Ishmael Beah
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Some people tried to hurt us to protect themselves, their family and communities... This was one of the consequences of civil war. People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.
Ishmael Beah
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
When I was young, my father used to say, "If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die." I thought about these words during my journey, and they kept me moving even when I didn't know where I was going. Those words became the vehicle that drove my spirit forward and made it stay alive.
