Published by Knopf on June 19th// 320 pages
Read: 12/28/2018
Ok this is going to be my first ever book review on this website so it might not be as great but bare with me! I really wanted to write this review specially on this book because I loved it so much and wanted you guys to know about it asap and read it! Here I'm going to write about how I found out about this memoir, how I thought about in general, and dive deeper and connect it to more relevant topics. So without further due....let's get into it!
I first heard about Abdi's memoir in a interview with him though one of my favorite foreign policy podcasts (sub to Pod Save World!) during the summer of 2018 when it first came out. I'm always geek for immigrant stories and insights on current world situations, so after listening to him and his story I've been dying to get my hands on a copy. Scrolling though my public library to trying to buy one. Eventually I got my hands on a online copy from Overdrive and started reading on day one.
Let's begin with the general synopsis. Call Me American is a memoir that follows a young boy living in war-torn Somalia during the 80s-90s, and his heart-breaking journey to the United States. He describes his social and religious life in Somalia--before and after the warlords--, his family and interest in America. So you’re probably wondering: typical immigrant story? No. Every story is special but this memoir is incredibly tragic. As someone born and raised in the U.S, it's hard to even imagine life in a third-world country. Especially one going through war. One of the most tragic events in his life was the suffering he and his family had to go through during the beginning of the civil war. His family had to go escape their homes while encountering the most dangerous situations and people. Terrorists, warlords, and other rebel fighters are just some of the people they had to deal with. Let me briefly explain the political and social landscape that was going on in Somalia during the 1980s-2000s. The country after imperialism was a anarchy of a military regime with President Siad Barre. Then in 1991 he ousted ignites a civil war between rival clans and rebels. Resulting state collapse and famine. Food was also scarce and the environment was so unsafe. Abdi and his family could have died anytime and anywhere.
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