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Behold the Dreamers
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
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Behold the Dreamers
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Publisher's Summary
A compulsively listenable debut novel about marriage, immigration, class, race, and the trapdoors in the American dream - the unforgettable story of a young Cameroonian couple making a new life in New York just as the Great Recession upends the economy.
Named one of BuzzFeed's "Incredible New Books You Need to Read This Summer".
Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself; his wife, Neni; and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty - and Jende is eager to please. Clark's wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses' summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.
However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers' façades. When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende's job - even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.
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What the critics say
What listeners say about Behold the Dreamers
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mimi
- 2020-11-01
amazing!
I did not expect to love the story as deeply as I did. It was real and raw and honest and beautiful and took me on a full journey. The narrator is absolutely incredible and one of the best readers I've heard.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tammy Ruddle
- 2021-06-28
Excellent
The performance truly brought the story to life!! I enjoyed every moment of it! Bravo!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-12-28
Believable
Well performed. A spotlight on the huge gap between those who have and those who have not in the United States, and the injustice of an immigration and asylum system that is a set-up for exploitation of people who have been sold the “American Dream”.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs Seaton
- 2020-09-23
Wonderful read.
Narrator did a fantastic job with the different voices and accents too. Loved it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Baker
- 2017-11-01
Narrator made the book come alive!!!!!
Exquisite performance by the narrator. Recommending this book to all of my friends. For me, BEST listen of 2017.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Godfrey Mabaleka
- 2024-04-03
Excellent read
Great storyline of dreamers trying their best. Narration was excellent - mimicking of different accents and dialects made the book come alive. Hope there is a sequel.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M.S.
- 2021-08-15
Great book with an outstanding performance
The book describes a Cameroonian family trying to pursue an American dream. The story can touch your soul and the performance was so great and vivid that it felts like a movie watching.
Great book, highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karine Deschamps
- 2022-05-12
Stayed with me
The story is very interesting ; the characters very well fleshed out and vivid. The pace is just right.
What stands out is the narration! The actor/reader is impressive! He does voices for the characters, which makes them come alive! I would have never been able to supply the Camerounian accent in my head if I had read it.
A marvellous listen!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-04-04
Fantastic
It kept me engaged and I couldn’t put it down. Had to finish in two sittings. The storyline provided you an inside look in a traditional African family and high society socialites and there struggles. It showed the importance of how money can change a person and how the simple life can provide so much more value to a family.
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