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A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Ishmael Beah 9780374105235 Books

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A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Ishmael Beah 9780374105235 Books

A Long WayGone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is by Ishmael Beah. I was asked to read this book by a Mother whose child was required to read it over the summer. She wanted my view of the book. The book deals with child soldiers in Sierre Leone in the 80’s and 90’s. I found this book hard to deal with. The graphics of the rebel soldiers is too graphic. I question having this book or similar ones read over the summer by students. I feel it should be read in class with explanations for the students handy. The topic is definitely one that should be read and talked about by students today. Reading it alone with no chance to talk about it is a disservice to the students.
Ishmael tells his story is a very straightforward way and in that manner shows his innocence and how it is taken from him. In his search for his family, he shows his innocence in comparison to what is going on around him. Even as he gives up on finding his family. His need and hope to survive is at the base of his actions.


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A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Ishmael Beah 9780374105235 Books Reviews

A lot has been written about this book, reading it was a reminder of post-colonial history of many of the countries in Africa and Asia. Many countries struggled to form democratic governments. Conflicts arose because countries were created by European colonial poweres, paying little attentions to realities on the ground, but rather what was convenient for them.
While reading this book it was clear the kind of violence took place in Sierra Leon, what wasn’t clear was what the competing groups were fighting for. It was mind-boggling to read about villages being burned and people killed for no apparent reason.
A good book to read about how and where the boy soldiers came from, especially how adults around them transformed them from being innocent children into deadly killers.
A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah

Rating ***** (5 Stars)
Book Length 229 pages
Genre Memoir, War, Nonfiction, African Nonfiction

Imagine your entire world changing one day while you are going about an innocent childhood day. That is what happened to Ishmael Beah. One day he was working on a rap group with his friends. The next he was struggling to survive.

The story is one that everyone should hear.

Unfortunately, Ishmael's story is not unique. What is unique is his gift to share that experience with the rest of the world. He is clearly a highly intelligent and communicative young man. This was realized long before the book was released when he was chosen to represent his country at the United Nations. That experience gave him a way to get out of his country. Yet, how many children were left behind?

Once you read this book it will become a part of you. It is due to the topic, children as young a six picking up a gun to defend their country is not something that will leave your mind. Yet, it is also due to Ishmael Beah's gift with words.

As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
Given the subject matter it feels almost wrong to not give this book a solid 4 or 5 star review, but to be honest I give it a solid 3.5

I would've liked this memoir to include some brief history and background on the nature of the war. I took the time to look this up myself but I think it would've brought some more clarity and enriched the book some to have included this information.
I know in the back the chronology was included but I was looking more for an answer as to why this war was occuring.

I liked how he ended the book with the story his grandfather's friend used to tell but I wish beforehand he would've elaborated more on getting to New York and setting up a life there and bringing the reader to present day regarding his new life. The book gave me an unfinished incomplete feeling as it lacked this information.

Also, I thought the book would include more information and inside into his emotions. It spent more time describing sensory facts of what he'd been theough and less on how he felt about it and even lesser on how he lives his life coming to terms with it.
I have to admit I was expecting some internal dialogue regarding how he's reached a place of self forgiveness or tolerance for the craziness of this life and the situations we're put in.
I suppose he did touch on this, in that he finally came to believe it wasnt his fault as the teachers kept repeating to him but I was just expecting more insight into his feelings regarding everything and less on just stated observations.

Nonethless, it was a good book worth reading but because of the unfinished feeling I got from the ending I have to give it a solid 3.5
I can't absolutely love a story like this. Heart-breaking, horrifying. I commend Beah with sharing his life in a way that challenges but isn't unnecessarily gruesome. The depths of evil...for what? The problem with mindless greed is that there is no goal, only lust, no victory, no need to better oneself, no ability to appreciate or even realize when the terrifying game is over. Instilling a desire to hurt others for immediate gratification makes us less than human. Crawling out of the pit and shining a light on evil makes Beah better than heroic.
A Long WayGone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is by Ishmael Beah. I was asked to read this book by a Mother whose child was required to read it over the summer. She wanted my view of the book. The book deals with child soldiers in Sierre Leone in the 80’s and 90’s. I found this book hard to deal with. The graphics of the rebel soldiers is too graphic. I question having this book or similar ones read over the summer by students. I feel it should be read in class with explanations for the students handy. The topic is definitely one that should be read and talked about by students today. Reading it alone with no chance to talk about it is a disservice to the students.
Ishmael tells his story is a very straightforward way and in that manner shows his innocence and how it is taken from him. In his search for his family, he shows his innocence in comparison to what is going on around him. Even as he gives up on finding his family. His need and hope to survive is at the base of his actions.