A Long Way Gone Book Tour

In the past few years, American media coverage of Sierra Leone has increased, making the public generally aware of the civil war that has devastated the country. Recently, this media attention has focused on the role that child soldiers have played both in fighting throughout Sierra Leone and the use of child soldiers worldwide. To give a true insiders’ view of this horrific practice, Ishmael Beah has written the book A Long Way Gone, a memoir about the time he spent as a child soldier in Sierra Leone.

At thirteen years old, Beah was picked up by the government army and forced into service. In A Long Way Gone, Beah describes how he and fellow child soldiers were exposed to a varierty of drugs, including “brown-brown” (a blend of cocaine and gunpowder), and that he committed more murders than he could count. Beah was eventually transferred to a UNICEF rehabilitation center, from which he moved to America, where he finished high school and college, all the while serving as a UN spokesperson.

A Long Way Gone tells the story of Beah’s life before, after, and while working as a soldier. It is currently being sold at Starbucks locations throughout the country, and Starbucks is donating $2 from every book sale to UNICEF. To promote these efforts, Ishmael Beah will be in Philadelphia tomorrow, to do a book reading at the Starbucks at 4th and South. Phillyist strongly encourages you to check this event out. Beah’s story and is both heartbreaking and uplifting, and by picking up a copy of the book, you’ll support a great cause.

Starbucks and Hyperion Entertainment Present
A Long Way Gone Book Tour
Featuring Author Ishmael Beah
Starbucks
4th and South Streets
Thursday, March 8, 7PM

Image via amazon.com.