How far would you have walked to gain your high school education?
From an early age, the greatest passion in Boitumelo Tumelo's life is learning. Boi, as she is known to her friends and family, just loves going to school. Her primary school is in the local village, but when she graduates to secondary school, two obstacles stand in the path to her further education. Firstly, there are fees to be paid. Secondly, it is eleven miles to the nearest secondary school. She would have to get up very early, and walk that long distance to school every day, and walk home after school. There are many potential dangers along the remote African track between her village and her school.
This is the inspiring story of how Boi overcomes the obstacles and dangers to gain the education that she so desires. Not only does she achieve her ambitions, but she manages to make life better for the children of her village who wish to follow in her footsteps.
Eleven Miles is a fictional story based upon a true life situation in Botswana. Until the target of Princess Boikanyo's School Bus Project is achieved, 50% of all profits from the sales of this book will go into the project funds. In the meantime, please feel free to make additional contributions to this worthy cause by clicking on the project link.
My main interests are Reading, writing, field hockey, trad jazz, classical music, travel, languages, people, statistics, technology.
Some of my favourite books include Skallagrigg, The Island, The Return, Birdsong, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner, Eagle of the Ninth, We Won a War, In Quest of the Unicorn Bird, The Shadow of the Wind.
I've played (field) hockey since I was seven years old. I now play veterans hockey for Andover Diamonds. It is a lot of fun and very sociable.
I have always been a prolific reader and my favourite genre has to be historical fiction. I just feel that it brings history to life, and I am not too bothered about the historical accuracy as long as it has at least SOME basis in fact. Who is to say that the dryly recorded history that we learn in school is the truth, anyway? Most of it is only recorded by the journalists of the time, so draw your own conclusions.
My favourite films are Jungle Book, Brassed Off and The Fastest Indian. I should add Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much, because I was in it! Well read my writings for an explanation.
My biggest passion is the way that people treat people. Witnessing either cruelty or extreme kindness can make me cry equal buckets of tears. I can't stand prejudice. Read my motto at the bottom of my home page.
Eleven Miles is certainly the perfect title for this novel. That is exactly how many miles it is for Boi to travel every day to school and eleven miles back home. It really does make you appreciate the lifestyle you have. I couldn’t imagine walking that amount of miles as an adult, never mind a child.
I loved the passion that Boi and her friends show in wanting to succeed at school. They go above and beyond to not only get good grades for themselves but for fellow class mates also. Even though what spurs them on is to compete against each other, they are also genuinely pleased with how well the others do.
Boi just blew me away with how selfless she is. Even though her family are very poor, her first thoughts are what she can do for the school and the children in the surrounding area to receive the education that many of us take for granted.
Eleven Miles is very much about friendship and the pure drive and determination to succeed. I think many of us can learn from Boi’s story and take something away from this novel. Parts of the story really make for some emotional reading and I was bursting with pride for the wonderful young woman that Boi turns into. A story that everyone should read.
Given I’m an author, as a rule I don’t publish reviews for fear my motives may be called into question, but I’m breaking my long-established protocol for this splendid little book by Lance Greenfield, I believe his first novel, entitled ELEVEN MILES.
This stylized biography is a true gem, and for many reasons:
The simplicity of the prose is deceiving, sucking you into the story of a young African girl with an ease that belies belief, and this effortlessly pushes the narrative forward, something as a writer I always strive to do.
The characters’ development, each diverse and compelling, not only holds your interest but also propels an ever-increasing forward motion, and this, given the over-all plot, is an excellent metaphor for the larger theme, a most striking literary device, which again is something I appreciate but rarely see, and so enjoyed very much in this book.
Yet the most compelling aspect of ELEVEN MILES for me was the universal nature of this personalized story, for the situations therein, expertly portrayed and completely unique to the setting, nevertheless flawlessly engendered concerns and emotions that are fundamental to the collective human condition regardless of time or location, and this brilliant aspect of the work is something I truly admire.
I cannot recommend this book more highly; it’s delightful.
A powerful and affecting story, which shows how adversity can, in the right circumstances, sharpen up the resolve to succeed. Through this account of the teenage years of Boi, a gifted young girl from Botswana, Greenfield provides us with a strong contrast to the "entitled" mind-set that comfortable Western culture can sometimes engender.
"Eleven Miles" shows us how one girl builds on her gifts and meets the challenges of adversity to achieve her dreams of academic and sporting excellence, The adversities she must face include having to find enough money for school fees from the earnings of numerous family members; the lack of transport for the 11 mile journey to school, meaning her only option is to go on foot; added to the necessity of having to collect water and firewood on top of this every day when she gets home from school; and all this in the context of not having enough to eat (a hunk of bread for breakfast, and the same again for lunch). In addition to these, Boi must face cruelty, injustice and tragedy, before she wins through to her prize.
