Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah cover art

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah

By: Benjamin Zephaniah
Narrated by: Benjamin Zephaniah
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £13.00

Buy Now for £13.00

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Flappers cover art
Getting Better cover art
Good Pop, Bad Pop cover art
My Name Is Why cover art
The Noel Coward BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Love, Janis cover art
Rising to the Surface cover art
And Then Mama Said...: Words That Set My Life Alight cover art
Modern Nature cover art
My Thoughts Exactly cover art
Insanely Gifted cover art
Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries cover art
Blue: All Rise cover art
Made in Scotland cover art
The Call of the Weird cover art
Mother Country cover art

Summary

BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week

Benjamin Zephaniah, who has travelled the world for his art and his humanitarianism, now tells the one story that encompasses it all: the story of his life.

In the early 1980s when punks and Rastas were on the streets protesting about unemployment, homelessness and the National Front, Benjamin’s poetry could be heard at demonstrations, outside police stations and on the dance floor. His mission was to take poetry everywhere, and to popularise it by reaching people who didn’t read books. His poetry was political, musical, radical and relevant.

By the early 1990s, Benjamin had performed on every continent in the world (a feat which he achieved in only one year) and he hasn’t stopped performing and touring since. Nelson Mandela, after hearing Benjamin’s tribute to him while he was in prison, requested an introduction to the poet that grew into a lifelong relationship, inspiring Benjamin’s work with children in South Africa. Benjamin would also go on to be the first artist to record with The Wailers after the death of Bob Marley in a musical tribute to Nelson Mandela.

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah is a truly extraordinary life story which celebrates the power of poetry and the importance of pushing boundaries with the arts.

©2018 Benjamin Zephaniah (P)2018 Simon & Schuster UK

What listeners say about The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    394
  • 4 Stars
    64
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    373
  • 4 Stars
    43
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    357
  • 4 Stars
    58
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Who Knew?!

I’ve listened to enough audio books by now to recognise that my voice sensitivity is real so for someone like me the quality of narration can be a vexed subject.

When I listened to the sample , I wasn’t enamoured with Ben’s narration ,if I’m honest it sounded a bit wooden . I got the book anyway because i thought he’d have a tale or two to tell.

I’m so glad that I did.This man has been living a life . He readily acknowledges his engagement in the darker corners of street life and the price he paid.Colourful, totally candid and utterly heartfelt I can do no more than commend this story of a man who with good reason is unapologetically himself. Long may it continue.A beautiful story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating, absorbing

I was enthralled throughout. The story is told with vivid clarity, great honesty. It brings Benjamin Zephaniah’s life and the fascinating time he has lived through to life in a way that I found totally absorbing. And he comes across as a wise, principled, erudite and lovely man.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I’ve never listened so intently

Thank you Benjamin. Thank you to Adam Buxton for making me aware of Benjamin. I feel as though I relate in so many ways.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

what a legend

Love Benjamin Zephaniah's work so much. very Inspirational and uplifting. A true legend and with such Talent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

full of surprises but also everything I hoped for

What a naughty boy BZ was at times, however when he talks us through his incredibly tough youth and young manhood his illegal behavior almost seem reasonable response to an unfair world this beautiful and gentle man found himself forced to inhabit.
Lincolnshire is lucky to have him.
Bless BZ

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Inspirational and thought provoking

I downloaded the audio book because I had seen the play “Refugee Boy”., I didn’t know much else about the author. This is simply the best autobiography I have ever listened to. A great orator and a very thoughtful voice. Thank you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a life

Outstanding, what a life this guy has led. A truly inspiring read (listen). Benjamin, has such a fantastic way with words and his poems have inspired millions but this book has inspired me. You can do anything as long as you put the effort in.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Compulsory listening

Everyone should listen to or read this. I am horrified that I was growing up just down the road, albeit 10 years later, with no idea of how hard my country was making the lives of the people they had asked to help. The story of how Benjamin Zephaniah grew out of this situation and continues to follow his dream needs to be heard.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A privilege to have found this book

I am so glad that I discovered this masterpiece on Audible! To hear Benjamin’s own story read by himself has had an overwhelming impact upon me. In my ignorance I have only ever thought of him as a street poet who has found a truly effective way over the years to express his strong feelings of anger/concern/rebellion about the injustices in our society. It was an eye opener to me to discover the effectiveness that his words and music has had in so many areas of the world (not just in Britain) where injustice is still rife…all areas that I have wept and prayed over myself many times. Thank you, Benjamin, for telling your story! It has had a huge impact on me and I will not forget it! And his reflections upon life in Jamaica helped me to relive so many happy memories of my years of teaching in Morant Bay…a young white woman living amongst wonderful pupils in the 70s, who taught me far more about life and wisdom than I ever taught them about mathematics!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Hearbreaking

At times the racism experienced and shared by Zephaniah in this story is harrowing and heartwrenching. It doesn't mean don't listen to it, however. Listen to it all the more. Incredibly insightful and textured. Highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful