Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Sarah Crichton Books (2008), Edition: 1st, 229 pages
Description
This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived. Ishmael Beah, now 25 years old, tells how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.--From publisher description.… (more)
Media reviews
The book, A Long Way Gone: Memoir of a Boy Soldier, is a story about how a boy at a young age had to witness something major that was taking place in Africa, his homeland. This leave the audience shocked because he explains what he went through as a child and how it affected him as the war went by.
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For the ones who have read this book understand the struggle that the main character, Ishmael, Ishmael Beah, went through. He was separated from his family and was taken in by the group who would kill the rebels to survive. The rebels are known as the ones who started the war. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
What I most admire about Ishmael Beah is his unflinching and unselfpitying manner of telling his story in A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy solider. His individual story of being a child who lost almost everything in a vicious war speaks for children caught in the same manner around the world.
By the time he was brought to the rehabilitation centre in the capital city, it was almost too late. Reawakening his humanity, finding relatives for him to live with, and starting to feel safe once more, only to have war break out again. Seeing the horrors start up again and knowing he had to escape or be dragged back into it, he managed to get himself across the border. Having been taken to America to speak at a UN conference, he was lucky to have people in America that worked hard to get him out of Africa and were able to bring him to the states to complete his education.
I could go into superlatives about this book, but would rather simply say it was a genuine and emotional read.
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Losing his country, his family, and his friends, alone and wandering at twelve years of age, he is picked up and turned into a small killing machine, a child soldier. Given drugs, food, clothing, guns and ammunition, they are turned loose upon the country to kill and scavenge for their superiors.By the time he was brought to the rehabilitation centre in the capital city, it was almost too late. Reawakening his humanity, finding relatives for him to live with, and starting to feel safe once more, only to have war break out again. Seeing the horrors start up again and knowing he had to escape or be dragged back into it, he managed to get himself across the border. Having been taken to America to speak at a UN conference, he was lucky to have people in America that worked hard to get him out of Africa and were able to bring him to the states to complete his education.
I could go into superlatives about this book, but would rather simply say it was a genuine and emotional read.
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LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
This sad and gripping memoir is dismaying testimony to how, in some places of our world, children are simply not allowed to be children. Ishmael Beah, at age 12, had been a resident of Mattru Jong, a town in Sierra Leone. Due to political turmoil, he lost his family and had to run for his life.
How he was extricated from this situation was an amazing story in itself. A trained soldier and killer, Ishmael was basically plucked from the military field and had to agree to completely change his life when placed in “rehab”, a situation that he deeply resented at the time.
A most discouraging part of this book for me was that, after the political situation calmed down and many young former soldiers were actually making progress in rehabilitation, more war broke out, taking with it many previously “rehabbed” young men.
This is a story which is both sad, for the profound losses that Ishmael had to bear, and joyful, for knowing that Ishmael was able to eventually escape his troubled world and now has gone on to become college educated, a successful writer, and advocate for children’s rights.
I highly recommend this book for those who like to read memoirs and for those who want to take a deeper look into problems of political unrest in African nations, with Sierra Leone being the particular focus of this book. This is a jarring story, but one which should absolutely be read. People who live in relative peace around the world should take the time to become aware of situations elsewhere where peace sometimes only seems like a dream.
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People all around him were either being killed at random or, if young men, were recruited to be soldiers of either the national army or the rebel forces. Beah’s dilemma at that tender age was to either kill or be killed. Therefore, into the fray he was taken.How he was extricated from this situation was an amazing story in itself. A trained soldier and killer, Ishmael was basically plucked from the military field and had to agree to completely change his life when placed in “rehab”, a situation that he deeply resented at the time.
A most discouraging part of this book for me was that, after the political situation calmed down and many young former soldiers were actually making progress in rehabilitation, more war broke out, taking with it many previously “rehabbed” young men.
This is a story which is both sad, for the profound losses that Ishmael had to bear, and joyful, for knowing that Ishmael was able to eventually escape his troubled world and now has gone on to become college educated, a successful writer, and advocate for children’s rights.
I highly recommend this book for those who like to read memoirs and for those who want to take a deeper look into problems of political unrest in African nations, with Sierra Leone being the particular focus of this book. This is a jarring story, but one which should absolutely be read. People who live in relative peace around the world should take the time to become aware of situations elsewhere where peace sometimes only seems like a dream.
