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A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier | Ishmael Beah
My new friends have begun to suspect I havent told them the full story of my life.Why did you leave Sierra Leone?Because there is a war.You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?Yes, all the time.Cool.I smile a little.You should tell us about it sometime.Yes, sometime.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. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? 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.In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, hed been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty. Ishmael Beah was born in Sierra Leone in 1980. He moved to the United States in 1998 and finished his last two years of high school at the United Nations International School in New York and then graduated from Oberlin College in 2004. He is a member of Human Rights Watch Children's Division Advisory Committee and has spoken before the Council on Foreign Relations, the Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities (CETO) at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, and many other NGO panels on children affected by war. He has also spoken before the United Nations on several occasions. His work has appeared in VespertinePress and LIT magazine. He lives in New York City. A New York Times Notable Book of the YearA Time Magazine Best Book of the YearA Newsweek Favorite Book of the YearA Quill Book Award FinalistA Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the YearA YALSA Best Book for Young AdultsWinner of the Alex Award My new friends have begun to suspect I haven't told them the full story of my life."Why did you leave Sierra Leone?""Because there is a war.""You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?""Yes, all the time.""Cool."I smile a little."You should tell us about it sometime.""Yes, sometime." This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become the soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? 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.In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he had been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. At sixteen, he was removed from fighting by UNICEF, and through the help of the staff at his rehabilitation center, he learned how to forgive himself, to regain his humanity, and finally, to heal. Also available on CD as an unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Please email academic@macmillan.com for more information. "What is it about African wars that is so disturbing? Why do they unsettle us so? . . . The great benefit of Ishmael Beah's memoir, A Long Way Gone, is that it may help us arrive at an understanding of this situation. Beah's autobiography is almost unique, as far as I can determineperhaps the first time that a child soldier has been able to give literary voice to one of the most distressing phenomena of the late 20th century: the rise of the pubescent (or even prepubescent) warrior-killer . . . A Long Way Gone is his first, remarkable book . . . Beah's memoir joins an elite class of writing: Africans witnessing African wars . . . A Long Way Gone makes you wonder how anyone comes through such unrelenting ghastliness and horror with his humanity and sanity intact. Unusually, the smiling, open face of the author on the book jacket provides welcome and timely reassurance. Ishmael Beah seems to prove it can happen."William Boyd, The New York Times Book Review "What is it about African wars that is so disturbing? Why do they unsettle us so? . . . The great benefit of Ishmael Beah's memoir, A Long Way Gone, is that it may help us arrive at an understanding of this situation. Beah's autobiography is almost unique, as far as I can determineperhaps the first time that a child soldier has been able to give literary voice to one of the most distressing phenomena of the late 20th century: the rise of the pubescent (or even prepubescent) warrior-killer . . . A Long Way Gone is his first, remarkable book . . . Beah's memoir joins an elite class of writing: Africans witnessing African wars . . . A Long Way Gone makes you wonder how anyone comes through such unrelenting ghastliness and horror with his humanity and sanity intact. Unusually, the smiling, open face of the author on the book jacket provides welcome and timely reassurance. Ishmael Beah seems to prove it can happen."William Boyd, The New York Times Book Review "Everyone in the world should read this book. Not just because it contains an amazing story, or because it's our moral, bleeding-heart duty, or because it's clearly written. We should read it to learn about the world and about what it means to be human . . . I don't think it's possible to 'understand' this book. A Long Way Gone says something about human nature that we try, most of the time, to ignore. Humans can be murderous, and that doesn't pertain in any way to religion or politics or ideology. These boys, on either side, didn't have the foggiest idea of the reasons for their war. The proselytizers, colonists, foreign entrepreneurs, politicians, even cheesy moviemakers all played a part in itcommitting murder by proxy. The murder itself is ubiquitous. The faint good news in these pages is that if we're lucky, very lucky, we may be able to sneak out of this life without being either murderer or victim. But it's nothing to count on."Carolyn See, The Washington Post Book World "[Beah's] honesty is exacting, and a testament to the ability of children 'to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.'"The New Yorker "What Beah saw and did during [the war] has haunted him ever since, and if you read his stunning and unflinching memoir, you'll be haunted, too . . . It would have been enough if Ishmael Beah had merely survived the horrors described in A Long Way Gone. That he has written this unforgettable firsthand account of his odyssey is harder still to grasp. Those seeking to understand the human consequences of war, its brutal and brutalizing costs, would be wise to reflect on Ishmael Beah's story."Chuck Leddy, The Philadelphia Inquirer "Beah's is a story of loss and redemptionfrom orphan to fighter to international participant in human-rights