Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China
    The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China
    The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China

    Written by Chen Guangcheng

    Narrated by David Shih

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “[Chen’s] story is a reminder that the desire for basic human rights . . . arises from the deep well of the human spirit.”—The New York Times Book Review

    It was like a scene out of a thriller: One night in April 2012, China’s most famous political activist—a blind, self-taught lawyer—climbed over the wall of his heavily guarded home and escaped. After he turned up at the American embassy in Beijing, high-level negotiations finally led to his release and a new life in the United States.

    Chen Guangcheng is a unique figure on the world stage, but his story is even more remarkable than we knew. The son of a poor farmer in rural China, he was determined to educate himself and fight for the rights of his country’s poor, despite his disability. Repeatedly harassed, beaten, and imprisoned by Chinese authorities, in the end Chen made the most dangerous choice of all: freedom.

    Both a riveting memoir and a revealing portrait of modern China, The Barefoot Lawyer tells the story of a man who has never accepted limits and always believed in the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 10, 2015
    ISBN9781427263308
    The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China
    Author

    Chen Guangcheng

    Chen Guangcheng, known to many as "the barefoot lawyer," was born in the village of Dongshigu in 1971. Blind since infancy, illiterate until his late teens, he nonetheless taught himself law and became a fiery advocate for tens of thousands of Chinese who had no voice. His escape from inhuman house arrest in China made international headlines, as did his flight to the American embassy in Beijing. In 2012 he became a student at New York University Law School; since 2013 he has been a senior research fellow at Catholic University, the Witherspoon Institute, and the Lantos Foundation. He now lives with his wife and two children in the Washington, D.C. area.

    Related to The Barefoot Lawyer

    Related audiobooks

    Biography & Memoir For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      John Cooper

      Nov 20, 2018

      John Cooper
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Man On THE STAIRS

      Nov 26, 2020

      The Man On THE STAIRS
      4 min read

    • Article

      It Happened to Me…

      Nov 4, 2021

      When my son was around one, many items of his clothing began to inexplicably disappear. I can’t over-emphasise the inexplicable nature of what occurred – all the items unquestionably disappeared in my house. The house is always secure, and there is n

      8 min read

    • Article

      Hell Is A City in Texas

      Jun 14, 2021

      Hell Is A City in Texas
      10 min read

    • Article

      House Of Horrors

      Nov 26, 2020

      House Of Horrors
      4 min read

    • Article

      House Of Shadows

      Sep 1, 2020

      House Of Shadows
      4 min read

    • Article

      This Strange Ballet

      Mar 21, 2022

      This Strange Ballet
      5 min read

    • Article

      Politics

      Jul 10, 2020

      Politics
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Comma, Not A Full Stop

      Apr 21, 2023

      A Comma, Not A Full Stop
      8 min read

    • Article

      Kids & Angels

      Jun 25, 2022

      Kids & Angels
      4 min read

    • Article

      Home Visit

      Apr 30, 2019

      Home Visit
      13 min read

    • Article

      How I Met My Pet

      Aug 24, 2018

      IT STARTED WITH A MEOW. On a hot Saturday in Brooklyn, I was about to begin my afternoon run when I heard it: “Meow.” A slim black-and-white cat was staring up at me from the sidewalk. I feed the cats in my neighborhood. This one was shy, always han

      2 min read

    • Article

      The HOOD LIFE

      Dec 16, 2021

      The HOOD LIFE
      10 min read

    • Article

      Nothing Could Stop Her

      Oct 7, 2021

      Nothing Could Stop Her
      2 min read

    • Article

      I’ve Been Stabbed!

      Jun 30, 2022

      I’ve Been Stabbed!
      5 min read

    • Article

      It Happened to Me…

      Apr 18, 2024

      It Happened to Me…
      9 min read

    • Article

      Paw Patrol

      Apr 18, 2024

      Paw Patrol
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Temporary Arrangement

      Oct 2, 2023

      A Temporary Arrangement
      19 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Sep 1, 2022

      First prize 10 and under Tang Li, age 9 Palmetto Bay, FL My name is Anisa. I was in Hawaii on vacation. I enjoyed sipping refreshing drinks, overlooking the turquoise ocean, and dancing with others, before I overheard that the priceless Fire Ring wa

      10 min read

    • Article

      The HOOD LIFE

      Dec 16, 2021

      The HOOD LIFE
      10 min read

    • Article

      It Happened to Me…

      Apr 21, 2022

      It Happened to Me…
      8 min read

    • Article

      Equinox

      May 18, 2022

      In this strange world, where identities change with the rising and setting of the sun, supernatural forces are at work – and they’re causing trouble… St Leonars prison was an appropriately imposing building. It rose out of the surrounding shacks and