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LibraryThing member Aerrin99
Powerful, brutal, and richly told. Beah's book gives a face to the tragedy of civil war and makes you wonder what else you're missing in the world.
LibraryThing member karenlisa
A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier By Ishmael Beah Ishmael Beah was born in Sierra Leone in 1980. In 1993 at the age of 12 Ishmaels village was destroyed by rebel forces. The rebels claimed they were providing freedom from the corrupt government. In actuality they were stealing the country
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from the people and not helping anyone but themselves. Not knowing if his family was alive or where to find them if they were, Ishmael sets off on a journey with a few friends through the forests of Africa to find a safe haven and perhaps news of his family. The rebels rape, loot, kill and destroy everything and everyone in their path. Ishamel and his fellow travelers barely survive this brutal journey scavenging for food, rest and safety. Walking for days through all types of weather day and night. Finally Ishmael finds a seemingly safe village where he is recruited into the government army to fight the rebels. He is quickly turned into a boy soldier who becomes a fearless, drug addicted killer. Ishmaels maturity, strength, will to survive and deep emotions regarding right and wrong are extraordinary. He joins the fight avenging the deaths of those he loved but winds up in similar shoes as those of the rebels. This memoir is riveting, an easy read and quick lesson in the history of politics in this area of the world. This is not just an anonymous news clip that one views on t.v. This is a boy, innocent and happy whose childhood is stolen, his family taken away. This is not long ago and it continues today. We must force ourselves to pay attention, help in any way possible and to teach our children that the world can be made a much better place. We cannot just look the other way. Show Less
LibraryThing member cammykitty
Extremely honest, well-written and well-structured autobiography of a life that was so horrific that it is emotionally difficult to read about it. I listened to this on audio, which made it easier to take. The reader's voice was a constant reminder that Beah lived through it and is doing okay now.
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I kept having to imagine 12 year old boys I know to ground me. It was almost impossible to visualize the kids I know coping and warping under the pressures boys in Sierra Leone faced. That said, the book isn't a downer. It's hopeful, and I'm hoping Beah writes more books - but not autobiographies. I wish him a dull, safe and happy life from here on out. Show Less
LibraryThing member mirrani
I can't talk enough about the experience of reading this book. I'm not certain that I could put any of it into words. In a way, it is much like going through a war. People hear about fighting, they see news about it on television, but until they have lived through the experience, they can't
The title of the book suggests that the inside is filled with stories of being a child soldier, but the weight of the story is spread out in a necessary way. This is a memoir of a boy who grew up in war, fought as a child soldier, then was brought out of that life to have a new future. Reading will take you through childhood memories, through the struggles of living on your own, searching for anything you can eat or anywhere you can live, through battles and raids, then through rehabilitation and new life. There are times when the lighthearted is weighed against a wartime memory, perfectly capturing the essence of a flashback without being too weighty. There are also times when lighter memories come to mind while life is a struggle and times are hard. Those inserted memories make this a perfectly balanced read while continuing a very moving story.
This book does not contain the history of a land or a people, it is the story of one child surviving and finding life after living through tragic times and it is very well written. The story of child soldiers is hard for many to hear, but also must be told in order to raise awareness and continue the help for others. I can't think of a better way to hear about what these young people face, to understand what they have gone through and what they continue to go through in their new lives as civilians, than to hear it from the children themselves. This author is one who survived and moved beyond the fighting when so many did not. One of the best ways to recognize those lost or struggling is to share their experiences through this book.
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properly imagine what it is like to have that world be your reality. This book captures that essence perfectly, bringing you as close to the experience of the war as it can from the comfort of your favorite chair. It isn't overly graphic or angry, but it is honest, and that is the most important thing. In this way Ishmael Beah has managed to help share his experience with others.The title of the book suggests that the inside is filled with stories of being a child soldier, but the weight of the story is spread out in a necessary way. This is a memoir of a boy who grew up in war, fought as a child soldier, then was brought out of that life to have a new future. Reading will take you through childhood memories, through the struggles of living on your own, searching for anything you can eat or anywhere you can live, through battles and raids, then through rehabilitation and new life. There are times when the lighthearted is weighed against a wartime memory, perfectly capturing the essence of a flashback without being too weighty. There are also times when lighter memories come to mind while life is a struggle and times are hard. Those inserted memories make this a perfectly balanced read while continuing a very moving story.
