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Unbowed: My Autobiography

by Wangari Maathai

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 2,269 ratings · 353 reviews

Born in a rural Kenyan village in 1940, Wangari Maathai was already an iconoclast as a child, determined to get an education even though most African girls then were uneducated. In her remarkable and inspiring autobiography, she tells of her studies with Catholic missionaries, earning bachelors and master's degrees in the United States, and becoming the first woman both to ...more

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Published March 6th 2008 by Arrow (first published October 3rd 2006)

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Jan 10, 2014 Margitte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014-read , africa , african-authors , african-politics , autobiography , reviewed , world-history

I started out writing a totally different review for this book while reading the text in 'Unbowed'. By the finish line I just sat gobsmacked, and robbed of words.

A few years ago I watched a program on conservation work done in Kenya and saw Prof. Wangari Maathai explain the power of trees to a BBC tv audience. That prompted me to find more information on her work. I was rendered speechless when I discovered the amazing person behind this effort.

I was therefor anxious and excited when I was given ...more

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Feb 22, 2015 Claire McAlpine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: around-the-world , memoir , biography

An astonishing recollection of the life and work of Wangari Maathai, a woman who applied herself to everything she did with vigour and heart, the opportunity to be educated was a major turning point and was the first of many open doorways she walked through and made the most of, not for own benefit, but always for the good of all.

Though she was a scientist and part of the University for years, the work that she started that would embrace entire communities and develop an awareness of sustainable An astonishing recollection of the life and work of Wangari Maathai, a woman who applied herself to everything she did with vigour and heart, the opportunity to be educated was a major turning point and was the first of many open doorways she walked through and made the most of, not for own benefit, but always for the good of all.

Though she was a scientist and part of the University for years, the work that she started that would embrace entire communities and develop an awareness of sustainable living, was the Green Belt Movement, basically planting trees, collecting seedlings for replanting, developing seedling nurseries and empowering women to do the same in their villages and towns. She knew and practiced that one person can't change everything, it is through showing and empowering others that change happens.

The government for much of the 80's and 90's was against her, almost as if it were personal, she was an advocate for proper governance and management of public resources and as soon as she heard about abuses of powers that would remove public rights, she moved her supporters to action. Through perseverance she won many battles, to save the last big public park in the middle of Nairobi, Uhuru Park from urban development, preventing Karura Forest from being given to friends and political supporters of politicians, the release of political prisoners and even the lobbying of the World Bank to forgive national debt.

"When I see Uhuru Park and contemplate its meaning, I feel compelled to fight for it so that my grandchildren may share that dream and that joy of freedom as they one day walk there."

She was an amazing, inspirational and practical woman, who responded to the call for help on many significant issues that would benefit all Kenyan's and was an example to the world, rightfully acknowledged and awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 2004. Sadly she passed away in 2011 due to complications arising from ovarian cancer.

"Throughout my life, I have never stopped to strategize about my next steps. I often just keep walking along, through whichever door opens. I have been on a journey and this journey has never stopped. When the journey is acknowledged and sustained by those I work with, they are a source of inspiration, energy and encouragement. They are the reasons I kept walking, and will keep walking, as long as my knees hold out."

My complete review here at Word by Word . ...more

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Aug 10, 2010 William rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read-5-stars

This is not the most artfully or lyrically written book but it deserves 5 stars for the tale it tells..It's a story of one of the few true heroes of our generation. And to overcome the formidible obstacles that are put in the path of an African woman from a developing nation, by men, culture, tradition and the vestiges of colonialism to reach the hieghts of leadership and effectiveness that she has is simply astounding. It is a story that needs to be shared with all that want to know what one pe ...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read2012 , biography-memoir , around-the-world , location-kenya

Wangari Maathai has an interesting story of growing from a Kikuyu child to a Nobel Peace Prize winner. I grew up surrounded by stories of the Swahili and Turkana peoples of Kenya because of friends we had living there, but I didn't know much about the Kikuyu or the forests. I learned a lot about the socio-political history of Kenya, how to work toward change (be "patient and committed," she would say), and how much one person can accomplish. I also feel like I saw education from a different pers Wangari Maathai has an interesting story of growing from a Kikuyu child to a Nobel Peace Prize winner. I grew up surrounded by stories of the Swahili and Turkana peoples of Kenya because of friends we had living there, but I didn't know much about the Kikuyu or the forests. I learned a lot about the socio-political history of Kenya, how to work toward change (be "patient and committed," she would say), and how much one person can accomplish. I also feel like I saw education from a different perspective.

