“Fictional differences between one person and another can justify violence too horrible to believe. Here one melodious voice can speak for us all.”
      —AudioFile

“A novel full of unspeakable strife but also joy, humor, and love . . . thanks to a writer who knows when to keep a steady pace and when to explode into an all-out sprint.”
      —O, The Oprah Magazine

“The politics will be familiar to those who have followed Africa’s crises (or seen Hotel Rwanda), but where Benaron shines is in her tender descriptions of Rwandan’s natural beauty and in her creation of Jean Patrick, a hero whose noble innocence and genuine human warmth are impossible not to love.”
      —Kirkus Reviews [starred review]

“Benaron accomplishes the improbable feat of wringing genuine loveliness from unspeakable horror. . . . It is a testament to Benaron’s skill that a novel about genocide . . . conveys so profoundly the joys of family, friendship, and community.”
      —Publishers Weekly [starred review]

“First novelist Benaron, who has actively worked with refugee groups, won the 2010 Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction for this unflinching and beautifully crafted account of a people and their survival. In addition, she compellingly details the growth and rigorous training of a young athlete. VERDICT Readers who do not shy away from depictions of violence will find this tale of social justice a memorable read, and those interested in coming-of-age stories set in wartime will want it as well. Highly recommended.”
      —Library Journal [starred review]

“Truly fearless writing . . . culturally rich and completely engrossing.”
      —Barbara Kingsolver, founder of the Bellwether Prize, author of The Poisonwood Bible

“A powerful coming-of-age story that highlights the best and the worst of human nature.”
      —Christian Science Monitor

“Benaron depicts the rugged beauty of Rwanda and the horror of genocide vividly in these pages. She writes with an earnest clarity bringing the boy to manhood and imparting to readers a culturally rich and unflinching story of resilience and resistance.”
      —Chicago Tribune

“It is exceptionally difficult to fictionalize a relatively recent mass murder without either cheapening the tragedy or becoming bogged down in grim reportage—but Ms. Benaron does a smart, sober job of it. . . . Running the Rift is well-paced but always makes time to demonstrate the apparatus of genocide.”
      —Wall Street Journal

NAOMI BENARON earned her MFA from Antioch University and her MS in earth sciences from cripps Institute of Oceanography. An advocate for African refugees in her community, she has worked extensively with genocide survivor groups in Rwanda. She is also an Ironman triathlete. Benaron teaches at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona.