I just read A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael beah. It's a pretty incredible book to say the least. It's heart breaking and poetic. The author's ability to convey the utter loss and confusion of losing his family and being forced to participate in a civil war make it all the more visceral to read. There's a lot of imagery of the sights and sounds of war, but an equal amount of imagery taken from stories and folklore he  uses to vividly impart his emotional state as the story progresses. It starts a short while after he's moved to America and quickly delves into his past. Filling in the gaps it follows a non-linear chronology but is laid out in a way that helps convey the core message of the book; Everyone is capable of truly horrific acts, and that transformation can happen in an instant. The book shows us that while wars start for a reason, that reason can quickly become lost to a sea of violence and hate that no longer has a specific root or cause and has manifested in each participant in a different way at which point chaos can begine to sustain itself. Finally it shows us that while it's harder to create order from chaos than the other way around, people that are pulled into such chaos are still people at their core, like you and me, and with patience and love it is possible for them to find their humanity again. Everyone should read this book, it's a valuable story. Click here to find out how you can get a copy. Here are a few interviews with Ishmael where he talks about the book and Sierra Leone.