The rest, I'd rather Wangari Maathai said in her own words, so here are the places I marked:

"These experiences of childhood are what mold us and make us who we are. How you translate the life you see, feel, smell, and touch as you grow up - the water you drink, the air you breathe, and the food you eat - are what you become. When what you remember disappears, you miss it and search for it, and so it was with me. When I was a child, my surroundings were alive, dynamic, and inspiring. Even though I was entering a world where there were books to read and facts to learn - the cultivation of the mind - I was still able to enjoy a world where there were no books to read, where children were told living stories about the world around them, and where you cultivated the soil and the imagination in equal measure."

"A general orientation toward trusting people and a positive attitude toward life and fellow human beings is healthy - not only for one's peace of mind but also to bring about change."

"Education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land, but instill in them even more respect for it, because educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost."

"When we go through profound experiences, they change us. We risk our relationship with friends and family. They may not like the direction we have taken or may feel threatened or judged by our decisions. They may wonder what happened to the person they thought they once knew. There may not be enough space in a relationship for aspirations and beliefs or mutual interests and aims to unfold. For a couple, this is particularly so because most people marry young and are bound to grow and change in their perceptions and appreciation of life."

"Humanity needs to rethink peace and security and work toward cultures of peace by governing itself more democratically, respecting the rule of law and human rights, deliberately and consciously promoting justice and equity, and managing resources more responsibly and accountably - not only for the present but also for the future generations. ...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Tinea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Earth Firsters-- be grounded.

Recommended to Tinea by: Nobel Peace Prize, 2004

Shelves: auto-biography , enviro-justice

It was my professor of African American Women's History in college who taught me the lesson that one of the best ways to learn history is through studying the lived experiences of activists working in opposition to a system structured to oppress them-- a combination of Patricia Hill Collins 's standpoint theory , which states (simplified) that the oppressed must be able to navigate both the dominant paradigm and the inner workings of the cultures oppressed people create outside the realm of powerf ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Friederike Knabe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs , african-lit

When Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, questions were raised regarding her choice by the Nobel Committee. Why should an environmentalist receive a prize that was identified with peace and human rights, voiced the critics. Reading Maathai's memoir sets the record straight, and justifying her selection for the award. In this fascinating and very personal account, she paints a vivid picture of her life, embedded in the realities of Kenya before and since independence. Her e When Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, questions were raised regarding her choice by the Nobel Committee. Why should an environmentalist receive a prize that was identified with peace and human rights, voiced the critics. Reading Maathai's memoir sets the record straight, and justifying her selection for the award. In this fascinating and very personal account, she paints a vivid picture of her life, embedded in the realities of Kenya before and since independence. Her experiences during the Moi regime, in particular, demonstrate the challenges a young educated woman confronted in the face of traditional prejudice as well as political oppression.

Raised in rural Kenya, Wangari Maathai never lost the deep connection with the land and its the natural beauty. Over the years, she noticed the changes and the increasing fragility of the environment. Trees for her became a symbol and a tool for protecting the vulnerable ecosystem and assisting rural population to stem the growing poverty.