conferences on child soldiers. While his account of loss is painful to read . . . it is his account of rehabilitation that most occupies the reader's mindhow these children who become addicted to drugs and violence are able to re-enter the world of civil society."Jeff Rice, Chicago Tribune "Mr. Beah, now 26, speaks in a distinctive voice, and he tells an important story. Hundreds of thousands of child soldiers fight in dozens of nasty conflicts in Africa and elsewhere, and while journalists and the occasional novelist may write about them, A Long Way Gone is a first-person account."John Corry, The Wall Street Journal "Beah's story is a wrenching survivor's tale, but there's no self-pity or political digression to be found. Raw and honest, A Long Way Gone is an important account of the ravages of war, and it's most disturbing as a reminder of how easy it would be for any of us to break, to become unrecognizable in such extreme circumstances . . . Beah's uncompromising voice is a potent elegy for their suffering, a powerful reminder of the innocent casualties of war."The Miami Herald "Beah tells his amazing and agonizing story in a new memoir, A Long Way Gone. It is a story that pulls no punches as it describes a depravity that, until recently, has gone largely unnoticed . . . If you can read A Long Way Gone without being touched somewhere deep inside, you might need to think about changing the ice water in your veins."The Denver Post "With a clear eye and a steady cadence, [Beah] recounts how civil war punctured his rural boyhood and mutated him into a 13-year-old killer. Despite the carnage, few readers will be able to look away . . . Unlike Beasts of No Nation, last year's acclaimed novel about child soldiers, Beah's book stands on the power of witness. At the United Nations, he tells us, 'I had a speech that had been written for me in Freetown, but I decided to speak from my heart, instead.' So he has. And every reader of A Long Way Gone will be appalled and grateful."The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) "That Beah survived at all, let alone survived with any capacity for hope and joy at all, is stunning, and testament to incredible courageboth his and that of the millions of men and women who fight against wars with eerie grace and grim patience. That Beah could then craft a memoir like this, in his second language no less, is astounding and even thrilling, for A Long Way Gone is a taut prose arrow against the twisted lies of wars. Whatever excuses and defenses and rationalizations we offer for war, whenever we say that war is any sort of rational act, Beah's voice is now forever raised to call war what it is: madness."The Oregonian (Portland) "Beah writes to recount, not to relive the ghastly memories, or to shock or guilt-trip his readers. His language is simple and his tone somewhat detached, as though to delimit the frightening reach of that world. Often, he relies on the distanced perspective of a storyteller. But when Beah is finally approached about the possibility of serving as a spokesperson on the issue of child soldiers, he knows exactly what he wants to tell the world: '"We can be rehabilitated," I would emphasize, and point to myself as an example. I would always tell people that I believe children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance." Others may make the same assertions, but Beah has the advantage of stating them in the first person. That makes A Long Way Gone all the more gripping."Carol Huang, The Christian Science Monitor Beah is an eloquent writer who paints clear and poignant pictures of each circumstances he encountered on his journey as a boy who went from fearing the violence of the civil war in his country at age 12 too reveling in the torture of other human beings after being recruited by the government army at age 13 . . . Beahs memoir is a must-read for anyone who wants an education in the psychological impact of war on children.Anita Jackson-Hall, US Catholic A Long Way Gone, Beahs harrowing account of the civil war in his native Sierra Leone, provides the fullest picture of just how inexorable the plunge into war is for many children . . . If Beahs memoir depicts how easily children are lured into combat, it also examines how difficult it is for them to emerge from it.Fatin Abbas, The Nation "Ishmael Beah knows that former child soldiers in war-ravaged African countries can reclaim their lives because thats just what he did. In 1993, rebels in Sierra Leone killed 13-year-old Beahs parents and two brothers, forcing him to join their bloody campaign for two years. Upon his release, he stayed at a rehabilitation center for six months with other formerly abducted children. Beah now lives in the United States, and he wrote a 2007 book about his transition from child soldier to college graduate. His inspiring story illustrates the resilience of children forced into committing unthinkable acts, especially if they receive treatment that blends with their cultures, as well as acceptance back into their home communities."Bruce Bower, Science News "A fascinating theme in A Long Way Gone is the cultural mishmash that informs Beah's memories. Readers even vaguely familiar with hip-hop and reggae will be both amused and shocked by the ways they shaped the author's vision of war . . . Amid the war's blood, filth and hunger, Beah also inserts . . . powerful fragments of traditional African folklore. His willingness to share the comfort that things like tall tales, the face of the moon, or the smell of traditional foods bring him is sobering. It is also evident how painful it is to record them . . . Scenes the author witnessed and participated in are described in gruesome detail . . . In place of a text that has every right to be a diatribe against Sierra Leone, globalization or even himself, Beah has produced a book of such self-effacing humanity that refugees, political fronts and even death squads resolve themselves back into the faces of mothers, father and siblings. A Long Way Gone transports us into the lives of thousands of children whose lives have been altered by war, and it does so with a genuine and disarmingly emotional force."Richard Thompson, The Star Tribune (Minneapolis) "Terrifying, often graphic in portraying the violence