This book does not contain the history of a land or a people, it is the story of one child surviving and finding life after living through tragic times and it is very well written. The story of child soldiers is hard for many to hear, but also must be told in order to raise awareness and continue the help for others. I can't think of a better way to hear about what these young people face, to understand what they have gone through and what they continue to go through in their new lives as civilians, than to hear it from the children themselves. This author is one who survived and moved beyond the fighting when so many did not. One of the best ways to recognize those lost or struggling is to share their experiences through this book.
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LibraryThing member ShannaThomp08
A Long Way Gone is a novel that takes a reader into the life for a child solider by the name of Ishmael Beah. In this novel we read about the hardhips and terrible experiences that he goes through as he tries to endure the lost of family members and hopes to someday return to a life that he was
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once happy in. In my opinion I thought the book was very sad and hard to comprehend that people would do such terrible things. I also feel that even though these things may be hard to believe that they do happen and we as in the United States need to find out ways to possible stop this or reduce it in some way. I would recommend this book because it talks about a real issue(child soliders) that people need to know about; because before reading this book I honestly did not it existed. I feel like this book will hopefully inspire people to reach out and help as much as they can because every child deserves a childhood. Show Less
LibraryThing member PennyAnne
Ishmael Beah is visiting our school this year and kids in the Middle School have been asked to read his book before he comes. I thought I should read it before Ruth so that I would be able to talk about it with her. I'm glad I did as Ishmael's story is so sad and it is hard to remember as you are
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reading about his experiences that he was only 12 years old when the war in Sierra Leone first impacted his life. A very moving book, and I think that it will be interesting to see what our cossetted children make of his life story. Show Less
LibraryThing member dfredricks
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is a truly moving story of the childhood of an African boy who becomes involved in the terrifying world of war. Throughout the book, Ishmael Beah describes the life he once had and the life he now lives due to the affects of the war in Sierra Leone. All
This all starts one day in Mattru Jong, a day that seemed like it was going to be just like any other. However, the echoes of gunfire in the distance proved their expectations wrong. Ishmael, his brother Junior, and a couple of their friends were hanging out by the river singing rap songs that they had written and recorded when they heard the commotion in their village. The boys ran back to their homes only to find that they had lost their family members in all the chaos. They then raced frantically across the river in hopes of finding safety. Sadly, Ishmael and Junior eventually were separated. Ishmael had to learn, immediately, how to live on his own at the age of twelve. After walking for days, Ishmael found some of his friends from school, Alhaji, Saidu, Kanei, Jumah, Musa and Moriba. Together these seven boys would look after each other and share the horrific times to come.
It was not long before the seven boys were forced to join the army. The boys trained for months until the lieutenant thought they were ready to gain revenge for their country by tormenting the rebels that killed their families and burning down entire villages. Over the two years they were in the army, Ishmael and his friends became addicted to cocaine, marijuana, and a mixture of gunpowder and other drugs called brown brown. Together they killed relentlessly, and watched their comrades fall in the line of fire. Saidu and Musa died as a result of the war. Soon after Musa’s death, the remaining five boys were released from the army and taken to a rehabilitation center not far from the city of Freetown.
At sixteen, Ishmael with his friends, Alahji, Kanei, Jumah and Moriba arrived at Benin Home, the UNICEF rehab center, to find that there must have been hundreds of other boy soldiers. All of these boys had become addicted to drugs while in the armies. Because of drug abuse, the boys went through the stages of withdrawal. Ishmael himself would wake up in a cold sweat with an excruciating migraine from the dreams that he had. Most of the dreams had to do with all the deaths he had witnessed when he was trapped in the middle of the war. The doctors and psychiatrists that worked at Benin Home would try to help the boys with these problems, but they would always reply with “It’s not your fault…” Ishmael and the other boys spent eight months at the rehab center before they were released to live with family, if they had any. If not, they would live with foster homes. Ishmael was sent to live with his uncle in Freetown. All seemed to be going well until one day Freetown was ravaged by rebels. The war was making it’s was back into Ishmael’s life, and he did not want anything to do with it. Ishmael made a phone call to Laura Simms in New York City, a woman he met while at a conference held by the U.N. in New York, she was someone he thought of as a mother. Ishmael left Sierra Leone, and went to live with Laura where he started his new life in the United States.
This book is extremely heartwarming and moving, in every sense of these words. Ishmael was just a boy when his life was turned upside-down. Through all the unfathomable chapters of his life, he was able to maintain a sense of youth along his journey to freedom. This is a remarkable story of the struggles and victories that made Ishmael Beah the person he is today.