      5 min read

    • Article

      My Story The Secrets We Keep

      Oct 7, 2020

      My Story The Secrets We Keep
      4 min read

    • Article

      High Rise

      Aug 6, 2021

      High Rise
      24 min read

    • Article

      My Story The Secrets We Keep

      Oct 7, 2020

      My Story The Secrets We Keep
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Barefoot Lawyer

    4.5/5

    12 ratings12 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      This is a truly remarkable story of how Chen Guangcheng, a self-taught "barefoot lawyer", blind from infancy and living in a poor town in rural China fought for the rights of the disabled and for women's rights in self-determination of birth control. I was totally amazed at how gentle and steadfast Chen was in his total commitment to helping people using China's own laws and saddened to learn how his efforts were stymied almost every step of the way. During the years he tried to help others, Chinese authorities watched him more closely until his eventual seven-year imprisonment. Following his release from prison, he was no longer a free man as Chinese party officials made sure that he was always kept under increasingly tight surveillance. He finally decided that his only hope to become free was to enlist help from the American embassy.More frightening than fiction, this memoir had me totally in its grip, page after chilling page. I was disgusted with how much money and effort went into brutalizing a man whose sole desire was to ensure human rights of others. The outcome of his story was not entirely pain free as he had to leave his extended family in China for his own safety. In this memoir, he shared with the world his pain in an effort to show that China may have changed outwardly since the Cultural Revolution, but inwardly not very much has changed at all.
    • 4/5
      Those of us who are sighted and live in a free, democratic country will never fully appreciate what Guangchen Chen underwent. "The Barefoot Lawyer" is his story and talks of his fight against injustice, discrimination, and jut plain inhumane treatment. Why was he discriminated against? Because he was blind; and more importantly dared to question his treatment. Guangcheng was determined not to settle for a 'career' as a fortuneteller or storyteller which was the lot of blind people in his village. He stood up for his rights and those of other disabled people and poor villagers and paid an inordinate price. A very well-told, captivating memoir.
    • 5/5
      Oh my. What an incredible read "The Barefoot Lawyer" is. An autobiography that at times will read like a mystery. Blind from infancy, Chen Guancheng grew up in rural China not a decade from the birth of the Cultural Revolution. He enjoyed the usual childhood experiences yet they were often singed his community's (and society's) prejudices against the disabled, the petty cruelness, the gross displays of ignorance, the physical bullying. (Some well-meaning neighbors and family members encourage Chen to train to become an itinerant fortune-teller, a standard career path for blind men in rural China.) Chen's determination to continue his education beyond his village's school and his country's socio-cultural expectations blends with his conscience and with his heart. In school, at home in his village, Guanchen inexorably pushes at barriers and walls in struggling for his country's disabled and poor. Winning results of course brings reprisals -- harassment, arrests, physical beatings. Guangchen's daring solo escape in April 2012 from a brutal house arrest to the US Embassy in Beijing made international headlines (he and his family now reside in the U.S.). :The Barefoot Lawyer" is a fascinating memoir as well as a riveting rare inside look at China.
    • 5/5
      Wow. What a powerful book and so painful. Sometimes I wanted to quit reading because of the tortures and beatings Chen Guangcheng and his family and friends received standing up for their basic human rights. He started standing up for disabled people and the few rights they were accorded by Chinese law. When his area of the country was targeted as an area to stop "overbirthing" he stepped up to the plate to help neighbors and nearby villagers and tried to get the powers to stop the kidnapping of women to force abortions (at what ever the age of the fetus) and illegal sterilizations. Sounds like the Cultural Revolution all over again. After 4 years in prison and 3 years under severe house arrest he escaped to Bejing and to our embassey. Initially convinced to believe the Chinese government he went to a local hospital. When it became obvious the government would be continuing their old ways against him he asked to go to America with his wife and kids. Thanks to many people and some of our elected officials he now lives in America. He makes a call to all of us to stand together for justice and equality for all peoples.."together, may we move mountains."
    • 4/5
      Really interesting and personal story about abuse of power in China. Not the fast-paced thrilled it's billed as, but still a moving story about a noble man trying to effectuate change.
    • 4/5
      I received this memoir as part of the Early Reviewers program. Chen Guangcheng relates his life in China as a human rights activist, primarily for disabled people and for reproductive rights. His memoir stands out, because Guangcheng is blind. Nevertheless, he is persecuted by the Chinese government for his activism. He is imprisoned, beaten, and later put under house arrest. He miraculously escapes alone and blind and eventually ends up in the USA with his family. His story is captivating and unbelievable. However, his straightforward plain writing style does not adequately reflect the tension inherent in this memoir.
    • 5/5
      This is a mind blowing story. The author has such resilience and faith that you can't help but get caught up in the emotion of the story, his story. This is not an action packed tale of espionage but an inspiring story of a man against all odds who survived to tell the The United States, the world about human rights violations and crimes, political and otherwise that are unbelievable. This is one of those life changing books, but only if you let it. Highly recommended!Provided by publisher.