he both witnessed and carried out as a barely adolescent soldier in Sierra Leone, 26-year-old Beah's story is also deeply moving, even uplifting . . . Reports about child soldiers and the crises in Africa proliferate, but Beah's story, with its clear-eyed reporting and literate particularitywhether he's dancing to rap, eating a coconut or running toward the burning village where his family is trappeddemands to be read."People "Beah's memoir, A Long Way Gone, is unforgettable testimony that Africa's childrenmillions of them dying and orphaned by preventable diseases, hundreds of thousands of them forced into battlehave eyes to see and voices to tell what has happened. And what voices! How is it possible that 26-year-old Beah, a nonnative English speaker, separated from his family at age 12, taught to maim and to kill at 13, can sound such notes of family happiness, of friendship under duress, of quiet horror? No outsider could have written this book, and it's hard to imagine that many insiders could do so with such acute vision, stark language, and tenderness. It is a heart-rending achievement."Melissa Fay Greene, Elle Most of A Long Way Gone describes Ishmaels life before and after he is forced to fight. He takes only 25 pages to describe the horrors and habits of his life as a guerilla. This brevity and the relative lack of interior dialogue or emotion throughout the book are as telling as the narrative. It is astounding that Ishmael survived at all, let alone that he is able to remember, sane enough to recount his experiences, and intelligent enough to do so in a foreign tongue, English. The sparse prose gives the sense that he wrote this memoir as much to mark his passage out of hell, in case he should again have to wonder there, as he did to enlighten us.Lucas Lund, Hippo "A beautifully written book about a shocking war and the children who were forced to fight it. Beah describes the unthinkable in calm, unforgettable language; his memoir is an important testament to the children elsewhere who continue to be conscripted into armies and militias."Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars "One of the most important war stories of our generation. The arming of children is among the greatest evils of the modern world, and yet we know so little about it because the children themselves are swallowed up by the very wars they are forced to wage. Beah has not only emerged intact from this chaos, he has become one of its most eloquent chroniclers."Sebastian Junger, author of A Death in Belmont and A Perfect Storm "This is a wrenching, beautiful, and mesmerizing tale. Beah's amazing saga provides a haunting lesson about how gentle folks can be capable of great brutalities as well goodness and courage. It will leave you breathless."Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life "To emerge from Sierra Leone's malignant civil conflict and eventually graduate from college in the U.S. marks Beah as very unusual, if not unique. His memoir seeks to illuminate the process that created, and continues to create, one of the most pitiable yet universally feared products of modern warfare: the boy soldier. It illustrates how, in African nations under the stress of open civil war, youthful males cluster in packs for self-protection, fleeing the military forces of all sides, distrusted and persecuted by strangers they encounter, until they are killed or commandeered as recruits. Nearly half the text deals with Beah's life as a fugitive after marauding rebel troops ravaged his home village. He fled with several other boys, but they were separated during another attack and he was forced to spend several weeks alone in the bush; the loneliness there instilled a craving for human companionship of any type. The regular military finally snared Beah and some new companions, telling them they must train as soldiers or die. The rebels, they were assured, were responsible for killing their families and destroying their homes; as soldiers, they would exact manly revenge and serve the nation. Cocaine, marijuana and painkillers became the boys' mind-numbing daily diet. They were indoctrinated by practicing mayhem on tethered prisoners and became willing experts at lying in ambush with their aging AK-47 rifles. For them, killing human beings had replaced ordinary child's play . . . [A] halting narrative . . . [that is] hideously effective in conveying the essential horror of his experiences."Kirkus Reviews "Rarely does one encounter anything but outrage, sadness, and pain when reading about the exploitation of child soldiers, but Beah's account also offers hope, humanity, bravery, and, yes, peace . . . The brutality of war is brought out early in this narrative, and just to have survived is amazing. Beah writes with frankness and honesty about his experiences but also with other people in mind; his account of the healing process after the horrors he saw is remarkable. His book [is] especially relevant in today's world."Library Journal "This remarkable firsthand account shows how civil strife destroys lives . . . The horrors [Ishmael Beah] saw or perpetrated still haunt him and will be difficult for the reader to forget . . . Beah writes his story with painful honesty, horrifying detail, and touches of remarkable lyricism. This young writers has a bright future . . . As children fight on in dreadful wars around the globe, Beah's story is a must."Rayna Patton, VOYA "Gripping . . . Told in a conversational, accessible style, this powerful record of war ends as a beacon to all teens by showing them that there are other ways to survive than by adding to the chaos."Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, Virginia, School Library Journal "This absorbing account by a young man who, as a boy of 12, gets swept up in Sierra Leone's civil war goes beyond even the best journalistic efforts in revealing the life and mind of a child abducted into the horrors of warfare . . . Told in clear, accessible language by a young writer with a gifted literary voice, this memoir seems destined to become a classic firsthand account of war and the ongoing plight of child soldiers in conflicts worldwide."Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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camila.m220