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through his journey, he is forced to leave behind his childhood and grow wise beyond his years when he is recruited into the army at a very young age.This all starts one day in Mattru Jong, a day that seemed like it was going to be just like any other. However, the echoes of gunfire in the distance proved their expectations wrong. Ishmael, his brother Junior, and a couple of their friends were hanging out by the river singing rap songs that they had written and recorded when they heard the commotion in their village. The boys ran back to their homes only to find that they had lost their family members in all the chaos. They then raced frantically across the river in hopes of finding safety. Sadly, Ishmael and Junior eventually were separated. Ishmael had to learn, immediately, how to live on his own at the age of twelve. After walking for days, Ishmael found some of his friends from school, Alhaji, Saidu, Kanei, Jumah, Musa and Moriba. Together these seven boys would look after each other and share the horrific times to come.
It was not long before the seven boys were forced to join the army. The boys trained for months until the lieutenant thought they were ready to gain revenge for their country by tormenting the rebels that killed their families and burning down entire villages. Over the two years they were in the army, Ishmael and his friends became addicted to cocaine, marijuana, and a mixture of gunpowder and other drugs called brown brown. Together they killed relentlessly, and watched their comrades fall in the line of fire. Saidu and Musa died as a result of the war. Soon after Musa’s death, the remaining five boys were released from the army and taken to a rehabilitation center not far from the city of Freetown.
At sixteen, Ishmael with his friends, Alahji, Kanei, Jumah and Moriba arrived at Benin Home, the UNICEF rehab center, to find that there must have been hundreds of other boy soldiers. All of these boys had become addicted to drugs while in the armies. Because of drug abuse, the boys went through the stages of withdrawal. Ishmael himself would wake up in a cold sweat with an excruciating migraine from the dreams that he had. Most of the dreams had to do with all the deaths he had witnessed when he was trapped in the middle of the war. The doctors and psychiatrists that worked at Benin Home would try to help the boys with these problems, but they would always reply with “It’s not your fault…” Ishmael and the other boys spent eight months at the rehab center before they were released to live with family, if they had any. If not, they would live with foster homes. Ishmael was sent to live with his uncle in Freetown. All seemed to be going well until one day Freetown was ravaged by rebels. The war was making it’s was back into Ishmael’s life, and he did not want anything to do with it. Ishmael made a phone call to Laura Simms in New York City, a woman he met while at a conference held by the U.N. in New York, she was someone he thought of as a mother. Ishmael left Sierra Leone, and went to live with Laura where he started his new life in the United States.
This book is extremely heartwarming and moving, in every sense of these words. Ishmael was just a boy when his life was turned upside-down. Through all the unfathomable chapters of his life, he was able to maintain a sense of youth along his journey to freedom. This is a remarkable story of the struggles and victories that made Ishmael Beah the person he is today.
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LibraryThing member aliciaaa1
This book is an amazing story of survival and faith in a war torn country. It really makes the reader feel thankful for everything, and instills and sense of wanting to help out children forced into becoming soldiers. An excellent book, quick to read, but very heavy in content. Overall, well worth
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your time. Show Less
LibraryThing member mschwander
The intensity and honesty of this memoir make it hard to put this book down. Ishmeal tells his story of how he survived war as a twelve-year-old living in the African village, Sierra Lione. His experiences are so raw and violent that it is sometimes painful to read, but nonetheless fascinating and
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mesmerizing. It's hard to imagine that any other book could vividly describe the horror of the wars in Africa better than this first-hand account. Show Less
LibraryThing member galpalval
A very good read that not only gives a personal look at the transformation of a boy into a mass murderer. In addition, it challenges the stereotypical notion that Africans are "used" to war, whereas as Beah describes, his village was peaceful and they didn't even know the war was happening for a
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long time. Show Less
LibraryThing member horomnizon
This was not what I expected the book to be, which is perhaps why I ended up reading it just to finish it. Was it insightful? Sort of, although most of it was not that surprising, since movies and news stories have already told us the basics of situations like this. I expected it to be more
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER
Not to mention that it takes half the book to get to the part where he actually becomes a soldier. The violence didn't bother me - it is a book about war, that much I expected. I just wanted to read more about how it really felt, but I suppose the easiest way for the author to deal with it has been to put the feelings aside, or just brush over them with a stark statement like: I wonder why I'm still alive.
The ending is also disappointing, as you have had glances of what eventually becomes of him, but never find out how that really happened.
