The Hour Takes On Child Soldiering

My impression of Beah from the interview is that he is very relaxed now. He seemed like he was just being himself, even though he was talking about a very serious issue. I also noticed that he didn't blame anyone. When he discussed the lieutenants as "father figures," Beah simply explained his and other soldiers' impressions of them; he didn't call them lunatics or murderers or anything of the sort.

Ishmael stuck to many of the ideas and parts of the novel he wrote. There was a lot of repetition for those who had read the book, and most of his interview was laced with commentary that seemed to be quoted from the book. 

On-air, Ishmael Beah is very casual, laid-back. He is very much in control of his life as it appears from his interview. He even seemed happy.

I thought the book was extremely interesting. It presented the lifestyle of a country torn by war. As compared to the American Civil War, Sierra Leonean soldiers and rebels took more drastic measures: torturing others, raping women, pillaging, and forcing people to do many different and, to some, unethical atrocities. I believe that the book reveals a very dark side to human nature when causes are involved, and it shows the extent of the startling behavior and attitude people take toward others. I have already mentioned this book to my friends at home and to some friends here at Purdue. I will not, however, mention it to my family. My mom rarely reads books in her free time because she lacks free time, and my dad doesn't like those kinds of books. My grandmother, on the other hand, might enjoy it, so I will mention it to her when I return home for October Break. Otherwise, I will recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what they may have been missing in the rest of the world.

Here's the address for those that would like to see his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4yhPSQEzo