Audiobooks narrated by Assaf Cohen

The Hidden History of Burma: Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century

Precariously positioned between China and India, Burma's population has suffered dictatorship, natural disaster, and the dark legacies of colonial rule. But when decades of military dictatorship finally ended and internationally beloved Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi emerged from long years of house arrest, hopes soared. World leaders such as Barack Obama ushered in waves of international support. Progress seemed inevitable. As historian, former diplomat, and presidential advisor, Thant Myint-U saw the cracks forming. In this insider's diagnosis of a country at a breaking point, he dissects how a singularly predatory economic system, fast-rising inequality, disintegrating state institutions, the impact of new social media, the rise of China next door, climate change, and deep-seated feelings around race, religion, and national identity all came together to challenge the incipient democracy. Interracial violence soared and a horrific exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees fixed international attention. Myint-U explains how and why this happened, and details an unsettling prognosis for the future. Are democracy and an economy that genuinely serves all its people possible in Burma? In clear and urgent prose, Myint-U explores this question-a concern not just for the Burmese but for the rest of the world.

Thant Myint-U (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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Orhan's Inheritance

When Orhan’s brilliant and eccentric grandfather - a man who built a dynasty out of making kilim rugs - is found dead, submerged in a vat of dye, Orhan inherits the decades-old business. But his grandfather’s will raises more questions than answers. Kemal has left the family estate to a stranger, thousands of miles away, an aging woman in an Armenian retirement home in Los Angeles. Her existence and secrecy about her past only deepen the mystery of why Orhan’s grandfather would have willed their home in Turkey to an unknown woman rather than to his own son or grandson. Left with only Kemal’s ancient sketchbook and intent on righting this injustice, Orhan boards a plane to Los Angeles. There, over many meetings, he will not only unearth the story that 87-year-old Seda so closely guards, but discover that Seda’s past now threatens to unravel his future. It’s a story that, if told, has the power to undo the legacy upon which his family is built. Moving back and forth in time, between the last years of the Ottoman Empire and the 1990s, Orhan’s Inheritanceis a story of passionate love, unspeakable horrors, incredible resilience, and the hidden stories that haunt a family.

Aline Ohanesian (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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Lone Wolf in Jerusalem

When Hitler's reign of terror begins, David Gabinsky loses everything he holds dear. Driven by vengeance, young David leads a courageous group of Jewish resistance fighters against the Nazi regime. When Germany is defeated, he journeys to Jerusalem looking for a new life. What he finds is a new love-Shoshana, a beautiful but broken Holocaust survivor-and a new war with an unexpected enemy. The British command has its orders: keep the Jews out of Israel. As David single-handedly wreaks havoc on the British, even Shoshana's love can't stop him from risking everything-including his life. Lone Wolf in Jerusalem is a suspenseful, action packed novel, a worthy contribution to Jewish historical fiction. Using adventure, drama, and romance, Diskin has created a captivating story that entertains and educates.

Ehud Diskin (Author), Assaf Cohen, Dahlia Salem, Miri Mandel Diskin (Narrator)

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Bound by Firelight

The heart-pounding sequel to Cast in Firelight, perfect for fans of epic, sweepingly romantic fantasy by Sabaa Tahir, Susan Dennard, and Mary E. Pearson. After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa's punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar's nastiest criminals-many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay. Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa's betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante . . . but now he's just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he's going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won't be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources-a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk. Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already. . . . Now, can they save themselves? 'I was hooked from beginning to end!'-Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bone Crier's Moon 'Fans of Serpent & Dove's smart-alecky Lou and The Wrath and the Dawn's cunning Shazi should prepare themselves to fall head over heels for the fiery Adraa.'-Kelly Coon, author of the Gravemaidens duology

Dana Swift (Author), Assaf Cohen, Dana Swift, Priya Ayyar (Narrator)

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Cast in Firelight

The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Susan Dennard, and Mary E. Pearson. Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people. Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child. Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet. Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead. Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

Dana Swift (Author), Assaf Cohen, Dana Swift, Priya Ayyar (Narrator)

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Refugee

A tour de force from acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087), this timely and powerful novel tells the story of three different children seeking refuge. JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . . ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America . . . MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe . . . All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers -- from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end. Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087, Projekt 1065) delivers an action-packed novel that tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home.

