They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan [Hardcover]

Alphonsion Deng (Author), Benson Deng (Author), Benjamin Ajak (Author), Benson Deng (Author), Benjamin Ajak (Author), Judy A. Bernstein (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1586482696 | ISBN-13: 978-1586482695 | Publication Date: June 14, 2005 | Edition: 1st.

A captivating memoir of Sudan and a powerful portrait of war as seen through the eyes of children 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 into the dark night. Two years later, Aleph aged seven, was forced to do the same. Across the Southern Sudan over the next five years, thousands of other boys did likewise, joining the 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, Alephy, 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Raised by Sudan's Dinka tribe, the Deng brothers and their cousin Benjamin were all under the age of seven when they left their homes after terrifying attacks on their villages during the Sudanese civil war. In 2001, the three were relocated to the U.S. from Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp as part of an international refugee relief program. Arriving in this country, they immediately began to fill composition books with the memoirs of chaos and culture shock collected here. Well written, often poetic essays by Benson, Alepho and Benjamin, who are now San Diego residents in their mid-20s, are arranged in alternating chapters and recall their childhood experiences, their treacherous trek and their education in the camp ("People were learning under trees"). Other pieces remember the rampant disease and famine among refugees, and the tremendous hardship of day-to-day living ("Refugee life was like being devoured by wild animals"). When the boys arrived in America, Benson, upon seeing a Wal-Mart for the first time, remarked, "This is like a king's palace." Although some readers may wish for more commentary on what life in America is like for these transplants, this collection is moving in its depictions of unbelievable courage.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Many of the reviews simply summarize the book and plight of the "Lost Boys of Sudan," as if the reviewers were too awestruck by the story to criticize its telling. Critics describe the narrative as "numbing," "surreal," "amazing," "harrowing," and "haunting." Details of scrambling for food, crossing crocodile-inhabited rivers, suffering injuries, and joining the rebel movement against their will abound. One would have enjoyed reading more about the boys’ culture shock upon arriving in America; one would have liked a map of the boys’ journey. Yet all agree that this group memoir is moving and ultimately inspirational.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: PublicAffairs; 1st. edition (June 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586482696
• ISBN-13: 978-1586482695
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,052,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How children survived an adult mess, August 12, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan (Hardcover)

In a land where family life was everything and the most fearsome thing was a prowling hyena or lion, fire suddenly exploded from the sky. THEY POURED FIRE ON US FROM THE SKY is the vivid description of the war in southern Sudan as seen through the eyes of three little boys, Benson, Benjamin and Alephonsion - who suddenly became homeless orphans and were forced to trek across Sudan to Kenya and Ethiopia without food or water. No longer having a father to frighten away the animals or a mother to prepare food, these five-year-old boys had to figure out how to survive. In addition to the horrors brought on by nature in the form of heat, no water, no food, hunting animals, biting snakes and insects, they soon discovered that people were not very nice to boys traveling alone. Frequently their food, clothing and blankets were taken from them or they were beaten and driven away. Even their own soldiers mistreated them and they found that after surviving so much and traveling so far, they were not exactly welcome in Kenya or Ethiopia. But survive they did to come to the United States to begin life anew.

This gut-wrenching book is a real page-turner and I found myself unable to put it down, even when the stories brought tears and indescribable anger. It was a real eye-opener to read of United Nations aid gone astray as locals took the best for themselves and left the refugees starving. There were, of course, the good people who helped the refugees with food and transportation and even lost their jobs because of it. If you never believed that war could change ordinary people into selfish monsters, then this is the book for you. The book is well written, flows well, and the transitions are so smooth that sometimes I found myself going back to the beginning of the chapter to see which lost boy was telling this particular portion of the story. There were amusing sections such as when the boys were preparing to go the US and they were attempting to learn about flushing toilets. One of them didn't remember what the book instructions said and managed to flood the restroom at the airport terminal. The things we take for granted get a new life when viewed through these boys' eyes. I recommend this book for everyone in America.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A courageous and inspirational book. A must read!, June 14, 2005

By 

P. Bernstein MD (Rancho Santa Fe, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan (Hardcover)

Rarely does a book come along that is so moving and inspirational that it is hard to put down and at the same time thought provoking. "They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky" is told in the unique voice of three young men who overcame and survived obstacles we can hardly imagine. Their mentor wrote a heartfelt introduction and helped to weave this book into a page-turner. But it is not the hardships that you will remember after reading this book, it's their unique views on life, their courage, and their will to survive that will live in your memories for a long time to come.
It is by far the best non-fiction book in print and a must read for all book groups and readers looking for inspiration in a world where atrocities and genocide have become common place.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will transform you, August 6, 2005

By 

Quilterkat (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan (Hardcover)

This is a book that I was afraid would be too painful to read. Most of us will never have the experience that these 3 young men and their "brothers" have had. But it is not about pain and sorrow. It is ultimately about Hope, Family, Education and their faith in God to get them through. This is a book that will surprise you, engage you and enrage you. Thank you , Judy Bernstein and everyone who knew this story needed to be told!