Thanks to the intervention of her older brother and the support of her mother, she was able to attend school beyond the primary level, which was all girls at the time could reach for. As luck had it and, being a bright student, her convent school was one of those selected to send graduates to the US under what became known as the Kennedy Airlift: a program to send young Africans to American colleges for further education. These young people were being primed to become future leaders of their societies in the soon to be independent African states. Maathai returned to Kenya with a Master's degree in biology, a subject that for her combined her scientific interests with her deep love for her natural environment. She was encouraged in her research and added a PhD in veterinary medicine to her record. Life should have been easy after that with a good husband, a blossoming academic career and three wonderful kids. But women in Kenya were not supposed to be independent and strong. Her fight for women's equal rights broadened her environmental commitments. Eventually she lost her academic position, her husband divorced her and she ended up as poor as she was a child. Not deterred by the adversities she was facing, she continued fighting on several fronts. She started the Greenbelt Movement to plant trees to reclaim the land as a campaign for and with rural women. Over time it gained such prominence that it was perceived as a threat by the authorities. Public show of opposition, such as the demonstrations to save Uhuru Park in Nairobi from President-friendly developers, increasingly identified Maathai and the Greenbelt Movement as a focus for opposition forces. They fought for human rights and dignity, anti-tribalism and democracy. The details of these struggles, the friendships and solidarity that Maathai experienced, both in Kenya in internationally, supported her morally and probably saved her life more than once.

Maathai's memoir is very personal and written from the heart. We get to know her thinking and feelings as well as a detailed description of the difficult life women and men who opposed the Moi regime faced. Her easygoing and conversational style softens the impact of her description of the arduous and sometimes even brutal experiences that she relays. At the same time, her story is a stirring example of how one person's strength and perseverance can make a difference to a people and the world. The Greenbelt Movement is now a motor for tree planting around Africa and beyond. This is an inspirational book as well as a historical record. Reading it will make you feel enriched. ...more

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May 28, 2010 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-adult-nonfiction , read-biography , read-womens-history

My introduction to Wangari Maathai was through the children's books by Claire Nivola and Jeanette Winter, which focused on her tree planting efforts. However, once I began reading Unbowed , I realized that she is about so much more than that. Her life has involved her in politics, human rights, and women's rights, as well as environmentalism. I can't believe all that she has accomplished! One idea, one activity, led to another. She showed that when many people together do one small thing, they cr My introduction to Wangari Maathai was through the children's books by Claire Nivola and Jeanette Winter, which focused on her tree planting efforts. However, once I began reading Unbowed , I realized that she is about so much more than that. Her life has involved her in politics, human rights, and women's rights, as well as environmentalism. I can't believe all that she has accomplished! One idea, one activity, led to another. She showed that when many people together do one small thing, they create something great. She showed that the people, if they care enough and work together, can make their government answerable to them. She never gave up, and always used peaceful methods and reason, even when the people she was dealing with were violent and unreasonable. I wish I could be like her.

The book also gave me insight into why there is so much turmoil in the countries of Africa today. The British, French, Portuguese, and whoever else colonized Africa drew boundaries for countries that cut across and divided tribes and grouped tribes together who were traditional enemies. The colonial governments tried to force western ways onto them and suppressed traditional ways, which had always kept them in balance with the environment. The colonial governments also persuaded them to see the natural resources around them not as something to live in harmony with, to use only as much as you need, but as something to be exploited and sold for money and not something to be protected. I see parallels with the Native Americans in the U.S.

I read this book for a faculty book discussion. One of our faculty commented that you could teach a whole course from this one book. I can't praise Wangari highly enough, and wish I could meet her some day. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the environment, trees, women's rights, human rights, and democracy.
...more

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Mar 15, 2008 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first half, about her childhood and even her experience as a university student in the U.S., lacked depth. The book became more captivating as I read on, but only because the subject matter became more interesting (her experiences in Kenya after she returned from university, Kenya's recent political history). Unfortunately, her writing style throughout is pretty dry; she probably should have worked on the book with someone. She also appears self-congratulating at times, which is annoying but The first half, about her childhood and even her experience as a university student in the U.S., lacked depth. The book became more captivating as I read on, but only because the subject matter became more interesting (her experiences in Kenya after she returned from university, Kenya's recent political history). Unfortunately, her writing style throughout is pretty dry; she probably should have worked on the book with someone. She also appears self-congratulating at times, which is annoying but forgivable.

Her observations about international development were right on target, in my view. It was refreshing to see someone use their American higher education to make a difference in their country of origin. If only there were more people willing to do the same, and if only indigenous NGOs received as much if not more financial support from abroad as American NGOs.

