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All that changed the night the government-armed Murahiliin began attacking their villages. Amid the chaos, screams, conflagration, and gunfire, five-year-old Benson and seven-year-old Benjamin fled into the dark night. Two years later, Alepho, age seven, was forced to do the same. Across the Southern Sudan, over the next five years, thousands of other boys did likewise, joining this stream of child refugees that became known as the Lost Boys. Their journey would take them over one thousand miles across a war-ravaged country, through landmine-sown paths, crocodile-infested waters, and grotesque extremes of hunger, thirst, and disease. The refugee camps they eventually filtered through offered little respite from the brutality they were fleeing.
In They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, Alepho, Benson, and Benjamin, by turn, recount their experiences along this unthinkable journey. They vividly recall the family, friends, and tribal world they left far behind them and their desperate efforts to keep track of one another. This is a captivating memoir of Sudan and a powerful portrait of war as seen through the eyes of children. And it is, in the end, an inspiring and unforgettable tribute to the tenacity of even the youngest human spirits.
Anonymous
Posted Sat Jun 13 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I read this for a book club. I probably would have never chosen this book on my own, but I'm glad I read it. We were all amazed at the tenacity and fortitude of these young boys. As a mother, I can't imagine what it must have been like to need to send your children away, hopefully to safety, knowing that you would most likely never see them again. It was hard to keep the names straight, but it didn't take long to figure out that it just wasn't necessary - it was just one long story of misery, a bit of hope, and then dashed hopes, over and over again. I think it's important to know that there are innocent young people in our world who are victims of political tumult.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Barnes and Noble is such a great place to go to have coffee and enjoy a great book. The atmosphere is inviting to talk wiht friends or listen to music as you enjoy reading. The availability of Wi-Fi is a definite plus.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Changed me forever
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Before reading this book, I didn't know very much about the conflict in Sudan. The three personal accounts are very emotional. I think that people everywhere should read it, especially teenagers.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2008
I've studied a lot on the crisis on Darfur and in Southern Sudan, and this is one of the best memoirs I have read. The stories of these three boys are extremely moving and truly move the heart.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2008
I read this book over a year ago and I still can't stop thinking about it from time to time - especially in today's times when Africa's troubles continue to go on. It shows how this world needs to focus on humanitarian issues and quit sticking our heads in the sand. I recommend this book to anyone who asks me what they should read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2008
Having worked with families from Sudan, I was glad to read this book. I loved the cultural perspective as well as the honesty and candor of the stories written in the book. What a great read!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2007
It really gives you a visual of what you can even imagine. My heart goes out to everyone in African and everywhere there is war.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014
HIGHLY RECCOMENED BY GRADY BEAUREGARD
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Posted Sat Mar 09 00:00:00 EST 2013
I remember in 10th grade we were told to do u book report from a selected amount of books. I was the last one to choose nd this book was the only one left. Best book i have ever read. I recommend this book to everyone. Incredible book. Extremely moving.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Elzarad1
Posted Mon Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 2011
The story is about three boys from Sudan named Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng, Benjamin Ajak. Alepho considered himself a impolite as a child but his brother Benson was a charming polite young boy. The boys mother was there fathers third wife and she was probably the most respected woman in there village, her outstanding cooking and great wine entertained the village. The boys father was considered the strongest and bravest man in the village because one point in the story he had killed a lion with his bare two hands. The story is mainly about these boys trying to escape and find there family members after they get attacked by the Murhaliliin,these people are rebels against there country leader so they cause problems within the country. The messages that were implied in this book is that you should be greatful for the life we have because these three boys lost family, friends, and there homes. The major things that were likable about the book is that it always had something new going on and it never got boring. The other thing I really liked was that they described everything well and the story never got confusing. The dislikes I had about the book were it had a lot of information you had to remember in order to know whats going on in the book. People should read this book because it honistly changes your prospective on what how you see things in the world. It also informs you on whats happening in Sudan and why its going threw such a struggle.
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Posted Sun Nov 13 00:00:00 EST 2011
¿They Poured Fire on us From the Sky¿ is a book about three of the Lost Boys from the Sudan War. The story goes with three young boys (Alephonsion Deng, Benson Deng, and Benjamin Ajak) on their journeys through the Sudan wars. The boys go through many hardships; thirst, hunger, and even death of ones close to them. This book really illustrates the pain these boys had to go through traveling from town to town, to escape the cruelty that was the Sudan War. Major themes of this book were loss and loneliness. Loss is really an obvious theme for a book about war, but this book puts it in the perspective of three young boys, which makes the pain of their loss much more real. These boys mention many times how they feel lonely, and how they miss their families. Throughout the book they lose the each other, which inflicts a lot of worry and loneliness on the boys. What I really liked about this book was the realness of the issues the boys were going through. The fact that it¿s told through three young boy¿s perspective, it makes the story more relatable, and really tugs on your heartstrings. The boys get under your skin and really make you feel the pain they went through. If I had to pick one thing I didn¿t like about this book, it would be how they skip around with who is telling the story, one chapter it¿s Alephosion, then Benson, then Benjamin. It makes it hard to keep track of what is going on in each boy¿s life. If you are looking for a powerful true story of perseverance and fighting for your life, this is the book for you. This book really makes you thankful for everything you have. These boys have lost everything they had; they had to flee in an effort to save their lives resulting in nothing. Out of a 10 I would rate this book a 9.5. This is one of my favorite books I have ever read, and I highly recommend it to anyone!
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Posted Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011
My mom said this was a good book and that i should read it but i already have the book but i havent actually syarted to read the book yet. I hope that someone else has read this book and could tell me about it But ot looks like an awesome book
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.It was astonishing, the idea of my walking across the city let alone the country of Sudan like these young men have is inconceivable. Not to mention the odds of survival that they faced, whether it be with the city dwellers trying to take advantage of them, or wild animals of the jungle trying to have them for lunch. Hard to put down.
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Posted Sun Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2008
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Overview
Benjamin, Alepho, and Benson were raised among the Dinka tribe of Sudan. Their world was an insulated, close-knit community of grass-roofed cottages, cattle herders, and tribal councils. The lions and pythons that prowled beyond the village fences were the greatest threat they knew.
All that changed the night the government-armed Murahiliin began attacking their villages. Amid the chaos, screams, conflagration, and gunfire, five-year-old Benson and seven-year-old Benjamin fled ...