The inspirational quality of the story in itself deserves 5 stars but I was only able to give 4 stars because the writing is marred by technical flaws. Firstly it does not have the structure of a novel and there is very little plot; there is a lot of "telling" instead of "showing"; key emotional events and turning points are summarised instead of being shown as a scene.
Because of these flaws I never felt I was inside Boi or shared her thoughts and feelings or understood where she had gained her phenomenal determination and focus. She clearly has a gift which can never be explained but I wished I could have had a much deeper insight into the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of her character; this would helped me feel her eventual triumph more intensely.
Despite this, the strength of the story itself shines through, and I find myself haunted by it, and the message of the book stays with me.
Great debut novel. This is an enchanting 4 and 1/2 star story of a young girl's struggle to overcome some fearsome obstacles in order to gain an education.
The story is set in Botswana and the African sun shines out of every page. The writing style is economic, easy to reads and appears effortless. The story of Boitumelo, a bright young school girl, is based on a true story and this adds to the enchantment. It sounds very African and in some ways it is, just as Alexander McCall's stories are, but the theme is universal; something which also helps to draw the reader in.
Like any great story, while it is inspirational and uplifting it does have a dark side, adversity and tragedy have to be overcome.
Why didn't I give it 5 stars? Because the reader is told, rather than shown, what's happening and a couple of characters just seem to fade away.
For adults, well worth the read and I think younger readers would love it.
I loved this story. I wanted to give it five stars but technical errors held me back. I loved the characters and found this difficult to put down. I think this might be a good young adult read, but parents should maybe check it out first as there is sex. But it encourages safe sex. I would have let my kids read it, but I am not all parents.
Open the pages of this book and slip inside the existence of Boitumelo Tumelo, a young girl from Botswana, who leads the reader on an incredible journey from her childhood into adulthood in a world fraught with difficulty and strife. I was humbled by her compelling story and the bravery and determination she exhibited to achieve her dreams.
Boi is a gifted child who lives in abject poverty. She faces cruelty and stares down social injustices. Food is scarce, and many mornings she begins the laborious eleven-mile walk to school on a breakfast fueled by a crust of bread. Life is not easy in her village, and it is a struggle just to survive.
Her parents, grandparents, and her older brothers contribute their hard-earned cash to send her and her brother to school. Not only is this considered an honor, but it is also a calling. Boi realizes early, that if she is to succeed in life, she must get an education.
Like the proverbial sponge, Boi soaks up one academic challenge after another, and her hard work and determination finally pay off. But it is her commitment to change that really grabs the reader. Boi realizes that if she runs the miles to school and back, she will have more time to dedicate to her studies. Her ingenuity is stunning.
Boi turns the daily obstacle of the eleven-mile walk to school into an active endeavor. After running twenty-two miles a day, Boi discovers her real gift, that of becoming a long distance runner.
I had this book in my “To be read,” pile for quite some time. The story did not disappoint. I loved Boi’s story from start to finish, and I enjoyed the cultural elements the story provided. Lance Greenfield Mitchell takes you on a journey to a place far away from our western philosophy. I wish Boi’s story became mandatory reading for young people everywhere so they could appreciate their advantages. I know it made me appreciate the many opportunities I have been afforded.
My Rating: Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 5 Reader Engagement: 5 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 5 Overall Rate: 4.5 out of 5 stars
As a young African lady, I feel that I am very well qualified to tell everyone who may be interested enough to read this book that they will soon be joining Miss Boitumelo Tumelo (a young Botswana girl) as she embarks on her amazing life journey. This book narrates the stories of hundreds, or thousands, or even millions of Africans kids. Almost any African child can relate to this compelling piece of brilliance. The only exceptions that I can think of would be those children who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and have lived among kids with similar backgrounds. It took me exactly 9 hours and 38 minutes to finish the Kindle version of this book but it was very worthwhile. Huge thanks to Lance Greenfield for putting so much effort into making this story so authentic and readable. The passion, the motivation, the characters, the words and the story lines are overwhelming and so addictive. THANK YOU!
Boitumelo tells the schoolchildren, "Every single one of you can be the best in the world! Like a diamond, you must be hard. Like a diamond, you will shine. And, like a diamond, you will become priceless. Always believe that you will achieve your dream. And always work hard at achieving your dream. Never, ever, give up on your dream. Dreams are free. So dream on, because dreams DO come true!"
