Hailed by Publishers Weekly as an author that “goes beyond even the best journalistic efforts in revealing the life and mind of a child abducted into the horrors of warfare,” Ishmael Beah surpasses all literary expectations in “A Long Way Gone.”
Beah will be on campus Friday, October 9, 2009 for a book discussion at 11:30 a.m. in the FBA Auditorium. From fleeing a country torn by violence at the age of twelve, to testing his own capacity to inflict harm, to finally at sixteen years of age taking a harrowing road to regain all lost, this book tells his story.
For those that find the book’s synopsis familiar, it is. Apart of the Freshman Experience, this book also acts as an on-going essay competition among TAMIUfreshman. After reading the book, students have the opportunity to submit an essay that responds to the topic: “How can you apply what you have learned from this book to the world in which you live?”
Students are competing for the chance to earn a paid trip to Ghana during Winter Break 2009. Much like the book itself, the trip ensures winners will receive an unforgettable cultural experience. Regardless if you’re a freshman and have the book listed as a required reading component or you’ve simply seen the array of promotional flyers in the hallways, the opportunity to be influenced by the highly proclaimed writer is just around the corner.
Echoing a review by the Washington Post, students, faculty, and alumni alike are welcomed to come and learn from the man himself, who through his book, has taught the world what it means to be human.
For more information on the event, contact Ginder Watkins at 956-326-2134.