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A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
 
 
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A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (Paperback)

by Ishmael Beah (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

21 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (21 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This story is truly amazing, Jun 23 2007
By Jenny J.J.I. "A New Yorker" (That Lives in Northern Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: A Long Way Gone (Hardcover)
I like to say that "A Long Way Gone" is quite a depressing story but very inspiring. Ishmael Beah tells the story of becoming a boy soldier in Sierra Leone and of his later rehabilitation. This was a heartbreaking story and very difficult to read from an emotional standpoint. I read the book over a short period of time as it is so gripping that I did not want to put it down, but at the same time it brought an overwhelming sense of sorrow. The horror that Beah so well describes, was unbelievably moving.

The book is well written and flows rather nicely. However, the story itself is so incredible that, even if it were poorly constructed, it would have been worth reading. Saying that it was "worth reading" is not really adequate. All people should read it in order to remind us what the reality of life is outside of Western culture. It is partly because we block incidents like those described by Beah that they can continue to happen.

I would not presume to know how to stop the carnage that occurs in so many Third World countries, but I can not help but think that if we as a society, were more aware of them and had to face the emotions and gut wrenching sorrow that come with the knowledge of such atrocities, we would be far less willing to allow them to happen.

Ishmael Beah has demonstrated that he is a remarkable individual with great reserves. He shows what changes can come about when people are caring and thoughtful of others. I would venture to say that Ishmael Beah feels guilt for what he has done. However, I think he should be proud of the fact that he has endured and triumph over so much evil and pain in becoming who he is today. It was an honor to be allowed to read Beah's story, as it must have been as equally difficult to recount it, as it was to live through it. Highly recommended.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars What an absolute stunner., Sep 7 2008
By Jack Blatant (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Long Way Gone (Paperback)
Incredible. I remember when I saw Jon Stewart's interview with Ishmael Beah that Stewart said that the book "made my heart hurt." Incredibly, terribly, amazingly true. Beah tells his story in a way that is simple and genuine. His writing style is not terribly developed and at times can be a bit rough, but that is more than compensated for by the fact that the story he has to tell is so mind-boggling. Beah chronicles the collapse of order in Sierra Leone, at least insofar as it affected his village and local area; his flight from his home and attempts to survive in the wild; his recruitment as a boy soldier, and his rehabilitation.

His story is so compelling that it held my grade eleven class of hard-bitten non-readers spellbound as I read the entire book to them aloud over the course of a few weeks. When I read the book for the first time, I went and hugged my wife and all of my children just to give thanks for their lives, and I'm not the sort of person who does that sort of thing ordinarily. (Not that I'm a jerk or anything, I just don't cry when Bambi gets shot.)

This is one of the books that everyone should read, if only to realize how damn lucky most of us are.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Just my opinion, Jul 10 2007
By Wassy (Quebec) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: A Long Way Gone (Hardcover)
In my opinion, all great books are depressing and at the same time, uplifting. Such is the case with LONG WAY GONE. I'm attracted to books set in exotic locales, and this one fit the bill perfectly. What I wasn't prepared for was the remarkable writing style and great story. The story of a boy becoming a man, this is no average "coming of age" tale. Ishmael Beah teaches us something great in this work--that we can change, and that we can change others. Given the situation of the world today, I can't help but think this book is all the more relevant. I've recently read three incredible books lately, and this was by far the best---actually a tie with A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS and the incredible novel MIDDLESEX by Eugenides. I highly recommend all these.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The true story of a child soldier
Ishmael Beah. A child soldier. Sierra Leone, Africa, early 1990s, a country lacerated by civil war. This is the testimony of a child whose parents and siblings were killed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by I LOVE BOOKS

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Insightful
I think as North Americans, we sometimes don't see things we should know about. This book is very insightful into the life of a boy soldier. Read more
Published 3 months ago by book lover

5.0 out of 5 stars From Africa, with Honesty
This book is an honest account of one boy's experiences before, during, and after the civil war in Sierra Leone. Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. Yakiwchuk

5.0 out of 5 stars We're damn lucky
We're damn lucky to have not shared the same fate as the author. To be turned from a boy into a remorseless killing and torturing machine is something that is frightening on many... Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. Volk

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read!
I love this book and it was enlightening to me. I couldn't imagine living Ishmael Beah's life.
Published 10 months ago by T. Perra

5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking
\This memoir was told so honestly and descriptively that I couldn't put it down. It made me want to run to Africa and save not only every child but every person who has been... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kirstie

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opening
First hand insight to what it like to grow up in a war torn country and to be recruited as a child soldier. Read more
Published 11 months ago by NursingStudent

4.0 out of 5 stars A powerful personal account of child exploitation
Ishmael Beah's memoir about his life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone gives the reader graphic insight into the recruitment and use of children in armed combat. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Amy MacDougall

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too
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,... Read more
Published 13 months ago by TeensReadToo.com

4.0 out of 5 stars A Long Way Gone
This true story definitely put things into perspective. I don't know how many times I've heard people saying 'things are tough at the moment', but belive me, read Ishmael Beah's... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jeffery Newton

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