now ranked in the same category of Victor Frankl for me - unforgettable examples of how to see people who do wrong with compassion, understanding, and even love. I want to be like them.
I would recommend...more
I have to be honest, I don't really want to read this book because it hurts my heart too much. I heard Immaculee speak at a banquet. I was captivated by her story (while I sobbed), and found myself marveling at how vastly different our life can be, even in our modern world. I recommend this book to everyone (even though I have not read it), because it is an unbeleiveable story. From what I have been told it is mildly graphic and horrific as she describes the massacre of her own family and the at...more
Wow! This book is so good. What an amazing woman. The things she endured and the attitude and faith she was able to keep are unbelievable. Definitely a lesson in faith, miracles, God's love, determination, forgiveness and many more. My sister kept telling me to read it, and finally just sent it over to me. I'm so glad she did. Thanks, Deb!
I can't believe this was gong on as I was graduating high school. Her forgiveness is an amazing example of what is possible when you embrace the reality of God and his purposes. Even as I try to embrace this reality in my life, her frank forgiveness for the man who hunted her and brutally murdered her family seems outside of my understanding. I would hope to be there one day because truly there is no quality of life without forgiveness, but I'm amazed at how quickly she arrived at this place. I...more
This book broke my heart over and over all the while strengthening my spirit. I learned that no matter what your situation you can put your trust in God's hands. Often times I feel like my own needs are trivial in comparison to what others may be dealing with and that I don't have a right to burden Heavenly Father with my miniscule problems and questions. But we all need direction, no matter what your circumstance and we all need support.
This book was wonderful. I marveled at her amazing faith...more
This book was wonderful. I marveled at her amazing faith...more
This book is amazing, inspiring, heartwrenching, and hope giving. When I read this true story, I bought it for my friends who I felt would appreciate it as I did. It touches the deepness of the soul, and truly makes you appreciate the family, friends and those that are blessed to be present in your life. I was fortunate enough to have met Imaculee and have this book signed. To hear her speak is moving. She is humble, graceful, and passionate and it was an honor to hear her story aloud.
Her faith...more
Her faith...more
My friend, Kristi gave me this book and it has been a gift from the start. This is an amazing true story of faith, forgiveness and the power of prayer. I cannot even imagine having faith as strong as what this young woman exhibited and lived. Having lost a brother to a violent murder myself, I was humbled and touched by Imaculee's ability to forgive. I have to believe it is made possible by her ability to love -- love God first and her fellow men second. This story will make you grateful for you...more
The author's story is a major inspiration. I read this for school, but I didn't feel like I was forced to read it. I very much enjoyed the book, while learning more about the holocaust in Rwanda than I had known before. It really did open my eyes. I couldn't believe how she managed to stay alive despite of all the devastating things that she went through. All because of her strong faith in God. I'm an atheist and even I am convinced that her strong faith saved her. I would recommend this book to...more
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It's about a Young Woman from Rwanda who survived the genocide of her country by hiding in a bathroom for 91 days with 6 other women. Her parents and 2 brothers were killed and reading about their killings were really hard. They were brutally murdered. I just finished reading a book about the holocaust and the killings were different there. In Rwanda alot of the killings took place by a mob with machetes. And in only 3 months time 1 million Tutsi's were killed. I really had a...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Beliefs | 3 | 41 | Aug 05, 2012 01:45am |
Today Immaculée is regarded as one of world's leading speakers on peace, faith, and forgiveness. She has shared her universal message with world dignitaries, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at many conferences. Immaculée works hard to spread her message and to raise money for her Left to Tell Charitable Fund which directly benefits the children orphaned by the genocide.
I...more
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“The love of a single heart can make a world of difference.”
—
32 people liked it
“I knew that my heart and mind would always be tempted to feel anger--to find blame and hate. But I resolved that when the negative feelings came upon me, I wouldn't wait for them to grow or fester. I would always turn immediately to the Source of all true power: I would turn to God and let His love and forgiveness protect and save me.”
—
18 people liked it
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Apr 11, 2013 08:10pm
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