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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Compelling story; beautifully and organically written.
There were times when tears just fell down my face and I cried quietly until I came to the point in the story when the author said "...I always felt uncomfortable when people cried because of what I had been through." There were also times that I chuckled as I was quickly reminded that this is the story of a child, and was amazed that through all of his pain he still managed to find humor and smile at times. I loved when he wrote "... I believe children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance." I was a little disappointed by the ending. I wanted to know more, and was left to do more research on my own. (As other reviews have eloquently stated.) It was a hard, but good read. I recommend it.
There were times when tears just fell down my face and I cried quietly until I came to the point in the story when the author said "...I always felt uncomfortable when people cried because of what I had been through." There were also times that I chuckled as I was quickly reminded that this is the story of a child, and was amazed that through all of his pain he still managed to find humor and smile at times. I loved when he wrote "... I believe children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance." I was a little disappointed by the ending. I wanted to know more, and was left to do more research on my own. (As other reviews have eloquently stated.) It was a hard, but good read. I recommend it.
Poignant, beautiful, haunting. I definitely recommend it.
An incredible story. I could not stop reading and am so thankful our child grew away from this reality.
This is insane. I think the worst part is the sharp contrast between war and everyday life, one second Ishmael is grocery shopping and the next second there's a mass shooting. To hold the shame of being a soldier at 15 years old is heartbreaking, yet Ishmael persists to tell his story. I often struggle to stay follow battle stories, but Ishmael's telling is so straightforward in meeting human needs that I understand.
Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier gives a harrowing and honest insight into the devastating effects of war on people, particularly children. Through his memoir, Beah shares his own experience as a child soldier in Sierra Leone's civil war, depicting the horror and destruction that he endured during this time. Beah paints a vivid picture of his life before the war – growing up with his family in rural villages in Sierra Leone. He describes how he loved to listen to music, play soccer with friends, and attend school. But when war broke out in Sierra Leone in 1991, everything changed for young Ishmael. Separated from his family, he was forced to flee his home and wander through various towns and villages for months before being recruited into the army as a child soldier. During this time, Beah details how he was subjected to unimaginable brutality – witnessing horrific scenes of violence on both sides as well as having to commit acts of violence himself. While living through these experiences, Beah talks about how it took him years after leaving the army before he could begin to come to terms with what had happened to him during the war. Throughout A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Ishmael Beah conveys an important message regarding the long-term physical and psychological consequences that can arise from armed conflict. His story is not just one man’s account; it is also an eye-opening portrait of what war does to all those involved – regardless of age or circumstance – making it an essential read for anyone interested in learning more about this topic.
meh - not enough context on the conflict to really understand the bigger picture of what was going on, although horrifying recounting of his experiences as a child soldier.
This book shows you just how evil the world is; how gritty and dark too. There is NOTHING worse than the loss of innocence. I hated this because it's about the loss of innocence. It's well written though.
What an amazing memoir. As I was reading this my teenagers were acting persecuted when I asked them to take out the trash. Then I would read about the author seeing people burned alive in front of him. This is white privilege.