“My childhood had gone by without my knowing, and it seemed as if my heart had frozen.” Beahs childhood was taken away from him due to conflict and how he was forced to grow up quickly in order to survive (Beah 150).

spegnart What conflict stripped them of their childhood? 1y
ajhenderson I think our books would connect, this is kind of how I interpreted my character. 1y
1 like2 comments
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camila.m220

“We must strive to be like the moon” Beah can be suggesting that we can find inspiration for inner peace in the world, specifically the moon (Beah 231).

ajhenderson I like this quote. 1y
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camila.m220

“I was still hesitant to let myself let go, because i still believed in the fragility of happiness.” this can suggest that Beah is hesitant to fully embrace happiness because he is afraid of losing it or it being taken away (Beah 174).

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camila.m220

“How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?” he asked. It is understandable to feel overwhelmed and anxious about death, especially in the face of uncertainty and events that are out of our control. (Beah, 209.)

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camila.m220

“In the sky there are always answers and explain actions for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy and confusion.” This statement suggests that the sky, or perhaps the universe holds the answers to all of life‘s questions and experiences (Beah 127).

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vjay
Mehso-so

Good book for history, great book for changing how you view the world.

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Singout
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Pickpick

This was really compelling: the second book about an African boy soldier for me this year. This memoir is about a teen who escapes with two friends from his village, and survives for a long time before being forced into the military, then released into a rehab program and eventually escaping to the U.S. Excellent insights into the impact of loss of home and family in civil war.
#ReadingAfrica2022 #SierraLeone
#Bookspin
#Nonfiction2022 #Survivor

BarbaraBB I read some about child soldiers too this year. It‘s a hard subject but I learned a lot too. 1y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 1y
TheBookHippie My daughter met several in high school they were so so brave. They taught me so much. 1y
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S3V3N
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1* A Long Way Gone
2* All Her Little Secrets by Wanda S. Morris
3* Wakiki Beach, Hawaii; Scottsdale, Arizona and Tampa, Florida.
#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Eggs Wonderful! Thanks for playing 💕 2y
19 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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Pickpick

Rare is it to learn all about a nation by the tale of terror of war, loneliness, grief, and starvation told by a boy who walked much of the country first to try to escape the horror and then to take part in it. Ishmael was forced to become a soldier at 13, under the heavy influence of drugs continuously killing, killing, killing. It‘s a heartbreaking true story about a boy who had a decent childhood forced into this macabre circumstance ⬇️

Texreader when he and his friends were on their way to participate in a talent show. Exceedingly smart, he has a photographic memory and could recite orations from Shakespeare at the age of 7. Fortunate enough to be released from soldiering and going through drug withdrawal he used all of his mental resources and bravery to get where he is today—a world-famous author and humanitarian. This is a very emotional hard but important book. Highly recommended. (edited) 2y
Librarybelle Excellent review! 2y
BarbaraBB Stacked! 2y
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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

