A Long Way Gone gives a completely new meaning to “casualties of war.” The stories Ishmael recalls in this book are some of the most gruesome I have ever heard. The suffering he describes makes me question how much any civilian policy-maker (or I) understands about suffering, sacrifice, and survival.

What happens to the psyche of a child who has no positive support structure? And, what good comes from a society that is afraid of its children? Children are supposed to be pure and innocent, right? Since war clearly corrupts that innocence, can a child of war every restore his/her sinlessness - at least mentally?

The primary things I take away from this book are that children should not to be faulted for the suffering they unjustly bear and that even the most tormented children should not be given up on. While this book is about Ishmael’s personal journey, perhaps the most inspiring element is the fact that the world is full of caring souls who make all the difference in the world to children a long way gone.

Tags: Books, children, images, Life, war