Some gems from her story:

She struggled to maintain international support because the Kenyan government ordered all foreign assistance to go through them (p. 196), as well as approval for nominations to certain posts such as to spots within the United Nations. At one point CARE Austria was reluctant to help her purchase an office for her NGO (p. 201) because it was not officially recognized by the Kenyan government. This policy of using foreign assistance to prop up (malevolent) governments is stupid and it upsets me. You can't eliminate the risk of failed states, you only delay the collapse. And in delaying, you're creating conditions in which conflict will foment, making the inevitable collapse even worse. UGH

"Ethnicity is one of the major strategies that politicians have used to divide Africans." (p. 236)

"...the Kenyan government could be completely untouched by the complaints of its people; but the minute the international community caught wind of what elements in the government were doing, it could move quickly, because it depended so much on foreign aid, military training funds, and goodwill overseas." (p. 243)

"The Green Belt Movement had provided a laboratory of sorts to experiment with a holistic approach to development that dealth with problems on the ground but also examined and addressed their individual and systemic causes." (p. 255)

"What people see as fearlessness is really persistence. Because I am focused on the solution, I don't see danger. Because I don't see danger, I don't allow my mind to imagine what might happen to me, which is my definition of fear. If you don't see danger and see only the solution, then you can defy anyone and appear strong and fearless." (p. 272)

Recommended to anyone with an interest in Kenya, Africa, international development, etc. ...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Shomeret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world , memoir , my-reviews

The date July 7 or 7/7 is a significant one for Maathai's movement. It's called Saba Saba in KiSwahili. I'd like to note here that I was reading this book on Saba Saba.

Before reading this, my only exposure to the Kikuyu was Mike Resnick's Kirinyaga: A Fable of Utopia . Although I think that the Kirinyaga stories are powerful fiction, I am only now grasping that they are a dis-service to the Kikuyu in some important ways.

From a cultural standpoint, I appreciated learning that there are Kikuyu st ...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Mikey B. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: africa , autobiography , environment

Wangari Maathai is certainly a commendable and tenacious woman who overcame many obstacles in Kenya to become an activist in ecology. This subsequently led to political agitation and imprisonment in attempts to make her country become more of a liberal democracy.

She could easily, during her upbringing in the 1940’s and 1950’s have remained illiterate in rural Kenya. She describes well her school attendance and her higher education in the United States. I found her stories about the relationship ...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Barry Morris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Like most memoirs, it started strong then got more self-serving as the accolades piled up. Maahthai led an extraordinary life and had a considerable influence in the environmental movement. She definitely deserved her Nobel Prize and out respect. However, many memoir writers would be better served by biographers. At one point she goes into great detail about how her life revolves around her children. Soon after that we learn that she has to travel Canada to attend a conference, so she arranges f ...more

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Nov 04, 2014 Doris Jean rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: politicians

Shelves: memoir , prize-pulitzer-nobel

This is Mary Jo (Josephine) who got to go to a Catholic church school as a young child in rural Kenya where most did not get education. She was in the right place at the right time so she got an education and rose above her peers. Then she got lucky again and was chosen by sponsors to leave Africa for a free college education in Atkinson, Kansas.

Mary Jo lived in Kansas as a typical black American teen of the era, with straightened hair and bobby sox and the like. She was a lucky woman who recei This is Mary Jo (Josephine) who got to go to a Catholic church school as a young child in rural Kenya where most did not get education. She was in the right place at the right time so she got an education and rose above her peers. Then she got lucky again and was chosen by sponsors to leave Africa for a free college education in Atkinson, Kansas.

Mary Jo lived in Kansas as a typical black American teen of the era, with straightened hair and bobby sox and the like. She was a lucky woman who received many sponsors and free benefits. She was also sponsored to receive higher education with higher degrees. She returned to Africa head and shoulders above her peers. She became the head of a veterinary school in Africa even though she was not a vet. She was very ambitious and took full advantage of her good luck.