For the #readafrica2022 #sierraleone I chose this title. As a society of humanity we have to do so much better. The fact I knew he had a happy ending to his journey (and happy as in he‘s still alive and living a life he has well earned) allowed me to read the whole memoir. This is another if he could live it I could read it and acknowledge his journey with my heart breaking. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB @Texreader

Librarybelle Good choice! 2y
BarbaraBB Stacking! 2y
Texreader I just finished it too. Letting it settle before I write my review. Nicely done 2y
KristiAhlers @Texreader I totally get the let it settle. I did the same. As a grown woman I do t think I would‘ve had the strength to do what this child had done. I‘m so glad he made his way here and is living the life that he is. 2y
Kitta I read this years ago! It was so interesting! 2y
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JohnLAndBenji
Pickpick

This was required in high school. It was very triggering for us. Students walked out crying. Ishmael and everyone he knows are in an impoverished war torn hell. Terrorist groups kidnap children and force them to fight for them. His home was destroyed and his parents were killed. There is starvation and random acts of violence; and he tries to explan the psychological affects it has. It is scarier than any stephen king book because it is real..

JohnLAndBenji I give this a pick because it tells the truth about what is happening in Sierra Leone. (edited) 2y
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Texreader
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Texreader
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This is my next pick for #readingafrica2022 #SierraLeone @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

My daughter read it for freshman high school English so I‘m repurposing it.

GingerAntics I read this when I was working with freshman. It‘s really good. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It can be hard to get through in parts because it‘s so heartbreaking, but it‘s good. 2y
Addison_Reads I agree with @GingerAntics this is an excellent book, but definitely heartbreaking. 2y
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Sully1
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Pickpick

Such a tough read, but also so important to get through!

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Jennaree3
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Probably the most heart-wrenching thing I have ever read. This feels like an important book. One that should be read and re-read in every classroom around the world to remind us just how much there is to lose. It shows the true resiliency of the human spirit, and the miraculous power of hope. This should be revered as a modern classic.

TheBookHippie I heard him speak with my daughter and her friend gosh so long ago but I just sobbed. I‘ll never forget it. I‘ll have to see if she knows where the pictures are. 2y
LeahBergen @TheBookHippie I did, too! It was incredibly moving. 2y
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JenReadsAlot
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Pickpick

Wow this was an incredibly difficult book to read. #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

EvieBee I can imagine! 2y
zezeki I've read this years ago while I was a teenager, and it was one of the most difficult books I read at that age, but it stayed with me even now, more than ten years later. I'm always glad to see other Littens are reading it. 2y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 2y
36 likes3 comments
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IhoardBOOKS
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A really tough read. This story was about Ishmael‘s experience as a child soldier and as such included the things he did and saw so it was pretty graphic and sad and awful at times.

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FeatherV
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Pickpick

This book broke my heart. But I feel that it is a really necessary read. Something we all should be more aware of. Thank you Shannie for the recommendation!
#bookrecommendations #alongwaygone #ishmaelbeah #breaksmyheart #importantbooks #blackstoriesmatter #beawareoftheworldaroundyou

heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com
New Post Today!
https://heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com/2021/02/a-long-way-gone.html

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FeatherV
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When you wake up early on your workout rest day....oh darn I guess I‘ll have to read 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyone else sometimes get up early to read in peace?

#bookworm #momlife #earlymorningreads #happiness #2021books #book10 #book11 #firefly #themagnificentnine #jameslovegrove #josswhedon #alongwaygone #ishmaelbeah

heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com

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FeatherV
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When you‘ve been talking about diversifying your reading list and your best friend texts you with more book recommendations...I trust her recommendations explicitly so obviously I‘ve already ordered one. I can‘t wait for this one to arrive #bookrecs #alongwaygone #ishmaelbeah #preparedtosob #2021books

heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com

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Loveforlit2
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Pickpick

Heartbreaking to read but absolutely necessary. A child soldier‘s experiences in Sierra Leone. Graphic and detailed. Not for the faint of heart.

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this_teacher_reads
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Thanks for the tag @Sharpeipup

1. The Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
2. No
3. 🤔 50-60
@Eggs

Eggs # 3 — impressive!!!!! Thanks for playing 👏🏻📚👟👠👞👢👡🤗 4y
27 likes1 comment
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this_teacher_reads
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Super excited to begin reading this book today! 📚

42 likes3 stack adds
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Cortg
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Day 13 & 14: For fun, I am going to post one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want. #bookstoread #tbrpile @StaceyKondla

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AmyK1
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Pickpick

This was difficult to read. The things Ishmael went through-I can‘t imagine how he survived it. I‘m glad I read it though. It‘s important to know about things like this so that hopefully they can be stopped before other children are put through that kind of trauma.