Maybe it is just that it was different from what I expected - many people seem to really like it. It is a sad situation, certainly, but I simply felt like the story could have been told better, with more emotion, starting about 80 pages in and recounting more of the action, rehabilitation and eventual escape.
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emotionally driven, but instead it is written in a matter-of-fact tone that just didn't do it for me. "I felt nothing, I was sad, I cried, I smiled."WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER
Not to mention that it takes half the book to get to the part where he actually becomes a soldier. The violence didn't bother me - it is a book about war, that much I expected. I just wanted to read more about how it really felt, but I suppose the easiest way for the author to deal with it has been to put the feelings aside, or just brush over them with a stark statement like: I wonder why I'm still alive.
The ending is also disappointing, as you have had glances of what eventually becomes of him, but never find out how that really happened.
Maybe it is just that it was different from what I expected - many people seem to really like it. It is a sad situation, certainly, but I simply felt like the story could have been told better, with more emotion, starting about 80 pages in and recounting more of the action, rehabilitation and eventual escape.
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LibraryThing member jenpbarr
This book opens your eyes about warfare and how it affects civilians. It is not well written, but is highly educational as one boy recounts his experiences during the recent civil war in Sierra Leone.
LibraryThing member phalaborwa
Powerful story - one that will(and should)haunt you long after the last page. Another chapter in Africa's troubled recent history.
LibraryThing member ChelsWhoElse
Wow. This memoir was fantastic. It was very gory at times and impeccably sad. This is a true story of what happens in the thick jungles of Africa, what happens behind America's back. If you see the film Blood Diamond and enjoyed it, I'm sure you will enjoy this book even more.
LibraryThing member Niecierpek
This book was so much more than I expected it to be. Yes, it’s a tale of the unfathomable horrors of war, of 13, 14 year old boys killing on drugs, of fear, death and ultimate survival and redemption, but it’s also a tale of African countryside with its landscapes, animals, plants and folk
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tales, and some unexpected benefits of rap. Simply, yet very compellingly told. It’s a tale of human resilience as well in the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member aaronbaddely13
When this young boy and his family run from the Rebels in Africa, Ishmeal learns about war and death. He becomes forced to be a child soldier, and is scared all the time. His leaders force him to inhaul gun powder and drugs, becoming brian washed. When he runs away from the war, he finds a way to
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travel to New York, where he recieves a foster mom. Now he needs to get back to Africa to save his family and friends. Show Less
LibraryThing member lyzadanger
I finished this nigh a week ago but I'm still challenged to say exactly how I feel about it.
Reading this book is like getting off a bus and finding yourself in a third-world country where you not only don't speak the language, but you don't even understand the brand of humanity exercised around
All that said, I find that I like Beah. Anyone who can start sensitive, devolve into the Heart of Darkness and somehow come back again is a deep character in my book.
Watch out reading this if you, like me, are sensitive to graphic imagery. There were times when I had to force myself to keep reading, assuring myself that I *needed* to know about this, to understand this chaos. I found it difficult to read at night or when I was feeing tense.
Reading this book is like getting off a bus and finding yourself in a third-world country where you not only don't speak the language, but you don't even understand the brand of humanity exercised around
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you. It's a whirling confusion of sweetness paired with inhuman destructiveness. From my admittedly sheltered perspective, the leap of understanding required to conceive of how anyone could behave this way, playing fast and loose with human life in such an elementally evil way, is difficult to grasp. But I suppose that is the point. That's the tragedy here: as has been repeatedly shown in psychological experiments, this can happen to anyone, no matter how solid and wonderful they are. It's profoundly sad and impossible to forget.All that said, I find that I like Beah. Anyone who can start sensitive, devolve into the Heart of Darkness and somehow come back again is a deep character in my book.
Watch out reading this if you, like me, are sensitive to graphic imagery. There were times when I had to force myself to keep reading, assuring myself that I *needed* to know about this, to understand this chaos. I found it difficult to read at night or when I was feeing tense.
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LibraryThing member debs4jc
I listened to this account of Ishmael's experiences growing up in Sierra Leone and becoming entangled in the fierce civil war that tore up his country. His early descriptions of his life as an 11 year old boy, concerned with his family life, friends, and rap music make the horror of what follows
This was a hard book to listen to in spots because of the subject matter, but I felt it is very worthwhile. As Americans we can be very focused on our selves and our own country, but it is so valuable and important to know about the struggled faced by those in other parts of the world. I appreciated being able to listen to Beah's own narration of his tale, as his accent and voice made it all the more authentic. I loved the way he would describe things and he used details well to draw the reader into his story. I highly recommend listening to or reading this book.