She married a politician and it seemed that he was jealous of his wife who was the superior politician. He divorced her, the kids went with him, and she proceeded on with her causes and careers. She took back her African name Wangari and left "Mary Jo" in the dust. She received many honors and grants. She got funding to plant trees and connected with environmentalists worldwide. She ran for public office and got into the parliament. She continued to receive good luck and was given many awards and honors, even the Nobel peace prize.

However, the writing was dry and self-serving, I wonder if there was a ghost-writer or a very strong editor helping her? The prose is not artistic, it felt robotic and formulaic. I admired Mary Jo and wanted her to talk more about her personal family sacrifices. I only gave the book two stars because I don't think she actually was speaking. I think one of her admirers wrote the book to promote her. This book feels to me like propaganda. Just my personal opinion, I may be wrong.

I liked the photographs in the middle of the book. ...more

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Dec 27, 2014 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It probably helps to have lived in Kenya to enjoy this book. And perhaps enjoy isn't the perfect word - "searing," "heroic," and "tragic" might be more useful.

This memoir is actually a sweeping narrative covering 60 plus years, as the author probes back into her childhood when Kenya was a colony of Great Britain. She describes how things native were belittled, while things western were magnified; how land went to British settlers even as Kenyans were sidelined in numerous ways - language and tra It probably helps to have lived in Kenya to enjoy this book. And perhaps enjoy isn't the perfect word - "searing," "heroic," and "tragic" might be more useful.

This memoir is actually a sweeping narrative covering 60 plus years, as the author probes back into her childhood when Kenya was a colony of Great Britain. She describes how things native were belittled, while things western were magnified; how land went to British settlers even as Kenyans were sidelined in numerous ways - language and traditions for two.

The author Maathai describes the strengths of her parents, her opportunity to come to America for an education, and the cultural tensions she experienced both in the US and upon returning as at the very least she was now an educated elite.

The story moves through Maathai's education in science that eventually moved into tree planting. But tree planting per se, was not the simple act of placing a seedling into the ground, rather tree planting had symbolic value - a means to bolster the authentic history of the land, an act of strength, a statement of solidarity with rural life, and perhaps most needed, self-empowerment of women.

From this initial move into an environmental action, the author writes increasingly of the corrupted leadership in Kenya (through the late 70s into the new century). She details how she stood (and fell and struggled) against poor governance in all its many manifestations, using environmental values and friendships gathered from locales to international connections to challenge the system.

For someone wanting to read more than the headlines about African oddities and tourism, this is one of many that spells out the challenges found on the continent during the past 4 decades.
...more

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May 24, 2010 AdultNonFiction Teton County Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography

Teton Co Library Call No: BIO MAATHAI W
Marisa's Rating: 3 Stars

Read this as part of the book group "A Revolutionary Book Group" - a very interesting life story. As with a lot of memoirs of non-writers, I feel the writing was a bit dry, maybe too straight forward. However, her story more than makes up for it. Maathai was born in Kenya to a large polygamist family in rural village. Her childhood sounds idyllic - and sets the tone for the rest of her journey. As deforestation created through coloni ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Johanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography , non-fiction

The main theme between Three Cups of Tea and Unbowed were similar: Fixing a broken system that was doing wrong to its people. In one case, the people were neglected and forgotten. In the other, the people were exploited or trampled. Both protagonists in the books were headstrong, to say the least, and accomplished some amazing good on a large-scale level. But their ego also separated them at times from even those closest to them.

While reading Maathai's memoirs, I was really amazed at how often t ...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Esther rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: africa , creative-non-fiction , women

While I appreciated the introduction to Kikuyu culture and a bit of an introduction into Kenya's political climate over time, I missed having a narrative path to follow in Maathai's autobiography. Without a sense of Story to draw me through Maathai's life, I felt like I was tracing the bullet points version of her major achievements plotted along a timeline. History lessons and timelines are something I tend to avoid, and I felt myself turning away from what was a challenging life well-lived.

