An Important And Inspiring Read By kaytidawg on Jan 21, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

This is a great book about a woman, Haregewoin Teferra, who somewhat by chance, after the loss of her own husband and daughter, begins taking in children in Ethiopia who are orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic. As word gets out, she becomes somewhat of a hero in her village, and ends up taken on more children than she can comfortably handle, leading her to turn to adoptions out of the country.

The story is told through the eyes of a woman who adopted one of these children. It is a story about love, and also about the AIDS crisis in Africa and how the plight of people so far away from us is often ignored by the very people that could do the most to help them.

It's a compelling read on an important and timely subject. It won the Elle Reader's Prize last year.

I loved this book and I think it's really important for people to read, since a lot of Americans don't know what's really going on in Africa and don't have in-depth knowledge of the AIDS crisis. I truly believe that knowledge is power and first-hand accounts need to be shared. Plus, I think this book is well written and a powerful read.