I Am My Own Wife Audiobook By Charlotte von Mahlsdorf cover art

I Am My Own Wife

The True Story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

I Am My Own Wife

By: Charlotte von Mahlsdorf
Narrated by: Dennis Holland
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A soft-spoken transvestite wanting nothing more than to live as a hausfrau, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf instead was caught up in the most harrowing dramas of 20th-century Europe, surviving both the Nazis and the Communists. Originally published as I Am My Own Woman, this exquisitely written autobiography reveals her lifelong pursuit of sexual liberty. The story is reaching an entirely new readership of enthusiastic theater fans with I Am My Own Wife, the new Broadway show by Doug Wright about the life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in drama.

©2004 Cleis Press (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Biographies & Memoirs Gender Studies LGBTQ+ Studies
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about I Am My Own Wife

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

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

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

an extraodinary woman

I often wonder how such people ever survive at all.
Apart from being an extraordinary tale of survival, this was an interesting social history of the times. Charlotte certainly had the uncertain fortune of being born in "interesting times"
In spite of growing up through the rise of nazi regime, surviving the 'appratchniks' of this and the ensuing grey regime of the G.D.R., she looked for things of beauty, and managed to find and conserve items that would otherwise have been destroyed. At the time she was engaged in this pursuit much was being swept away and discarded by the new political order. Charlotte's interest in furniture from the 'Grundezheit' era became a motivating force in her life,
However, there were many side shoots to this story. The achievement of defining and defending her own identity, identifying as a woman born in a man's body was something that Charlotte also succeeded in doing. In this most difficult of conditions she insisted upon being accepted as the person in whom she identified.
This story is a reminder about the importance of accepting diversity, and valuing the bravery of others. It is narrated beautifully by a man with a soft German accent, who seemed perfect for the role.


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

Woman from Eastern block

My grandparents survive nazis and Comunists. They didn't want to say much about this time but they both agreed that Comunists were much more worst than Nazist. Half of London is taken by Russian already - I wonder when it will start here in UK.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!