My ...more

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Nov 02, 2014 Thing Two rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: country-kenya , continent-africa-eastern

The very early chapters of this memoir were fascinating to me. Maathai explored her childhood in Kenya and laid out the historical backdrop that lead to the tensions in her country today. If she had kept this tone to present the rest of her manuscript, it would have been an awesome reading experience. But the story she had to tell - while harrowing for her personally - fell flat on paper. It's unfortunate, because in the hands of a more experienced writer, her story would be a masterpiece. Maybe ...more

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Nov 09, 2008 Marcy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who revere courage against all odds

Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977 in Kenya. Her saving of Kenya's forests won her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

Not only did Wangari Maathai found the Green Belt Movement, but she has fought continuously for human rights in her country. A corrupt undemocratic government has constantly tried to keep her down, in the press, and even through imprisonment. Wangari has never given up. She is revered by the people of Kenya, as she is all over the world. She fights for what is rig ...more

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Jul 13, 2015 Brittany Flittner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the most inspiring books I have ever read. A book filled with courage, persistence, and empowerment. If you're looking for a way to make a difference, this book has plenty of ideas.

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Oct 06, 2011 Eszter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

beyond inspiring. i can't even speak to what she writes about; i think it is already too late for me to build the fortitude to challenge (and shift) the orientation of my government's moral compass. "but it is never too late," i'm sure maathai would say. and maybe she's right; we are all so comfortable believing that we are not the ones who can make a difference that it makes it infinitely harder to gather momentum for those who are willing to try.

r.i.p. wangari maathai; she died last friday at ...more

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Jul 13, 2015 Elliot Clissold rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I originally picked up this book as I was heading out to a rural community in Kenya for a few weeks. Although it probably didn't massively enrich my experience of those communities, it certainly provided a profound backdrop to the attitudes of Kenyan citizens towards their past and present governments.

I initially expected the book to be very focused on environmental issues in both Kenya and globally. Although in a sense it is, it's scope expands far beyond this. Wangari Maathai is an astonishing ...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Kate Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unbowed: A Memoir is a fascinating autobiography about a relentless women and her struggles, her vision, and her work with the women of Kenya. 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Wangari Maathai, was a visionary environmentalist as well as a pioneer on the treacherous path to peace. Known as “mother of the trees”, she created a successful reforestation program in Kenya, while combating human rights violations and bad governance. Maathai is the epitome of endurance and self-sacrifice.

I was inspired Unbowed: A Memoir is a fascinating autobiography about a relentless women and her struggles, her vision, and her work with the women of Kenya. 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Wangari Maathai, was a visionary environmentalist as well as a pioneer on the treacherous path to peace. Known as “mother of the trees”, she created a successful reforestation program in Kenya, while combating human rights violations and bad governance. Maathai is the epitome of endurance and self-sacrifice.

I was inspired by this story of a humble leader, led by the heart. Wangari Maathai tells of her childhood and education in America, as well as her return to Kenya and what followed. Wangari Maathai acted upon the inextricable links of environmental preservation, and peace. And meanwhile, was relentless in her fight for equality. She therefore started a grassroots project called the Green Belt Movement, to plant trees with the women, and in so doing empowering them to stand up for what they knew to be right. To liberate themselves from fear and silence. She gave them hope which is the most important gift of all. “The future of the planet concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it. As I told the foresters, and the women, you don’t need a diploma to plant a tree. (137)” Tree planting was her response to the problem at hand. Once the government realized she was organizing women, Maathai was publicly criticized, jailed, beaten, vilified, and such, yet Maathai did not conform to what was expected of Kenyan women at the time: to serve and respect their men. Unlike many autobiographies however, she was not self-pitying in the least. On the contrary, she weaves in humor into her story. This I admire of her.