Book 5 for #bookspinbonanza @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I'm having even more trouble than usual reading serious books right now, so I'm impressed that you got through this one!! 4y
ErinSBecker This is really similar to the book I'm stuck on for bookspin right now - Allah Is Not Obliged. Trying to decide whether to stick with it or not..... 4y
AmyK1 @ErinSBecker I hadn‘t heard of that one so I just looked it up. It does sound very similar. If you‘re having a hard time with it it‘s okay to bail. 4y
29 likes3 comments
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Addison_Reads
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I read this book recently and it still haunts me. Too often children are forced to be soldiers in wars started out of greed and quests of power, wars they have no business being a part of, and yet they have no other choice but to do whatever they must to survive.

#AboutaSoldier #MagnificentMarch @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Come-read-with-me I have always wanted to read this. Thanks for putting it back on my radar! 4y
OriginalCyn620 📚😢📚 4y
AmyK1 I found this at Goodwill the other day. I hadn‘t heard of it but I bought it anyway because it looked good. 4y
Addison_Reads @Come-read-with-me @AmyK1 It's a great book about a terrible reality. I look forward to seeing what you both think about it. 4y
Smrloomis I agree completely. It‘s fantastic even though it‘s a difficult read. @OriginalCyn620 @AmyK1 4y
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NeptunesBounty
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Started this one last night. Such a heart wrenching but important book to read.

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jveezer
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This photo makes it hard for me to crack this cover. Especially in my cushy, 1st world, latte drinking backyard. But I‘m going anyways because this is the world I live in and I‘m trying to wrap my arms and heart around it...💔

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ItsMeeshCapiche
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Pickpick

A touching retelling of how life can change in an instant.

#autobiography #war #truestory #sierraleone #childsoldiers

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Amiable
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Pickpick

At 13, Beah was forced to be a child soldier in Sierra Leone until he was rescued by an international relief organization. It's a powerful account, but comes up a bit short. His kidnapping into the army and his rehabilitation afterwards were detailed, but his time in the army covers less than a chapter. Maybe it was written that way on purpose -- maybe Beah doesn't WANT to remember it. But as a memoir, this lack of detail detracts from the story.

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Book_Lust
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Guys, this is my first time and I‘m so excited!!!! 😊👏😍📚Five memoirs I‘ve been meaning to read at some point in my life. They all look good to me! Any preferences?
#lmpbc #round4 #groupI

jessinikkip A friend of mine read the one about reading Lolita and said it was good. I have not already read any of them and they all look good to me, honestly 5y
Readergrrl These are great! I‘ve read Lolita, Long Way Gone, and 3 Cups. I‘m not familiar with the other two. But, please, pick what you like; I‘m always happy for a reread! 5y
CouronneDhiver You can‘t go wrong with any of those choices! 5y
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LibrarianJen
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Pickpick

Second book that I‘ve read with the 10th grade English class that some of my social comm students are in and it was just as gut wrenching as the first one we read (Sold).

This is an extraordinary account of a boy who survived being a child soldier, rehabilitated by UNICEF, and was able to be repatriated. Only to then find himself in the face of war again and forced to leave Sierra Leone for good. #ItsGreatToBeAHawk

BookaholicNatty This book has been sitting on my shelf for awhile, I really need to read it!!! 5y
LibrarianJen @BookaholicNatty it‘s good. It‘s also a quick read, only 218 pages and definitely worth it. 5y
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Cinfhen
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#AbbaInAugust Read this true life account of a boy #solider for bookclub many years ago 😢💔 What‘s so upsetting is this “story” occurred in MY lifetime, not my parents,grandparents or great grandparents generation 😫We, as citizens of the world NEED to do better. ( I know, I‘m preaching to the choir...Littens are amazing) Happy Friday, friends 🍹💐☀️ images from Google

