Review of A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is an eye opening, gut wrenching testament of utmost importance to children around the world that are being enslaved by gorilla warfare. It is estimated that there are about 300,000 child soldiers around the world and this book is the heartbreaking tale of one who survived true unimaginable evils that much of the world is unaware of.

I have read a lot on this subject and this book is the most honest and real account of what actually goes on during these wars in Africa. It took me 9 months to read the first half (100 or so pages) due to the graphic details and horrors that this boy witnessed. I was only able to read a chapter or so at a time, but after several tearful breakdowns I made it through to his rehabilitation and finally to the end and am a better person for it. Knowledge and truth are powerful things and to know what truly is going on in Africa has only made me more determined to help their people. It breaks my heart to think of a mere thirteen year old boy having to face such harsh cruel realities of this world and be caught up in the middle of it.

Ishmael spent several months running from the war after his village was attacked. He got separated from his family who were later burned to death, and was on the run with a few boys he met up with along the way. They barely escaped death and capture by the RUF, or better known as the rebels, several times and witnessed barbaric brutality.

Later he was forced to fight with the army to survive. These innocent boys were taught how to be killers and committed truly terrible acts of cruelty. Doped up on drugs and immune to violence, Ishmael spent almost two years at the front lines of the war. By the stroke of luck he was randomly selected by the UNICEF to be taken to a rehabilitation center. His rehab was long and hard, but in the end he was able to gain back his humanity and learn to forgive himself. He is now 26 years old and living in the United States working for human rights at the UN.

Everybody knows there are wars going on in Africa, maybe you even know about the genocides... but few know the truth about these wars and how they are fought. It is a sin that we, Americans.. the greatest country in the world, have been blinded from these truths and have done little to nothing to stop it. This book is one that I believe everyone should read and hopefully it will touch others as it has touched me and motivate people to do everything they can to bring the use of child soldiers to an end.