Since, Maathai has gained considerable international recognition for her work. Though she passed away in 2011, her legacy lives on. I recommend this book to anybody who cares about our world, as well as for those seeking a story of a women; an activist; a leader. ...more

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Feb 10, 2014 Gordon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This memoir is about Wangari Maathai's extraordinary life. She established the Green Belt Movement in Kenya, earned the Right Livelihood Award in 1984, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

She grew up in a rural area of Kenya and was brought by the Kennedy student airlifts to the US. With research in Germany, she earned a doctorate in microbiology. After taking a teaching post in Nairobi, she joined with the church and fought against the then-corrupt government to protest deforestation. Th ...more

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Oct 31, 2014 Chiara Lilith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: preferiti

E’ un libro bellissimo, uno dei miei preferiti. E’ l’autobiografia di Wangari Maathai, soprannominata “Mamma miti” (madre degli alberi) è stata una donna straordinaria. Bimba di un povero villaggio kikuyu del Kenya che, grazie al programma “Ponte aereo Kennedy” per i migliori studenti africani, ebbe la possibilità di andare in America e diventare così una biologa, tra l’altro una delle prime donne africane a laurearsi. Ma Wangari tornò in Kenya, la sua terra, dove dopo vari avvenimenti fondò il E’ un libro bellissimo, uno dei miei preferiti. E’ l’autobiografia di Wangari Maathai, soprannominata “Mamma miti” (madre degli alberi) è stata una donna straordinaria. Bimba di un povero villaggio kikuyu del Kenya che, grazie al programma “Ponte aereo Kennedy” per i migliori studenti africani, ebbe la possibilità di andare in America e diventare così una biologa, tra l’altro una delle prime donne africane a laurearsi. Ma Wangari tornò in Kenya, la sua terra, dove dopo vari avvenimenti fondò il Green Belt Movement, che si occupò della situazione ambientale del Kenya, paese che in quegli anni conosceva i primi disboscamenti con le dovute conseguenze (erosione), il Green Belt Movement piantò nel 1977 oltre 45 milioni di alberi anche in altri stati africani garantendo molti posti di lavoro a centinaia di donne che non avrebbero avuto altrimenti possibilità, mancando di diplomi o lauree ma non di voglia di fare. Per il sui impegno in campo umanitario e ambientale venne più volte arrestata e picchiata, ma non si è arresa, rimase attiva anche nella politica, candidandosi come deputata e divenne presidentessa del Consiglio nazionale delle donne del Kenya. Il Green Belt Movement riscosse molto successo e Wangari, che nel dialetto keniota vuol dire “del leopardo”, animale che rispecchia la sua determinazione e grinta, ottenne molti riconoscimenti, come il 'Global 500' del programma delle Nazioni Unite per l'ambiente, il 'Goldman Enviromental Award', il premio 'Africa per i Leader', il premio per 'Una Societ Migliore' e soprattutto fu la prima donna africana ad ottenere il premio Nobel per la Pace, nel 2004.
Inutile dire quanto determinata sia stata, in una paese in cui le donne non erano considerate e che stava attraversando un periodo pieno di rivolte e lotte tra diverse etnie, avendo da poco ottenuto l’indipendenza. E’ stata assolutamente straordinaria, non lasciò il suo paese né dimenticò le sue origini, da qui l’idea di piantare alberi, gli alberi come simbolo del presente e del futuro. Non piantavano solo piante per rimediare all’erosione, piantavano “idee”.
Particolarmente chiara circa il suo spirito forte, il suo ottimismo e il suo obiettivo è questa frase, che scrisse nella sua autobiografia:
“Ho sempre creduto che, non importa quanto sia scuro il cielo, c’è sempre un po’ di rosa all’orizzonte, ed è quello che dobbiamo cercare. Il rosa all’orizzonte verrà, se non finché ci saremo noi, sicuramente per i nostri figli o per i nostri nipoti. E forse allora tutto il cielo si tingerà del colore della speranza”. Il libro è bellissimo, scritto bene, insegna molto e lascia ispirati.
Adoro la parte iniziale, in cui racconta della sue origini, le varie tradizioni ... ma anche la parte dedicata alla sua lotta politica, in cui si coglie tutta la sua determinazione. ...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Bernadette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari already impressed me with her Green Belt Movement and its focus on women as it driving force. I did not however realize the full extent of her story and the story Kenya. Her character and her moral sense of what was right impressed me. Despite intimidation from men, governments, police, and society, she stuck to her cause and her beliefs and the world is a much better place because of it.

