The Barefoot Lawyer

A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China

By: Chen Guangcheng

Narrated by: David Shih

“[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.

Stupendous story of perseverance

In the US we have so many privileges and freedoms and opportunities! Most of us take them for granted!
This should be a required world history read in HS!

True story about the dark side of China

A great book by a great Chinese citizen, who is fighting for the basic human rights in China, highly recommended!