Audio Book Review: Seven by Multiple Authors

This is an informative and heart-wrenching work.
Seven
Written By: Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Susan Yankowitz
Narrated By: Anna Deavere Smith, Alex Kingston, Shannon Holt, Sarah Shahi, Annet Mahendru, Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris, Emily Kuroda, Jossara Jinaro
Publisher: LA Theatre Works

Publisher: LA Theatre Works
Date: May 2017
Duration: 2 hours 11 minutes
Genre: Drama, Radio Theatre
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0; Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary:
Seven women give voice to the voiceless. Seven is a documentary play created with the support of Vital Voices Global Partnership and is a collaboration between the playwrights and seven female activists from around the globe, telling inspiring stories of overcoming adversity to effect real change and improve the lives of women.
Includes panel discussions with Russian activist Marina Pisklakova-Parker, and playwrights Paula Cizmar and Susan Yankowitz. The moderators are René
Jones, Executive Director of the United Talent Agency Foundation, and Alyse Nelson, the president, CEO, and co-founder of Vital Voices Global Partnership.
An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance, featuring:
Shannon Holt as Marina Pisklakova-Parker
Jossara Jinaro as Laura Alonso
Alex Kingston as Inez McCormack
Emily Kuroda as Mu Sochua
Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris as Hafsat Abiola
Annet Mahendru as Farida Azizi
Sarah Shahi as Mukhtar Mai
Directed by Judyann Elder and recorded live in performance in January 2017 at UCLA's James Bridges Theater.
Sound Effects Artist and Additional Voices, Jeff Gardner. Production Manager, Tori Burnett. Post-Production Coordinator, Ronn Lipkin. Associate Producer, Anna Lyse Erikson. Recording and Mixing Engineer, Sound Designer and Editor, Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood....

Review:
I felt the need to be more aware of the oppression of others. This book tells the struggles of women from seven countries who sometimes didn't even know that freedom and education were available to women. Their oppression often comes with physical and sexual abuse and in one case it seemed to be directed by the community elders in order to punish the woman trying to protect her family. The community’s attitude was to shun and shame the abused woman and I was glad to hear that she was brave enough to tough it out.

Those of us who have been blessed to be born and raised in free societies need to be more aware of oppression around the world and find ways to help and support through education and other programs such as Vital Voices. I think all women should listen to this to get a perspective and information of the struggles of the abused and downtrodden and an appreciation for our better circumstances.

Audio Notes: This was presented by a panel of women with accents that fit the authors. It was particularly effective to hear the stories shared int the appropriate accents, and emotions. I am glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this.

Source: 7/5/2018 One of Eight titles won from Audiobooks.com through Beth Fish Reads. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.