Perspective

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is the story of the author's own life. He comes from a culture where storytelling is held in high regard, and he was adopted by a storyteller in the United States. This shows through in the novel as he weaves words and events to tell a captivating, educational and important story. He is blunt about events he experienced, describing horrors in detail, yet doesn't glorify any violence.

In the first section of the book, before the index, there is a brief overview of the author's life, which offers insight to his perspective. He moved to the United States at the age of 18 and finished high school at the United Nations International School. This shows the connection of how a young boy from Africa survived his past and came to live in a new land where he...