Alan Gratz (Author), Assaf Cohen, Kyla Garcia, Michael Goldstrom (Narrator)

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Killing a King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel

A riveting story about the murder that changed a nation: the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin remains the single most consequential event in Israel's recent history and one that fundamentally altered the trajectory for both Israel and the Palestinians. Killing a King relates the parallel stories of Rabin and his stalker, Yigal Amir, over the two years leading up to the assassination, as one of them planned political deals he hoped would lead to peace-and the other plotted murder. Dan Ephron, who reported from the Middle East for much of the past two decades, covered both the rally where Rabin was killed and the subsequent murder trial. He describes how Rabin, a former general who led the army in the Six Day War of 1967, embraced his nemesis, Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, and set about trying to resolve the twentieth century's most vexing conflict. He recounts in agonizing detail how extremists on both sides undermined the peace process with ghastly violence. And he reconstructs the relentless scheming of Amir, a twenty-five-year-old law student and Jewish extremist who believed that Rabin's peace effort amounted to a betrayal of Israel and the Jewish people. As Amir stalked Rabin over many months, the agency charged with safeguarding the Israeli leader missed key clues, overlooked intelligence reports, and then failed to protect him at the critical moment, in November 1995. It was the biggest security blunder in the agency's history. Through the prism of the assassination, much about Israel today comes into focus, from the paralysis in peacemaking to the fraught relationship between current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama. Based on Israeli police reports, interviews, confessions, and the cooperation of both Rabin's and Amir's families, Killing a King is a tightly coiled narrative that reaches an inevitable, shattering conclusion. One can't help but wonder what Israel would look like today had Rabin lived. "Exceptional...an electrifying political narrative twinned with an old-fashioned crime story?of the sort that ought to be taught in journalism schools for its restraint, pacing, and expert creation of suspense...The book is a Greek tragedy told in split screen, a frame-for-frame chronicle of a deplorable death foretold."-New York Times

Dan Ephron (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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The Secret Sky

An eye-opening, heart-rending tale of love, honor and betrayal from NBC foreign news correspodent Atia AbawiFatima is a Hazara girl, raised to be obedient and dutiful. Samiullah is a Pashtun boy raised to defend the traditions of his tribe. They were not meant to fall in love. But they do. And the story that follows shows both the beauty and the violence in current-day Afghanistan as Fatima and Samiullah fight their families, their cultures and the Taliban to stay together. Based on the people Atia Abawi met and the events she covered during her nearly five years in Afghanistan, this stunning novel is a must-read for anyone who has lived during America's War in Afghanistan.Perfect for fans of Patricia McCormick, Linda Sue Park, and Khaled Hosseini, this story will stay with readers for a long time to come.Advanced Praise for THE SECRET SKY:'[ The Secret Sky is] a tale of the indomitable Afghan spirit of hope and love. Among the many novels set in Afghanistan for young people or for adults, The Secret Sky stands alone. Unputdownable. Unforgettable.' Trent Reedy, author of Words in the DustThe Secret Sky brilliantly captures the magic and the heartbreak of Afghanistan as only someone rooted in its mystery can....This first novel by a top foreign correspondent has the authenticity of raw journalism and the poetry of a gifted writer. A must read for anyone who wants to understand the contradictions of the Afghan soul. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and anchor of Andrea Mitchell Reports A riveting tale written from the heart....This powerful love story will leave you angry at injustice, and awed by courage. It shocks and inspires. Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent, BBC The Secret Sky is an amazing combination of utterly searing and beautifully romantic. It was like reading The Kite Runner a gripping story that gave insight to this brutal yet magical culture. Daphne Benedis-Grab, author of The Girl in the Wall

Atia Abawi (Author), Ariana Delawari, Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria

Reminiscent of the work of Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich, an astonishing collection of intimate wartime testimonies and poetic fragments from a cross-section of Syrians whose lives have been transformed by revolution, war, and flight. Against the backdrop of the wave of demonstrations known as the Arab Spring, in 2011 hundreds of thousands of Syrians took to the streets demanding freedom, democracy and human rights. The government’s ferocious response, and the refusal of the demonstrators to back down, sparked a brutal civil war that over the past five years has escalated into the worst humanitarian catastrophe of our times. Yet despite all the reporting, the video, and the wrenching photography, the stories of ordinary Syrians remain unheard, while the stories told about them have been distorted by broad brush dread and political expediency. This fierce and poignant collection changes that. Based on interviews with hundreds of displaced Syrians conducted over four years across the Middle East and Europe, We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled is a breathtaking mosaic of first-hand testimonials from the frontlines. Some of the testimonies are several pages long, eloquent narratives that could stand alone as short stories; others are only a few sentences, poetic and aphoristic. Together, they cohere into an unforgettable chronicle that is not only a testament to the power of storytelling but to the strength of those who face darkness with hope, courage, and moral conviction.