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Dec 27, 2014 Michelle Hardy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Voy a comentarles "Unbowed", el libro que trata de las memorias de la Premio Nobel de La Paz 2004, Wangari Maathai.

Comencé a leerlo porque ella es un ícono en el movimiento ecologista, pero descubrí y disfruté mucho más que eso. Me dio la impresión que su trabajo en el Green Belt Movement fue una más de tantas causas que apoyó, sobretodo pro democracia y pro derechos humanos (principalmente, los derechos de la mujer). Lo más interesante del libro para mí fue su vida como mujer, y esa ventana que ...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Connie is currently reading it · review of another edition

Just sat down to start on the first chapter, and I am already moved to tears. I am triggered by some stuff on Maathai's Wikipedia entry which I quickly scanned through as I was trying to remind myself how exactly she died.

I realize now that I might have been avoiding the book. That's why for so many months, it has sat unread on my nightstand...

I recognize myself in Maathai and am scared of what I'm going to find in her memoir. The story of pain and hardship is all too synonymous with African wom ...more

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Jul 18, 2009 Aleena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great book about a strong woman who triumphed over many adversities. It was a good read and inspiring. It was interesting to learn of the culture in Kenya. I rate it a 3.5.

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Jun 15, 2008 Wanjiku rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For anyone interested in learning about Kenya and the Gikuyu traditions, this is a good read.
Found it interesting and insightful, and full of drama.

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Sep 14, 2014 Essie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wangari shared very intimate, interesting, informative experiences of her lifetime.
As much as she had a passion for the restoration and preservation of our country's most valuable attributes; it's captivating landscape, vegetation, wildlife, the freedom of it's people and enviornmental-friendly methods of providing energy-sources among others, she clearly had a talent in writing.
Pick it up to be inspired, to understand why something as simple as planting trees has a significant impact on seemi ...more

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About Wangari Maathai

a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya. In the 1970s, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and women's rights. In 1984, she was awarded a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya. In the 1970s, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and women's rights. In 1984, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, and in 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Maathai was an elected member of Parliament and served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki between January 2003 and November 2005.In June 2009, Maathai was named as one of PeaceByPeace.com's first peace heroes.Until her death, Maathai served on the Eminent Advisory Board of the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA).Maathai died on 25 September 2011 in Nairobi while receiving ovarian cancer treatment. She was 71.Selected publications

The Green Belt Movement: sharing the approach and the experience (1985)
The bottom is heavy too: even with the Green Belt Movement : the Fifth Edinburgh Medal Address (1994)
Bottle-necks of development in Africa (1995)
The Canopy of Hope: My Life Campaigning for Africa, Women, and the Environment (2002)
Unbowed: A Memoir (2006)
Reclaiming rights and resources women, poverty and environment (2007)
Rainwater Harvesting (2008)
State of the world's minorities 2008: events of 2007 (2008)
The Challenge for Africa (2009)
Replenishing the Earth (2010) ISBN 978030759114
more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_... ...more

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The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience

Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World

Celle Qui Plante Les Arbres (French Edition)

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“Education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land, but instill in them even more respect for it, because educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost. The future of the planet concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it. As I told the foresters, and the women, you don't need a diploma to plant a tree.” — 14 likes

“In trying to explain this linkage, I was inspired by a traditional African tool that has three legs and a basin to sit on. To me the three legs represent three critical pillars of just and stable societies. The first leg stands for democratic space, where rights are respected, whether they are human rights, women's rights, children's rights, or environmental rights. The second represents sustainable and equitable management and resources. And the third stands for cultures of peace that are deliberately cultivated within communities and nations. The basin, or seat, represents society and its prospects for development. Unless all three legs are in place, supporting the seat, no society can thrive. Neither can its citizens develop their skills and creativity. When one leg is missing, the seat is unstable; when two legs are missing, it is impossible to keep any state alive; and when no legs are available, the state is as good as a failed state. No development can take place in such a state either. Instead, conflict ensues.” — 13 likes

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