4 audiobooks from around the world

We travel the globe this month with tales from Canada, New York City, Somalia and the old West.

3. 'Don't Tell Me You're Afraid,' by Giuseppe Catozzella

(Read by Adjoa Andoh; Penguin Audio; six CDs; seven hours and 30 minutes)
This fictionalized version of Samia Omar's brief life is an emotional minefield lingers long after you've turned it off. Translated from the Italian, it details a childhood in Somalia made increasingly difficult under a strict Muslim regime and continues to the 2008 Olympics, where Omar ran as part of a two-person delegation. Trying desperately to flee Somalia for a country where she could be properly trained, fed, and allowed to run freely, she drowned in the Mediterranean after a harrowing and lengthy journey. Andoh's Somali accent is thick and overly dramatic, which was unnecessary considering the difficult and emotional material, which desperately needed a lighter touch.  Grade: B+

3 of 4
You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.