Wendy Pearlman (Author), Assaf Cohen, Erin Bennett, Susan Nezami (Narrator)

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The Heartfulness Way: Heart-Based Meditations for Spiritual Transformation

Heartfulness is an ideal, a spiritual way of living by and from the heart that is inclusive of all ideologies, beliefs, and religions. In this heart-centered book, a student in conversation with his teacher, Kamlesh D. Patel-affectionately known as Daajii, the fourth and current spiritual guide of the century-old Heartfulness tradition-present a unique method of meditation with the power to facilitate an immediate, tangible spiritual experience, irrespective of a person's faith. Our modern, fast-paced world can be an overwhelming place. Every day, we're bombarded with messages telling us that in order to be happy, fulfilled, and worthy, we must be better, do more, and accumulate as much material wealth as possible. But what if there is another way? What if, rather than letting the busyness of life overtake our minds, we learn to be heartful instead? Based on Daaji's own combination of approaches and practices for the modern seeker, Heartfulness is a contemporized version of the ancient Indian practice of Raja Yoga, a tradition that enables the practitioner to realize the higher Self within. While many books describe refined states of being, The Heartfulness Way goes further, providing a pragmatic course to experience those states for oneself, which, per the book's guiding principle, is 'greater than knowledge.'

Joshua Pollock, Kamlesh D. Patel (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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No Mission Is Impossible: The Death-Defying Missions of the Israeli Special Forces

A riveting follow-up to Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal’s account of the most memorable missions of the Mossad, No Mission is Impossible sheds light on some of the most harrowing, nail-biting operations of the Israeli special forces. Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service brought to life the gripping, legendary missions of Israeli’s national intelligence force like never before, capturing the danger of the operations and the bravery of the operatives who risked everything to complete their assignments. Now, in No Mission Is Impossible, Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal return with the intensely absorbing, fast-paced story of thirty of the boldest missions of the Israeli special forces. Bar-Zohar and Mishal depict in electrifying detail major battles, raids in enemy territory, and death-defying commando missions while also sharing the personal stories of both soldiers and top commanders, revealing their hopes and fears. The stories are often of victories, but sometimes they’re of immense failures. They run side-by-side with the accounts of the lives and accomplishments of some of Israel’s most prominent figures, including Moshe Dayan, Ariel Sharon, the brothers Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, and Avigdor Kahalani. We follow Sharon, from his near death at the battle of Latrun in 1948 to his crossing of Suez in 1973; we are with Ehud Barak, dressed in women’s clothes, when he commands a daring raid in Beirut in 1973, and then when he is elected prime minister in 1999. Besides recounting these mesmerizing, high-stakes missions, No Mission Is Impossible includes an interview in each chapter with a major figure who took part in the mission discussed, including some of the most prominent players in Israeli politics. Captivating and eye-opening, No Mission Is Impossible is essential listening for anyone interested in understanding how these crucial missions shaped Israel and the world at large. “Well-researched and tensely written.”—Kirkus Reviews

Michael Bar-Zohar, Nissim Mishal (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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Nine Lives: My Time as the West's Top Spy inside al-Qaeda

As one of al-Qaeda's most respected bomb-makers, Aimen Dean rubbed shoulders with the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and swore allegiance to Osama bin Laden himself.As a double agent at the heart of al-Qaeda's chemical weapons program, he foiled attacks on civilians and saved countless lives, brushing with death so often that his handlers began to call him their spy with nine lives.This is the story of how a young Muslim, determined to defend his faith, found himself fighting on the wrong side-and his fateful decision to work undercover for his sworn enemy. From the killing fields of Bosnia to the training camps of Afghanistan, from running money and equipment in Britain to dodging barrel bombs in Syria, we discover what life is like inside the global jihad, and what it will take to stop it once and for all.

Aimen Dean (Author), Assaf Cohen (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Assaf Cohen