When my hard copy arrived I was out so my daughter opened the parcel. She had been waiting to read this book as I talked about how amazing it will be when it finally comes out. Once she started reading she couldn't put it down, she had to read non stop until she finished! She said mum you were right, this book really sucks you in, it's an easy book to read for everyone. She now can't wait for the second book. This has now motivated me to keep working with this amazing talented author, so thank you for this masterpiece. Book editor
“Eleven Miles” by Lance Greenfield is an engaging and often powerful story whose strength lies in the simplicity of the story telling. Boi, a young girl from Botswana overcomes obstacles in her way and grows as she tried to achieve her dreams of academic and sporting excellence. It is a great reminder of the many things we take for granted: public transport, money for transport and education, available food and resources etc etc. Inspiring and eye opening this is a true gem.
Very easy too read and an enjoyable story. Nice if you had an afternoon to read to yourself. My only thought is that the characters names could have had been easier to read although this did get easier as you got into the story. I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read a short novel without too much of a complicated story.
I agree with other reviewers that this is an inspirational story. It's well researched and an easy, uplifting read. I was left needing more hence the 4 stars. I wanted to know what happened to Kethwaahetse and ( although I am sure she did well) what career path she followed. I suppose the book had to end sometime. ? A sequel.
A very interesting read about a young girl growing up in a small village in Botswana. It illustrates the challenges facing youth, particular females to get an education.
The Author and Editor of this book appear to have good intentions but their approach, values, and perspectives are rather contorted and wanting in basic form and decency.
1. Moral and ethical problems
Seems to be that Mr. Greenfield needs some refinement on community morals and ethics. His rendition of cultivating a fruitful life through educational aspiration is distorted. His “literary” piece titled Eleven Miles with its cover photo in black-and-white, depicting a quiet solitary dirt road in a remote village and summary excerpt on the back cover telling of an “inspiring story” about an individual who has to overcome “obstacles and dangers” belies the book’s disturbing perspectives on schooling, sexual promiscuity, vengeful motives, and cunning deceptions. What at first seems a book that looks welcoming for young readers turns out to be a piece of writing that an adult might think twice about reading all the way through never mind re-reading in whole; not sure if it would be all that responsible putting this work in the hands of a minor child, so please beware.
Greenfield’s authoring operation inundates close to 1/3 of the book with details such as lifting skirts up and tearing pants off, describing in detail Boitumelo’s (Boi’s) love escapades with one Keith and their associated reproductive fluids(Greenfield and Editor are approvingly and grotesquely graphic in their detailed accounts. 119); yet, Greenfield simultaneously attempts to create inspiration and motivation describing an educational atmosphere where Boi thrives on undercutting her classmates and the rest of the school; depicting her obsession with the “charts,” “fighting” competitiveness against classmates, cut-throat “rivalry,” etc. When her mother asks why Boi arrives home late from school, the book writes off Boi’s delinquency with her rather flippant response, “'I come home much later than this when I have homework to do before I leave school for the day.' Or when I am making love to my gorgeous boyfriend.” 131. A staff member at the school holds an ever-lingering threat to reveal Boi’s promiscuity after he sees her and her boyfriend in one of their school grounds escapades. He brushes past her and fondles her at opportune moments during school, and the book disturbingly communicates that this is quite ok and all’s good, for Boi “resolved to put up with a little groping to maintain their secret.” Greenfield satisfyingly writes, “In the meantime, the couple found plenty of secret places where they could continue their love affair.” 128.
2. Distorted sense of time lapse
Greenfield’s sense of time and place is a rather contorted vision of the world. He spends more than 72 pages weaving the story of Boi’s overtly sexual encounters in school classrooms, on school grounds, behind several trees, and the like; yet, the fellow spends a mere five sentences to build up to the passing of Boi’s friend Grace who suffered fatal injuries from being struck against rocks while swimming in a dangerous river.
3. Grammar/Syntax conundrums
Supplementing Mr. Greenfield’s and his Editor’s crude perspectives on healthy motivation and inspiration, the grammar and syntax errors throughout the work make one wonder about these individuals’ own root inspirations and motives: What does “There were a two or three hundred Batswana inside the stadium . . .” mean? And this, “which was even hotter and more arid than the verdant Okavango Delta..”?
A lovely story set in Botswana, about an ambitious and motivated young girl called Boi, who, through sheer hard work and perseverance manages to become a top athlete. The story is inspiring and heart warming. The locations, the language, the names are all so authentic, the reader feels transported to Botswana. Highly recommend this delightful book!