LeahBergen I met him at a reading and ohhhh... it certainly brought it right home. 💔 6y
Cinfhen He looks like he‘s a charming man @LeahBergen and his photo is 😍I‘m sure he was a fabulous speaker 6y
TrishB Not acceptable 😞💔 6y
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TrishB Hope you had a great reunion ❤️ 6y
Cathythoughts Heartbreaking ... it‘s all so wrong 6y
Cinfhen Sooooooo happy to have my baby home @TrishB 💚💙💚💙💚 6y
TrishB I bet 💜❤️ 6y
Mdargusch Wow! This sounds heartbreaking! 6y
emilyhaldi Terrible 💔 6y
Reviewsbylola I‘ve been wanting to read this for years. Must make it a priority! 6y
mrp27 This has been on my self for years now. Too afraid of the impending heartbreak. 6y
CouronneDhiver Yes - I remember this book. Heartbreaking and hopeful 6y
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erzascarletbookgasm
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Have not read this, sounds harrowing.
A story of a young boy forced to become a killer, a child soldier during the Sierra Leone's civil war. ‘This is how wars are fought now by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice.‘

#HeatofJuly #toysoldiers

Cathythoughts Desperately sad to see this 💔 6y
BarbaraBB Such a harsh reality 6y
Cinfhen This book has been on my TBR for ages. So sad 😢😢 I read a similar story which was harrowing but inspirational 6y
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Wife I listened to the audiobook years ago and am still haunted. It is one of the best audiobooks I‘ve ever listened to. 🌹 6y
Cortg This book os sitting on my bookshelf. I need to read it! 6y
Billypar I read it a few months ago- incredibly sad, but the author did an amazing job chronicling such a disturbing period of his life. 6y
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Kristy_K
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Pickpick

I‘ve been sick for almost a week now and haven‘t been able to concentrate on any books so I finished this one as an audiobook.

Another tragic story. I didn‘t connect as much to Beah as I have to some other authors b/c I felt the writing was really detached.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#memoir #sierraleone

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Erynecki
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Pickpick

I first heard about Ishmael Beah when I heard him tell a story on @mothstories . The Moth piece stuck with me because it was a powerful piece told so beautifully. Beah‘s memoir of his life as a boy soldier in Sierra Leone is raw in its honesty and devastating in its depiction of war. I was grateful to have a smiling photo of the author on the back and to know that out of horror and loss he was able, as best he could, to build a new life.

Suet624 I heard his story too. Tough to listen to. 6y
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Billypar
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Pickpick

I don't think it's an exaggeration to call this book a miracle. To have experienced what Beah has and have the bravery to put it down in written form for others who know nothing of child soldiers is more than anyone could expect- to have it be this perfect is an added blessing. We are all in Beah's debt for this memoir and the light it shines on one of war's most unconscionable evils. #LitWorld2018GB Sierra Leone @GatheringBooks

AceOnRoam 😢😢 6y
HolyCluster Hmm 🤔 6y
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jveezer I have Ahmadou‘s ‘Allah is Not Obliged‘ waiting on my shelf. Same travesty of childhood, different country. 6y
Billypar @jveezer It's depressing how common such a terrible practice is. I didn't even know about the whole drug angle to it. I stacked the one you mentioned. 6y
jveezer @Billypar Yes. It‘s one of the scourges of the modern world. The Nigerian/Eritrean version is wonderfully written by Adichie in ‘Half a Yellow Sun‘. Also depressing and enraging. 6y
Billypar @jveezer I think that's the Adichie I was planning on reading next- I've heard universally good things. I do at least like being in the position to have enough awareness to be enraged- seems like a worthy reading goal when it comes to a lot of issues. 6y
ValerieAndBooks I think we have this lying around somewhere here— one of my kids had this for required reading some time ago and I meant to read it as well. I‘ll have to ask where it is and move it up my TBR. 6y
Billypar @ValerieAndBooks It was on my shelf for while before I picked it up. Not an easy subject to stomach but I'm glad I finally got to it. 6y
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mrp27
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CouronneDhiver A very good read! 6y
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EllieDottie
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Thank you so much for the tag @Jess7 😊
Sorry it‘s one day late 😏

1) The Big Comfy Couch? I can‘t remember any more of the top of my head!
2) A Long Way Gone by Ismael Beah
3) Sushi
4) The Super Bowl 💜

#friyayintro

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JustJessy
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The prisoner was simply another rebel who was responsible for the death of my family, as I had come to truly believe.

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Texreader
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My daughter's Freshman GT/AP English books. They are new to me. Anxious to hear thoughts on these.

