Up Home
One Girl's Journey
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Narrated by:
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Ruth J. Simmons
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By:
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Ruth J. Simmons
About this listen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Simmons’s evocative account of her remarkable trajectory from Jim Crow Texas, where she was the youngest of twelve children in a sharecropping family, to the presidencies of Smith College and Brown University shines with tenderness and dignity.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
“A riveting work of literature, destined to take its place in the canon of great African American autobiographies.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, Bloomberg, BET
I was born at a crossroads: a crossroads in history, a crossroads in culture, and a geographical crossroad in North Houston County in East Texas.
Born in 1945, Ruth J. Simmons grew up the twelfth child of sharecroppers. Her first home had no running water, no electricity, no books to read. Yet despite this—or, in her words, because of it—Simmons would become the first Black president of an Ivy League university. The former president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M, Texas’s oldest HBCU, Simmons has inspired generations of students as she herself made history.
In Up Home, Simmons takes us back to Grapeland to show how the people who love us when we are young shape who we become. We meet her caring, tireless mother who managed to feed her large family with an often empty pantry; her father, who refused to let racial and economic injustice crush his youngest daughter’s dreams; the doting brothers and sisters; and the attentive teachers who welcomed Ruth into the classroom, guiding her to a future she could hardly imagine as a child.
From the farmland of East Texas to Houston’s Fifth Ward to New Orleans at the dawn of the civil rights movement, Simmons depicts an era long gone but whose legacies of inequality we still live with today. Written in clear and timeless prose, Up Home is both an origin story set in the segregated South and the uplifting chronicle of a girl whose intellect, grace, and curiosity guide her as she creates a place for herself in the world.
©2023 Ruth Simmons (P)2023 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Honest, intimate and deeply affecting, [Up Home] recalls Anne Moody’s classic memoir, Coming of Age in Mississippi, not just in the obvious biographical parallels but also in terms of its potential impact. This is a book you’ll want to pass on to all the young people in your life, no matter their background, just so they can have a little of Simmons’s wise voice in their heads. I’d urge every educator to assign Up Home to high school students or incoming college freshmen. It’s that good.”—Pamela Paul, The New York Times
“[An] inspiring story . . . a love letter to every person who helped Simmons out of poverty.”—The Washington Post
“The tale of an individual making her way over nearly insurmountable obstacles with the help of determined teachers and mentors. . . Extraordinary.”—The New York Times Book Review
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By: Niall Breslin
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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
- By: Jack Weatherford
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Jack Weatherford
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.
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Golden Horde/Platinum Listen
- By Cynthia on 12-11-13
By: Jack Weatherford
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You Will Not Recognize Your Life
- By: Micaela Blei
- Narrated by: Micaela Blei
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
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It’s 2006. After a string of rejections from men who tell her they could never, ever, ever see her “that way,” awkward third-grade teacher Micaela Blei signs up for a mysterious course called “The Divine Feminine,” and feels like she might have found the key to the perfect life. Turns out if you’re an A student, you can get an A in anything–including men. Pretty soon she’s learning to "conjure" her desires with vision boards, flirtations, and even a daring jumbotron viewing party for her, ahem ... "divine center."
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This is about real life.
- By Justin Ortgies on 12-14-24
By: Micaela Blei
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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
- A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
- By: Lori Gottlieb
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but.
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It was like a hallmark movie being waterboarded into my ears for 15 hours
- By Amazon Customer on 10-01-19
By: Lori Gottlieb
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Farewell Yellow Brick Road
- Memories of My Life on Tour
- By: Elton John, David Furnish - foreword
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.
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Could have been …
- By Tracy F. on 01-04-25
By: Elton John, and others
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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it's Nearly perfect
- By Kerry on 09-16-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
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The Demon Next Door
- By: Bryan Burrough
- Narrated by: Steve White
- Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Bryan Burrough recently made a shocking discovery: The small town of Temple, Texas, where he had grown up, had harbored a dark secret. One of his high school classmates, Danny Corwin, was a vicious serial killer. In this chilling tale, Burrough raises important questions of whether serial killers can be recognized before they kill or rehabilitated after they do. It is also a story of Texas politics and power that led the good citizens of the town of Temple to enable a demon who was their worst nightmare.
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Odd narration choice
- By Amanda Fredericks on 03-08-19
By: Bryan Burrough
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Elvis and Me
- By: Priscilla Beaulieu Presley
- Narrated by: Priscilla Beaulieu Presley
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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The inspiration for the major motion picture Priscilla directed by Sofia Coppola, this New York Times best seller reveals the intimate story of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley, told by the woman who lived it.
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What a story!
- By Pen Name on 08-28-22
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Evil Has a Name
- The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation
- By: Paul Holes, Jim Clemente, Peter McDonnell
- Narrated by: Paul Holes, Jim Clemente
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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For his victims, for their families and for the investigators tasked with finding him, the senselessness and brutality of the Golden State Killer's acts were matched only by the powerlessness they felt at failing to uncover his identity. Then, on April 24, 2018, authorities arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., based on DNA evidence linked to the crimes. Amazingly, it seemed, evil finally had a name. Please note: This work contains descriptions of violent crime and sexual assault and may not be suitable for all listeners.
