By the Grace of God [Hardcover]

Suruba Ibumando (Author), Georgette Wechsler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1999

This searing drama of the fate of both a family and a nation is set in the turbulent atmospheres of the Congo, Europe and America. It tells the remarkable, 40-year saga of a courageous family's miraculous survival during two devastating civil wars, the brutal rise and fall of the tyrant Mobutu and a desperate trek to safety.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A chant of names--the Belgian Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Zaire, and once again the Democratic Republic of Congo--echoes the waves of colonialism, revolution, and civil war that have roared across this land with unendingly tragic results. Many histories have been written about the Congo, which is also the subject of Barbara Kingsolver's acclaimed novel, The Poisonwood Bible , and now Wechsler offers a personal account of how one woman's life has been shaped by her country's travails. Born in the mid-1950s, she fled certain death and lived the scarring existence of a refugee as a child. Then, under the care of her brave father, she reestablished a normal life in spite of the oppression of Mobutu's rule. Wechsler excelled at school, traveled to the U.S., and married an American, hoping that her homeland's troubles were over, only to find herself drawn right back into its sorrows when war erupted once again and her sister fell ill with AIDS, the other scourge tormenting that embattled land. Donna Seaman

From The Washington Post

"...Wechsler offers a firsthand account of her family's life in post-independence Congo. ... this author brings a rare, insider's perspective to this book...

These are stories no outsider could tell... Wechsler smartly stays true to a child's point of view in retelling her early experiences as a refugee, and the reader is carried along through the hide and seek game played by soldiers and the pursued. Remarkable here is the mindset of a child raised on war: In her world the terrifying becomes ordinary.

Most poignant is the portrait of her father; her respect and love for him is palpable, and her pictures of a good, loving family under awful pressure are refreshing in the era of the dysfunctional-family memoir... "

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: New Horizon Press (February 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882821652
• ISBN-13: 978-0882821658
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,470,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Suruba Georgette Ibumando was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa) before moving to the United States in 1983. She holds a Bachelor Teaching degree in English and African Studies from the Zairian National University, and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Mercer University, Atlanta.
Ms. Ibumando published her memoir, BY THE GRACE OF GOD: A Tale of Love, Family, War, and Survival from the Congo, in 1999; and a self-help parenting book, SHOW THEM AND THEY WILL FOLLOW, in 2005.
Her recently published literary work, ORA GAD, is a historical epic trilogy and her first work of fiction.
Ms. Ibumando and her family live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book. It is truly touching., May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: By the Grace of God (Hardcover)

The amazing things that the author went through throughout her life were very uplifting. I laughed and cried throughout. The author's experiences were vividly captured on the pages of the book. I was caught up in the horrific imagery of the war that was described, but also the beauty of her family relationships as well as her love for her country of birth. I recommed this book highly, but be prepared for an emotional roller coaster.

5.0 out of 5 stars A perceptive look into the life of a Congolese woman, October 5, 2010

By 

Robert E. Smith (Claremont, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: By the Grace of God (Hardcover)

This book is written by a Congolese woman, and gives fascinating insights into the life and thoughts of the author, and through her eyes, all Congolese. It covers the period 1952-1997 in Zaire/Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of the scenes are from Katanga (Shaba)Province, but also there is Kivu Province, Kinshasa city, and the USA. She was Catholic, but joined the religion of her white American husband, a Jew, who had served in the Peace Corps in Congo/Zaire. The book is great for getting a sensitive understanding from this remarkable woman.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best book I've read, April 11, 2003

By 

Sheila (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By the Grace of God (Hardcover)

The author writes well, and explains well in her writing. I could actually picture myself in numerouse places which she had explained. From The war time, to her weding day, to what she went through during her sisters death.