A War Child: A Child Soldier's Story

by Emmanuel Jal

Book Overview

In the mid-1980s, Emmanuel Jal was a seven year old Sudanese boy, living in a small village with his parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings. But as Sudan's civil war moved closer--with the Islamic government seizing tribal lands for water, oil, and other resources--Jal's family moved again and again, seeking peace. Then, on one terrible day, Jal was separated from his mother, and later learned she had been killed; his father Simon rose to become a powerful...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312602979
• ISBN13: 9780312602970
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Disturbing and amazing

I listened to Emmanuel Jal speak at TED Global and wanting to learn more sought out the book. This story, this life is absolutely incredible. The book takes you to the war zone from the child's perspective and it hurts to read because you realize how many all over the world have Emmanuel's story. It has inspired me to learn about Sudan, its people and to follow Emmanuel's work at GUA Africa. The book is absolutely worth the read.

War Child by Emmanuel Jal

This book is an chilling, can't put down the book, account of Emmanuel Jal's life as a child soldier. I love his song "Emma" and I'm looking forward to his documentary.

Testament to the ability to overcome great odds

I have previously read several books about the children caught up in the various conflicts of Sudan over the past couple decades, as well as viewed a few DVDs on the subject matter. Being somewhat familiar with the situation, I was unsure how much I would gain from reading "War Child," by Emmanuel Jal. Jal's personal account is moving as well as inspiring. I actually learned a great deal from reading "War Child" due to the many specific stories told about the author's plight. Jal definitely knows how to paint a picture with his words, as the book is a gripping read from beginning to end. It's interesting to see how much power Jal gained from not only music, but also his religious faith. Jal endured so much devastation that one would think it would be nearly impossible to rise up and overcome his situation, yet he did just that. He does a nice job of letting the reader know what inspired him and kept him going through all of the trials and tribulation sent his way. "War Child" is a worthy read for people already familiar with the civil wars in Sudan, as well as for folks who know nothing about the history of Sudan. Jal's closing words in the book sum it up beautifully, "Hope must never die."

A personal tale of survival

What does a child think to see death all around him? To witness rape and murder? To feel pain and hunger? How does one fight as a young soldier? Kill? And then look back. To see the childhood lost. Is there pain, regret, nightmare? How to move on? It is a tragic tale of a boyhood stolen when so young he remembers the scent of milk on his mother as they flee from war. He loses his mother and then is tricked by his father into leaving his family for Ethiopia where he headed for "school." A place where his hatred was carefully stoked and simmered and he yearned to become a soldier. All in the voice of a young boy. From all that he sees, we come to understand what is so difficult to believe, that a child could come to be driven to kill. After all that he had witnessed, growing up knowing nothing more than his own reality, how else was he to feel? Emmanuel is rescued by fate, a chance meeting with an aid worker who was the wife of the leader of the SPLA Nasir. She takes him to Kenya, where is given a chance at education. He eventually finds music as a way to heal and an outlet to tell his story.

An incredible and moving story of survival against all odds

There are few first person accounts from Sudanese refugees and none that I know of from former 'lost boy' who actually served in the SPLA. This frightening, honest, gritty, and often unsettling account of the events that shaped Jal's life is well worth reading. It is one of those books where the substance is so critically important that it overshadows any shortcomings in the writing. War Child is the autobiography of Emmanual Jal and details his journey from Sudanese refugee to international rapper. From the outset, we know the beginning and the end of the story as it is outlined in the first chapter. Jal's story begins as he is forced to flee with his family from village to village in order to escape civil war. At age 7 he is told that he is to go to school so that he can be part of Sudan's future. But given a turn of events he is 'educated' by the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and becomes a child soldier. Eventually, he becomes a 'Lost Boy' adoptee of British aide worker, Emma McCune which leads him on a path to spiritual and emotional healing. The book leads up to the present day where he is a popular Christian rapper and social advocate for change in the Sudan. But this book is not an easy read. And it is not for the faint of heart. It deals with a young boy growing up in a brutal and unforgiving environment. He speaks of all the atrocities that occurred (and continue to occur) in Sudan. This includes the brutalities of war, cold blooded killing, rape, starvation, and death. Jal's survival is as much due to luck as it is due to his intelligence and his skill. Jal writes in short, punctuated chapters. The sparse prose may reflect the fact that English is his third language but also suits the subject matter well. He tells his story simply and with integrity. However, the book is not without flaws. Some of these issues may be edited more thoroughly when the book is officially released and may be a function of the fact that I received a reviewer's copy of the manuscript and not the final document. One gets the sense that Jal dictated the manuscript and that his editor/secondary author transcribed the dictations. Occasionally, the reader gets confused about the timing of certain events and at times there are obvious contradictions in the manuscript. Some events are recounted in minute detail. At other times, events are skipped altogether or simply glossed over resulting in confusion on the part of the reader. But remember, the author is trying to recall events that occurred when he was as young as 7 years old and his memories may not be complete or exactly in order. The prose could be tightened a bit in the middle section where he recounts skirmishes and life in the SPLA. The narrative gives us the sense of the heartlessness and emotionlessness of the child soldier who is motivated by hate. The monotony of this kind of existence is apparent but may be over stressed. After reading the book, I decided to listen