"My name is Rigoberta Menchú. I am 23 years old and my life story is intended to present living proof of the fate of my people. It is no storybook tale, but a story that has been lived together with my people...With this story I want to describe the life of all Guatemala's poor..."

This influential book has been translated in to many languages and remains the most moving text by the Nobel Prize winner, even if doubt has arisen about individual passages in the book. It provides an interesting insight into the life of the Quiché Indians in Guatemala as well as the country's social problems. Another quote:

"We don't need advice, theories or books, because life itself is our teacher. I have been made to understand in the depth of my soul what discrimination means. My life story is a tale of exploitation. I have worked and suffered hunger... When looking back at a life such as mine and when taking in the stark reality of it, a hate for the suppressors who have brought so much suffering to a people begins to grow."