Memoirs of a Child Soldier

A Long Way Gone is a graphic glimpse at war through the eyes of a boy. It also provides a voice for thousands of children who are still forced to participate in conflict.

Not many writers are fortunate enough to have their debut work earn them an appearance on The Daily Show and sold on the shelves of Starbucks. But this is what Ishmael Beah has achieved with his first book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Child Soldier. There is even talk that it will be part of Oprah's Book Club. His explicit memoir, the first autobiographical account from a child soldier, is a unique primary source which captures a brutal and often ignored chapter in our recent history.

While the civil conflict in Beah's homeland, Sierra Leone, has abated, the problem of child soldiery is as unfortunate as ever. The United Nations estimates that 250,000 children are still involved in armed conflict. Drawing attention to the plight of this nameless mass, while exorcising his own demons, Beah shares his horrific experiences, detailing the killing, torture and looting he performed while under the influence of brown brown, a noxious mix of cocaine and gunpowder.

A Long Way Gone involves three distinct journeys of survival: Beah's desperate, peripatetic quest for his estranged family after rebels raid his village; his coerced service into the ranks of the army where he is transmogrified into a killing machine known as 'Green Snake'; and, finally, his painful "repatriation" and brave flight into Guinea to escape Sierra Leone.

Embedded in Beah's memoir is the bold message that anyone can transcend their humanity and commit unspeakable acts during times of war. The promise of food and revenge is enough to persuade a starving boy that murder is justifiable, especially when they are forcefed narcotics. But A Long Way Gone is also a powerful testament of courage for anyone who has faced adversity and a reminder that life's worst circumstances can be overcome. Beah lost his entire family to war, witnessed friends die and was once a young assassin. Now, he works for the Children's Division Advisory Committee for Human Rights Watch.

Beah's writing is that rare combination of sincerity and brutality that can only be borne from harrowing experiences. His prose is captivating and his narrative gift will arrest readers as they absorb terrors through the eyes of a child. It is worth noting that, while A Long Way Gone ends happily for Ishmael Beah, thousands of other former child soldiers have had to endure a much worse fate.