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 A long way gone- Good book! Nov 19, 2009
I have never read a book that was so interesting and had me hooked about war until now. I read the book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. The title is one of the main reasons why I chose this book. The memoirs of a boy soldier is exactly what this book is about, therefore fits this book well. Ishmael Beah was nominated for Quill Award in the best Debut Author for 2007 and this book was one of the top 10 nonfiction books in 2007, but this was the only book he has written. Ishmael Beah is a 12 year old boy about to experience a life he never would have imagined happening to him. Him and some friends leave there native village to go to their talent show, not knowing they will never return. While they are gone there home gets attacked by the RUF. From this point on they all struggle to survive, by being captured, almost killed, and struggling to find their families. The boys never find their families and Beah actually gets separated from his friends and brother. Beah then run's into some boys he recognizes and goes about with them, barley surviving some trials that come along. They then come to the town of Yele in the Bonthe District where they are surrounded by RUF fighters. They are all forcibly conscripted by the army to fight; with the help of drugs, war movies, fellow soldiers, and combat violent this becomes fairly easy for them. It is during this time that Beah becomes a mindless killer, definitely a different Beah from the beginning of the book. He is then released from the army to the UNICEF a few years later in January of 1996. Beah is taken to shelter in the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, and brought back to good health. He and some other children cause trouble for the staffers. Beah is also going through a tough time by experiencing drug withdrawal as well as troubling memories of his time as a solder. At this rehabilitation shelter he meets a nurse, Esther, who becomes a huge part of his life. He becomes very close with Esther and begins to visit her on a daily basis and even get presents from her. I think this is a good thing for Ismael at this part of his life because he has that person to talk to sense he does not have family and it makes him know that someone cares for him. After being in the rehabilitation center for about 7 months he is then taken out by his aunt and uncle who become his new family. From here he starts a new life with them and even gets to go to New York to speak to people about the lives of children in Sierra and what can be done about it.
This book was very interesting to me in ways I did not think it would be. One thing I liked about this book is explained in much detail everything that happened to Beah and his friends and others. I really like when books are in great detail and you can literally imagine what is going on and picture it in your head. Even though when I was reading about some of the dead bodies and what was seen, it got me a little grossed out, I still liked the detail. Also I really liked when they compared things, for example the moon. The mom was saying "we need to strive to be like the moon." By first reading this sentence I did not understand what was meant. But then reading on it explained it more. It said everyone complains when it's too hot and too cold, but never when the moon shines, which is so true. Everyone is always complaining about something during the day and the weather but never when the moon shines. The book did appeal to me on an emotional level because it was very sad to read about what this young boy had to go through. I always knew that kids had to go through wars and see it all happen, but never have read about someone's personal whole story. It made me realize how truly lucky I am to be living the life I am, in the environment I am and having my family and friends always with me. I could never imagine barley getting through a day because I do not get food or water if I don't find any, and have a good chance of getting killed at any minute. Also it made me realize how important my family is to me. This boy not only lost his family but had to go through one of the toughest situations without any of his family. After reading this book it makes me appreciate my family a lot more because I am beyond lucky to have my family by my side through any little problem I may face.
Beah captivates his readers Nov 19, 2009
A Long Way Gone; Memoirs of a Boy Soldier was written by a young man from Sierra Leone, Ishmael Beah. Beah's work was nominated for a Quill award in the Best Debut Author category. A Long Way Gone; Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is a nonfiction book. His purpose was to reach others by telling his life story as a young boy, who spent his early teen years running from rebels, watching his people die and even joining the army to kill others.
Beah's style of writing makes for a very easy read, I have been able to understand everything, and I definitely believe that his writing is accessible to all readers.
The main idea of the work is for us to walk through the life of a young boy, and for us to be put in his shoes. What make's this book so good is the visuals that the author sets up through his text. He makes it so easy for us to be a part of his story. "The last casualty that we saw that evening was a woman who carried her baby on her back. Blood was running down her dress and dripping behind her, making a trail. Her child had been shot dead as she ran for her life." You can demonstrate the author's talent or the feel of the book through a quote based on how you can relate to it, understand it, see it, feel it or be a part of the quote.
Reviews from Brizmus Blogs Books Nov 13, 2009
Wow! Really, that's it, just wow! This book read more like a conversation (granted, a one-sided conversation in which I said nothing, but still. . .) than a book. I felt like Ishmael Beah was sitting right there beside me recounting the tragedy of his life as if it was just another day in war-free America. That's not to say, though, that it wasn't heart-wrenching and painful to read. It was honest, extraordinary, awesome, introspective, and straight-forward. And the story is a story that NEEDS to be heard. I think that it is important that people become aware of what children are put through in other countries, the wars that they are forced to fight - over time, awareness leads to action and action leads to change. Ishmael Beah told his story in such a way that forces even the most uninterested person to become aware - without making them feel like they are suffering through a history lesson. This book was everything it needed to be, everything it should be. . . and even more.
Who Should Read It? Read this if you're interested in a tragic/traumatic true story that will make you cringe and force you to become aware. No, really, whoever you are, just READ THIS BOOK!
fascinating, disturbing and hopeful Nov 11, 2009
I saw the ads for this book when it came out and was curious, but somehow never got round to reading it. Then I found it cheap and made up for lost time. It's an incredible read and unputdownable just doesn't begin to describe it.
The world of the first chapter is close enough to ours to be easily imagined, but far enough away to fascinate. Boys play American music tapes and practice dance moves in the street and life is good. Then it all falls apart.
Seeing a world so real and normal change so drastically does something to the reader. You look around yourself and wonder how safe your own world is. How quickly things change.
But Ishmael and his friends are resilient. They move on. They create a life of their own, walking through hostile countryside, avoiding solders, seeking food, making and losing friends as they wonder if their families are still alive.
Hope inspired; hope betrayed; there are passages that are almost too hard to read and you weep for the child too suddenly turned to man. But again the story twists and scenes change around. Ishmael is thrust into yet another world, human kindness and human cruelty mixed.
This memoir of a boy soldier is a story that will stay with me, a must-read, and a tale that's ultimately filled with hope despite its melancholy.
relevant themes and other comments Nov 10, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed A Long Way Gone. English is not Ishmael Beah's native language so his phrasing and expressions are fresh and unique. Beah's language is almost poetic at times-"The path had ended, but we kept running until the sky swallowed the sun and gave birth to the moon" (pp.97, 98). This kind of personification of nature is uncommon in western narratives. The beauty of his descriptions of nature serves as a relief from the horrors of war that were going on around him.
A strong theme is revealed through Ishmael's dialogue with an old acquaintance. His friend remembers how Ishmael's forehead used to glow. Then he said, "We didn't have any other explanations for your forehead and how it related to your character. And here you are, it isn't shining anymore" (p.92). War had robbed Ishmael of who he was-war became his identity. The strongest aspect of the book is its emotional appeal. It is impossible to learn of the atrocities of war without being affected on a deep emotional level.
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