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heartbreaking. After rebel soldiers attack his village, Ishmael is seperated from his family and forced to band together with whatever group of boys he can find. They roam the country, scavenging for food and seeing atrocity after atrocity until eventually Ishmael is captured and forced to become a soldier--at 12 years old. His initial reluctance is easily overcome by the drugs and the strict treatment of his captors, and he soon becomes proud of his ability to kill. Thankfully, he is eventually taken in by some UN workers who are rounding up the boys and trying to rehabilitate them. This does not always go well, such as in an incident where boys from the opposing sides of the war manage start fighting with smuggled in bayonets and grenades and guns they take from the guards. Ishmael does eventually become rehabilitated, and is able to move on to a better life.This was a hard book to listen to in spots because of the subject matter, but I felt it is very worthwhile. As Americans we can be very focused on our selves and our own country, but it is so valuable and important to know about the struggled faced by those in other parts of the world. I appreciated being able to listen to Beah's own narration of his tale, as his accent and voice made it all the more authentic. I loved the way he would describe things and he used details well to draw the reader into his story. I highly recommend listening to or reading this book.
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LibraryThing member pbirch01
A Long Way Gone is a difficult book about a difficult subject. However, the subject is handled well by Beah and one can see that he has a gift for storytelling. He is able to provide some interesting self-analysis as well as provide everyone outside of Sierra Leone a better view of the situation.
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He also has a really great smile in the cover of this book which was reassuring when the story became tragic and disheartening. Still, it remains an excellent view of the situation and a unique perspective. Show Less
LibraryThing member bung
Recommended by Matt's mother Claire. A horrifying glimpse into a story comfortable Westerners have no hope to understand. Miraculous, insightful, truly inspiring.
LibraryThing member welkinscheek
Ishmeal Beah’s life was torn apart by war, and his childhood vanished along with his family and everything familiar in his native Sierra Leone. He walked from one remote village to another, narrowly escaping mortal peril, finally reaching the ocean, only to be forced into a rebel army and
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programmed to become a killer like those he had so carefully avoided. This memoir depicts a long and seemingly impossible journey from innocent childhood to unspeakable violence and back to love, family, and forgiveness. Beah was a teenager in a time and place where teens provoked fear, and any adolescent boy could be poised to destroy a life for some indistinct cause. This is how others perceived him, and how he perceived himself, but with the skill of a master storyteller, and the help of people who love him, he has written his story in frank detail, often gruesome, frequently lovely, and always vividly real. Show Less
LibraryThing member Litfan
Everyone should read this book. This is the story of Ishmael, a young boy growing up in Sierra Leone, who is caught up in a horrific war and becomes a child soldier. His story captures the essence of his life prior to the war, with glimpses of his family's traditions and affection for each other.
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This is juxtaposed with the horrors he endures as a child soldier. The language of the book keeps the reader riveted, paints a compelling picture of the realities of a child's life during a brutal war, and depicts the ability of the human spirit to survive the unimaginable. I have not been affected this way by a book in a long, long time. Parts made me laugh, and parts made me cry. It is simply haunting. This is a story we all need to hear. Show Less
LibraryThing member Josh_Hanagarne
Probably the best--meaning most heartbreaking and unbearable--book I read this year. Beah's dedication to a man who helped him learn to be a "gentleman" still brings me to tears if I dwell on it.
A boy in Sierra Leone is forced into the military to survive. He is soon addicted to drugs and killing.
Absolutely unforgettable.
A boy in Sierra Leone is forced into the military to survive. He is soon addicted to drugs and killing.
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Once the boys are "rescued" by unicef, the violence does not stop. Beah manages to realize what has happened and eventually forgives himself, and finally becomes an activist on the behalf of other exploited children. Absolutely unforgettable.
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Subjects
Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — 2007)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 9-12 — 2009)
Alex Award (2008)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2012)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended — 2010)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2009)
BC and Yukon Book Prizes (Finalist — 2008)
Children's Africana Book Award (Honor Book — Older Readers — 2008)
Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2007)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2007)
Christian Science Monitor Best Book (Nonfiction — 2007)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2008)
ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (Social Sciences — 2009)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007-02-13
Physical description
229 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
9780374531263