A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is a memoir written by Ishmael Beah. Published in 2007, this book provides a firsthand account of the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone and the ongoing plight of child soldiers in conflicts worldwide. Beah was forced to run away from attacking rebels in Sierra Leone at the young age of 12; he was then forever separated from his direct family. He wandered his war-filled country and was then forced to join an army unit, which brainwashed him into believing in only large guns, blood, and drugs. By thirteen, he had experienced incidents that others may not have to deal with throughout their entire lives. At the age of 16, however, UNICEF removed him from the unit and gave him a chance to be forgiven and to be loved once more. With the help of some of the staff he was able to forgive himself for everything he had done and to finally move on. He was then given an opportunity to teach others about the hell he was forced to endure. He traveled the United States teaching people about the devastating and unforgettable things that he was forced to encounter and the things that millions of kids all over the world still have to encounter today.