Clwojick I just got that top book for free the other day! Also curious about how it will be. 😌I'm pretty sure I'll need a box of Kleenex, it looks like it'll be pretty raw, and full of emotion. 7y
drokka Persepolis (that's just book 1, yes?) is fantastic. It's a young girl/teen growing up during the Iranian revolution (?). So it teaches culture, how things changed for women when the politics shifted, and just how similar girls are around the world. It's an A+ choice in my opinion. (Book 2 is the college years) I haven't read the others. 7y
Leniverse Persepolis is excellent. She'll want to read the whole thing. It's a total of 4 books, but printed in two volumes, or as one in The Complete Persepolis. There is so much there I never knew about life in Iran. 7y
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Leniverse And I mean seriously, it's so good. Snag it now and read it before she does! 😂 7y
Melkyl I use A Long Way Gone with my freshman English class. It is very good (yes on the Kleenex), and the students find it very moving. 7y
ScientistSam A Long Way Gone is great, and heartbreaking 7y
Karkar The top one sounds like an interesting read! 7y
MissSarahLou Persepolis is wonderful! 7y
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jen_hayes7
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Pickpick

Ishmael is a brave and remarkable man for sharing his story. There's so much more I'm struggling to figure out how to put into words, so instead I'll just say everyone should read this. One of the most challenging parts is when you realize the ones you thought were supposed to be the "good" guys have almost the same feelings (or lack of),thoughts and actions as the bad guys. #lrc9 #litsyreadingchallenge #readharder2017

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Jazruiz.2014
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Pickpick

Someone gave me this book after reading it for her high school English class. I'm so glad she did. It's very intense and does have graphic details of what he saw as a boy soldier. The book gives insight into the mind of a young child soldier. How they feel and how they get the mindset of killing.

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kristincanread
Panpan

The subject of this memoir was heartbreaking, but the writing wasn't great. Even though I wanted to love this book based on how sad the subject made me, I just couldn't shake the feeling that the author would have benefited from the help of a ghost writer.

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EllieDottie
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Pickpick

Just finished this today. It was so good, so #thoughtprovoking, but so so hard to read. I would highly recommend it for anyone thinking about the nature of violence and how it effects children and culture. Ishmael's story was incredibly moving and should be read by more people! #aprilbookshowers

tjwill I absolutely loved this book. Definitely thought-provoking and heart-breaking. 7y
CouronneDhiver This was a beautiful book... very highly recommended! 📚 7y
EllieDottie @tjwill @CouronneDhiver I am so glad I read it! 7y
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EllieDottie
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I read a lot of books about war, and here are the four highest on my tbr! I've already read some of On War which is suuuuuuper dry but interesting, I am really looking forward to the two memoirs, and Schadlow's book looks fascinating! #bookaboutwar #marchmadness

tjwill A Long Way Gone is heart wrenching. I loved it so much. I have randomly re-read sections of it over the years. 7y
Smangela Wow the memoirs look amazing! 7y
AlaMich I love books about the Navajo code-talkers...must be the former linguistics major in me. ☺️But it's super interesting to think about the fact that the Germans couldn't break the code because the Navajo language was completely inaccessible to them. 7y
EllieDottie @tjwill @Smangela @AlaMich your comments are making me move them up even closer to the top of my tbr! Maybe I can get them done in March! 7y
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DGRachel
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josie281 Oh! How was Cured?? 7y
DGRachel @josie281 I haven't read it yet. It's on my TBR for this year for one of the challenges. I'm looking forward to it! 7y
josie281 Can't wait for your thoughts on it! Adding to my TBR! 7y
Melkyl This is a great book. I use it with my freshman English class. 7y
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Wife
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I hit the library book sale today! I listened to A long way gone on audiobook a few years ago and found it so moving and heart breaking. For some reason, it has been on my mind lately. Now I have it. I am going to read the books I have checked out, my gifts from #cupidgoespostal @Reviewsbylola and then today's purchases. I'm having a #book feast ❤️📚👓

tjwill #NiceStack! A Long Way Gone is amazing! 7y
Reviewsbylola Wow, you have a lot to choose from! The Rules of Civility is fantastic. 7y
LeahBergen Falling Leaves is great. 👍🏼 7y
ptkpepe98 The Sociopath Next Door...when you realize you have one in your life, it's so good to realize you don't deserve the ill-treatment and it's time to ease on down the road. That book was so helpful for this people pleaser. 7y
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DHill
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I haven't read this yet but the reviews look compelling. Will have to put it on my February TBR. #readjanuary #autobiography