A Long Way Gone

A Long Way Gone ~ Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is my latest read. Was it a fun read?? No. Was it an easy read?? No. Am I glad I read it?? YES!! Ishmael's story is powerful and should be read. I do not like to read about children that have a tough life, but I think we need to be aware. Sierra Leone is full of civil unrest and that comes out so vividly in this story - and then when boys/children have no family left - they have all been killed by the war - those boys have no choice but to be a part of the army. They are told to do horrible things, often become addicted to drugs, and then have to go through rehabilitation to go back to a "normal" way of life. This is Ishmael's story - his time in Sierra Leone, his rehabilitation, and his life after. This book definately kept me reading - I just wanted to keep going to find out how his life would turn out. I would recommend it HIGHLY, but I do think it needs to be an older audience - there are some graphic scenes - which also help to remind us of how awful we can treat each other.