Today's armies consist of many young soldier, which different countries allow children to join the army. The children are too young to witness the horrific events that occur during a war. A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah describes a young boy's experience as a soldier.

While children are growing up, their childhood should consume of: enjoying time with friends and family, attending school, and not worrying about becoming adults. At twelve years old, Ishmael had to become an adult due to the war's impact on his home town of Sierra Leone, Africa. In the chaos of the rebel's invasion, Ishmael lost his parents and fled to save himself. Alone, Ishmael describes the experiences he encountered, which caused frustration due to living in fear. Ishmael describes, “I became frustrated with living in fear. I felt as if I was always waiting for death to come to me....” (46). Ishmael's struggles to avoid the war illustrates to the reader how strong he really became. Eventually, Ishmael became part of the war when he joined the army.

As a boy soldier, Ishmael had every part of his childhood taken away. As a soldier, Ishmael experienced many situations that embedded in his memory. Ishmael states, “We had not only lost our childhood in the war but our lives had been tainted by the same experiences that still caused us great pain and sadness” (202) which describes the war's affect oh him. After a few years of being a boy soldier, Ishmael was placed in a rehabilitation center, where
traumatized, young soldiers were brought to recover from the war. What Ishmael encounter throughout his childhood and war displays an excellent example of bravery, courage, and personal strength.

This captivating and terrifying memoir opens an individual's eyes to the world around them. A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier describes how a young man's childhood was affected by a war. Ishmael, an excellent individual, gives others inspiration and determination to overcome any obstacle in their way. A strong recommendation for individuals that enjoy reading detailed accounts of violence.