    • 3/5
      The Barefoot Lawyer shares the behind the news story about a daring escape by a blind lawyer in China. The author was under house arrest for his work as the Barefoot Lawyer advocating for human and civil rights in China. The book is a quick read and there are fascinating details about how he did a solo escape and eventually made it to the American Embassy and out of China. I've read news accounts and read about this in Hilary Clinton's autobiography (her time as Sec of State) so this was a neat companion from a different perspective. Noted the advanced reader didn't have the photo insert which was a bummer because I often enjoy photo companions and the captions. I read this book as part of a 15-book author of color pledge.
    • 4/5
      This book is like a major splash of cold water in the face of one who takes for granted the freedom we enjoy here in the U.S. Guangcheng was born in a poor rural village and suffered a disease when very young that left him blind to all but the vaguest splashes of color. He was the fifth son of his family and grew up chasing his brothers and friends around the village learning to rely on his other senses of touch and hearing to get around. Even though his family was desperately poor, they managed to get enough money together to send him to a school for the blind where he learned to read and became aware of the neglect and mistreatment suffered by handicapped people. He went on to higher education and began standing up for his rights and the rights of other blind people. He soon attracted the attention of the Communist Party who leaned on local agencies to harass and otherwise make his life difficult. His main accomplishment was forcing the Beijing MTA accept the state issued handicap cards that allowed people to ride mass transit for free. His next crusade was against the amazingly violent and cruel steps taken against people who violated the one child program China was trying to set up to control the population. He collected stories from people and made contacts with other activists, and international media. As a result he was thrown into prison on trumped up charges and sentenced to four years. He suffered many beatings and severe malnutrition before being released. However, he returned home and placed under house arrest. This meant constant guards outside his house, frequent home invasions where they searched for radios and cell phones, electronic surveillance, and pressure on his friends and family. Guancheng finally was able to leave China with his wife and two children but he left behind other family members, friends, and other activists who continue to suffer physical and mental abuse at the hands of the state.When I read this book, I thought of all the travel programs I have seen where people travel through the country enjoying the scenery and the food and are totally blind to this hidden aspect of life in China. Though many laws exist supposedly to protect the citizens, most are abused and the old ways of bribery and theft are carried out without consequences. This was a stunning and brutal story of one man's attempts to improve life in China and the consequences. While the style of writing was plain and factual the story carries the reader along with Guangcheng and his battles to live and protect people.
    • 4/5
      This book has confirmed two things that I have always contended. One is the Chinese have no concept of human rights, by Chinese I mean the Chinese government. The Chinese people are like people everywhere, a mix of good and bad. Some will do only what they have to, will take a job that is wrong because they need money, and some will risk everything to do what is right.From the back: “One morning in April 2012, China’s most famous political activist — a blind, self-taught lawyer — climbed over the wall of his heavily guarded home and escaped.”Chen Guangcheng relates his childhood, the difficulties growing up poor and blind in rural China. His descriptions around him are vivid, describing the smells and his impressions of the world around him, how he learned so much from being observant, listening and paying attention to everything around him. He also gives us a history lesson of the politics in China, how he got his education and the discrimination he faced as a disabled person.A very interesting book, although a bit draggy in spots, still an enjoyable memoir that I recommend. One complaint, he does not related much of his life after he escaped from China. I realize that is a spoiler, but if you read the author bio, you would already know that.
    • 3/5
      I remember hearing about Guangcheng in on the news a few years ago and then largely forgetting about the story. His autobiography was a great chance to revisit that story and find out why his story was such big news. His life story is interesting and he tells it in a very straightforward manner. This is slightly tedious at times but does help when he gets to the more difficult sections on human rights violations and police brutality. As a whole the book does an excellent job of describing the current state of human rights in China and offers some interesting views on high level diplomatic negotiations. One element I would have appreciated in the book is more information about what he has done since moving to the United States.
    • 5/5
      This book is a real eye-opener about the reality of the conditions existing in China today. It becomes apparent early on that what China says seems to be only for effect without regard as to what the truth is. They wish to appear as concerned about people's rights but this true story tells the real story of what is happening in China. Chen and his family have undergone almost unbelievable treatment by the Chinese government on all levels. This book made me so much more aware of China's real agenda in the world.An excellent book, a bit slow in some parts but one I'd advise anyone interested in human rights (and shouldn't we all be?) to read.