A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier in Read a book from each country

Jul 06, 2009 Silvia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: around-the-world, heart-books, books-i-own

This is why memoirs are my favourite type of novel. I am adding this book to my favourites list. The book is blunt about war and the details are gruesome, but necessary. I cannot put down the right words to review this book. It was gruesome, inspiring, heart-stopping, dangerous, a page turner, and most of all it was true. Its truthfulness is what makes the story so gripping. In my ignorance, I do not think I can truly comprehend the heartbreak and terror Ishmael faced. I am astounded at his stre ...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Michael Scott rated it really liked it

Shelves: anthropology, horror, memoir, bio, historical

This is the third book I found myself reading on the topic of child exploitation and abuse in modern Africa, after They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky and What is the What (the latter seems a rip-off from the former). Unlike the other two, which cover the flight and escape of non-combatant children from their warring country, A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier tells the story of a boy-soldier, that is, of a boy of twelve-fifteen who joins a guerrilla army in his war-torn native country. I ...more

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Apr 02, 2009 Jackie rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club

I would like to give this book 31/2 stars; it is better than a 3-star, but not quite 4. What horrific experiences this young man endured in his teen years. At times, I wanted to put the book down because I did not want to read about any more atrocities. But, I endured and I think I got a better understanding of child soldiers, or at least this child soldier. Before this book, I never knew about all the drugs they used, and I never really understood that revenge was part of their motivation. And, ...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Zillah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-l-own, 2011, non-fiction

I have to say I expected more, a lot more from this book.. I give 3* to the book, and this is why: the writing isn't at all impressive and when I read the last sentence I had a feeling they forgot to print the last chapter.. There was something missing and the whole story was left kind of hanging.. Another thing I expected to find and I didn't is historical and political information which I think is pretty important for a story like this, and that shouldn't have been a problem since the writer g ...more

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