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Audible Raises The Bar On True Crime Genre
- By R. Squyres on 11-16-18
By: Paul Holes, and others
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The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
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Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
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Ali in Me
- By: Mercury Studios, Treefort Media
- Narrated by: Lonnie Ali, John Ramsey
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
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Muhammad Ali, never afraid to express himself loudly and boldly, stays true to form in Ali in Me, an eight-part audio series that explores his life and legacy, guided by his own words through never-before-heard audio recordings. Hosted by Muhammad’s widow, Lonnie Ali, and his close friend, award-winning broadcaster John Ramsey, Ali in Me goes beyond the boxing ring to delve deeply into the extraordinary life and lasting contributions The Champ made to individuals around the world.
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He went hard on everything, especially love
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 01-31-25
By: Mercury Studios, and others
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A Devil in the Valley
- By: Paul Holes, Peter McDonnell
- Narrated by: Jim Clemente, Paul Holes
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Original Recording
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In 1994, an aspiring young cold-case investigator in California’s East Bay, Paul Holes, puts aside trying to solve the Golden State Killer case as he waits for science to catch up. Paul returns to an old file cabinet at the back of the forensic lab to look for another cold case he can work—something with DNA. He finds one. The 1978 murder of a married mother who went for a morning jog in a nearby park. The original investigators believed that a serial killer named Phillip Hughes was responsible; they just couldn’t prove it.
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Excellent!!!
- By Nick on 08-05-21
By: Paul Holes, and others
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If I Can't Have You
- Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
- By: Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington, Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the Jon Benet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty, blonde Utah mother went missing in December of 2009 the media was swept up in the story - with lenses and microphones trained on Susan's husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.
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The Coward and the Angels
- By Pulplife on 05-20-14
By: Gregg Olsen, and others
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What listeners say about Up Home
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- Elizabeth B.
- 01-14-24
Beautiful Voice and Soul
Dr Simmons reads her own prose with elegance and verve.
Her history is full of love and striving. As a college administrator, I am hoping for part two!!
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- Tom Schneider
- 04-05-24
authenticity, amazing life story, appreciated Ruth sharing her story!
appreciated Ruth's reading of her life story. many thanks!!! With an education and love she was able to achieve her dreams.
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- James
- 10-14-23
Positive and negative experiences travel together.
Volumes of thoughtful knowledge is condense in this timely, relatively small book. I recommend this book to all who seek direction in their own lives,
and who influence the direction and the lives of others. J. Ncutt.
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- D. C.
- 11-01-23
A must read
A remarkable story about succeeding despite the odds. Nice that it was read by the author.
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- Sean
- 06-21-24
Inspiring
I was really inspired by how Ruth’s curiosity piqued with great mentors led to her continued success in life. Even more, her desire to be like others eventually led to her finding herself which is something I wouldn’t have originally thought..but it makes sense- the impact of others molds our identity .
Overall, Ruth’s story is that of not letting one’s self be defined by stereotypes but how they want to be defined. And, it really does take a village, no one person is self-made.
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- L. Johnson
- 09-27-23
Eloquently truthful
Such a beautiful account of Dr. Ruth’s childhood experiences and how they helped shape and propel her into the brilliant trailblazer she is today. Such an honor!
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- Drew Hancock
- 10-02-23
Must read
The best of what our country can become. An inspiring story of human potential and achievement.
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- John H. Guswa
- 05-25-24
Inspiration for a young woman
Ruth J. Simmons is an inspiration for all women. She had experienced and accomplished great things during her life.
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- world traveler
- 10-06-23
An indomitable woman
This book is a testament to the intelligence, spirit and courage of Ruth Simmons, to her family, and to the teachers and other caring adults who saw her potential and encouraged her to achieve her dreams. Dr. Simmons’s commitment to giving other Black students such opportunities is demonstrated by her return to Prairie View after leading Smith and Brown.
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- Carlos Wallace
- 10-12-23
East Texas: A Breeding Ground for Remarkable Ppl
I hold a deep appreciation for "Up Home" on a profoundly personal level. If my grandfather, O'Neal Hunt, the first Black judge in Anderson County, were to have penned an autobiographical novel, I'd like to believe it would have shared remarkable similarities with Dr. Ruth J. Simmons's work.
Dr. Simmons's command of the English language is striking, a quality I've had the privilege of witnessing during in-person encounters on a couple of occasions. Her story provides insight into the why and how of her language mastery. Education emerges as her superpower, serving as her passport to a life filled with remarkable achievements. She stands as a true testament to the idea that with education, one can achieve anything they set their mind to.
I typically approach literature with skepticism when it appears to cast any form of disparagement on parents. However, Dr. Simmons fearlessly speaks her truth, allowing me to understand her perspective. Her father, a formidable figure from East Texas, adhered to traditional ways and was often misunderstood and far from being a favorite. Her mother, perceived as a woman of few words, especially in matters concerning her husband, was often thought to lack respect. Once again, Ruth J. Simmons's account of her mother's passing resonated deeply with me, as my own mother succumbed to the same condition on a nearly identical calendar date (albeit in a different year). Much like Ruth J. Simmons, I've come to comprehend my mother's inner strength and struggles as I've grown older.
In conclusion, I must admit that I initially had no intentions of reading this novel. However, thanks to the encouragement of my wife, I can proudly say that I'm immensely grateful that I did. I've maintained, and will continue to do so, that East Texas has a unique knack for nurturing exceptional individuals.
Carlos Wallace
Veteran. Author. Philanthropist. Youth Advocate
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