A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Imagine, you live in a village; you know, the ones without electricity and plumbing? You get water from the river for your mother so she can cook dinner but, when you come back, the village is ablaze and everyone is running. Not just running in one direction but everywhere; screaming, yelling, falling down dead.

This is what causes Ishmael Beah's childhood to be lost.

Beah starts out as a quiet, peace-loving boy who suddenly is on the run from all the destruction and terror with his older brother, Junior, and some friends. After months of wandering on paths and in the forest, they come to a farm outside of a village. Beah finds out his family is in the village and as a group they start walking. Then the rebels attack and his family is dead.

Torn, tired, and angry, Beah will eventually lose everything he cared about; his family, his health (both mentally and physically), and almost his life. As a boy soldier recruited by the Sierra Leone Army he changes drastically. Drugs, energy stimulants, and other illegal acts (in the United States) cause him to kill without thinking, never even cringing at
the sight of death and basically causing him to feel almost inhuman.

A LONG WAY GONE is Ishmael Beah's memoir based on his experiences and the tragic events of his life. I loved this book because it was a huge eye-opener about the war in Sierra Leone and how it affected everyone, even children. I also believe that everyone should read this book at least once in their life time. Maybe then people can help those who have become boy soldiers or anyone affected by a war. Maybe A LONG WAY GONE could change the world, make it a more peaceful place; that is what I hope can happen.

Reviewed by: Rachel - The Class

Great Book! A Long Way Gone receives a lot of criticsm as book b/c the author, whose second language is Englsih, wrote the book at a "low and simple" level. As an audio book, the author's native accent and culture shine through really adding to the power, message, and personal connection you make with the story. I loved it, and could not be happier that I purchased this audio book. It's sad yet hopeful, and will twist your emotions. Great book for just about anyone!

I expected this book to be filled with descriptions of blood and gore from beginning to end and wondered if it was really worth reading. Though the book contains its share of horrible war stories, it's much more than that. We learn about Ishmael's life before war, and how war can creep up on a perfectly normal child. We hear about his flight from war, and what happened after he escaped violence. The war itself is only a small section of the book, though, of course, the war and its effects define Ishmael's life in the book.

Reading A Long Way Gone, you learn a little about what Africa is like in peace and war and the difference between city and countryside. Ishmael explains why he does what he does, and he is very easy to relate to and understand throughout. Overall, it's a great read.

A Definite page turner! Couldn't sleep till i was done reading it. So poignantly written. It made me take a look at myself and humanity! Thanks Ishmael but I wish he would have talked about how he adjusted in the US. All the same, a must read!

A fascinating and well written account of a phenomenon few of us know much about. What an extraordinary young man.