The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan - They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky

Best book I ever read and how this young boys having such a young age how to stay alive going, and going threw different but difficult events, being seperate from your family not knowing if your going to survive. This book it's is such a wide opening and you would not be disappointed.

I could not stand the audiobook version of this novel! The voices sound like robots; they are extremely monotone and add nothing to enhance the overall quality of the book. I am extremely disappointed.

Had a book I wanted to purchase and contacted the store on the internet and they had just what I wanted. Shipping was right on time and the used book I got was just as had been described on the internet . Was very pleased with the purchase

I was prompted to purchase this book because I saw the three young men on TV, and was impressed with them. I had just finished reading the Kite Runner which I loved, and this reminded me a little of that book-very little really. I found it to be too repetitious which is a polite way of saying boring after awhile.

The " I love it" implied by the 5 star rating, may just be the most truthful lie I have ever told. There are many, many reasons as towards why I love They Poured Fire on us from the Sky, but for every reason I love this book, there are just as many reasons as towards why I hate it.
This book contains the chilling, yet inspiring stories of thousands upon thousands of beautiful people, who have endured unspeakable horrors, told and seen through the eyes of three young men who know nothing yet of the World.
This book goes to show that people, at their core are good. The horrors that these boys have faced, the pain they have suffered, the loved ones they have lost, the hunger, thirst, emotional pain, physical pain, mistreatment, torture, and hopelessness that these boys have faced should have made them into monsters right? Seeking nothing more than blood, revenge, and the end to all those who every caused them any harm, but despite what they experienced, their hearts were always filled with love, compassion, kindness, and they always helped others no matter what the situation. Despite living through a literal hell for much of their childhood and early adult hood, they looked the Devil straight in the eye and chose to love, rather than to fear and to hate. That to me is what all humans need to do, but should it really take years of fighting every minute for your survival to realize that we are all human, that we all deserve respect, and to be shown compassion, and to be loved unconditionally no matter what religion we follow, what color we are, or what language we speak? Or has having an easy life, one of comfort, one where you always have water to drink, food to eat, clothes to cover our soft fragile skin. A life that is one that every human should have, one that every human deserves, taken away every bit of humanity we possessed?
I hate this book. I hate this book because it has shown me something I don't want to know exist is this world. Why would I read this book if every page contains some unspeakable endeavor to survive? Why would anyone want to go outside their comfort zone of their perfect picket fence America, and read about something that should never happen? But that is exactly why I read this book, and couldn't stop reading this book. Because it does exactly that. It forces you to step outside your comfort zone, and it makes you a little bit more human. It pries open your mind, and forces you to know that we can't just live life for ourselves.
Benjamin, Benson, and Alephonsion teach us the importance of family, not just those of blood relation, but also of those you pick up along the way, they show us that love no matter your situation is always an answer, and they provide hope. The most important thing that you can take away from this book is how to be a little more human, always love, always give, always share, and always help.
So I ask you, read this book, and learn to be human again. For what else should humans be? We are not monsters, correct?

When you think of the young ages of these boys, fleeing at ages 4-6 through desert, jungle, amidst lions and hyenas, fleas, fire ants, starvation, severe dehydration, mean people, violent soldiers, across bodies and a place where life is worth so little, a mother could only feel immense sadness at what these boys experienced. The Dhaka boys were sheep herders in peaceful villages when war and Arabs would come plunder villages, rape and burn women and children and try to put the boys into armies. That they could live normal lives and function is amazing. They certainly deserve peaceful lives in the future for what they have experienced. It also shows that perseverance and the need to survive is so strong so they could get to where they are now...in San Diego area.This was not a book I wanted to read before going to bed because of the extreme trauma it described. But it took courage for these boys to tell this story.

When the war began in Sudan between government troops and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army, people ran for their lives. Among them, the three boys contributing their stories in this book. They witnessed family and friends murdered, they suffered starvation, illness, and abuse. They walked, seemingly forever through the bush harboring wild animals, desert areas, and disease infested waterways to find some refuge. They spent years in refugee camps with no promise for a future, then finally a place in America opened up for them. The intensity of the pain they suffered can not be measured by the words in this book, and it's a miracle they survived, many didn't. The story is a tribute to the strength of their spirits.

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

It rained in Knoxville one weekend ten years ago so instead of the planned picnic, Anita Henderlight curled up with this book. She plunged into the real-life story of three boys in southern Sudan, who fled into the jungle to avoid a northern Sudan military attack designed to decimate entire villages. When the attacks ceased, boys, from toddlers to teens, were left without parents, homes, food or guidance.. An unorganized trek began as boys sought food, safety and their families. The trek lasted for years. On Monday morning Anita handed this book to Bishop James Swanson of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church . "Read this," she said. "We have to do something about this!" The church did. This book was the stimulus for action that changed the world for many of these boys. Few books can say that! This tenth anniversary re-issue challenges you to read and make a difference.

As one who is seldom at a loss for words, I am finding it very difficult to absorb the contents of this book and write about the effect it has had on me. This cruel, naked, poignant, impossible story of the Lost Boys journey through hell sounds more like a Hollywood screenplay than the recollections of real little boys. Were it a Hollywood script, no studio would buy it because the story is too horrific and grotesque to be believable.

Unfortunately for the book's subjects it was all too true. Fortunately for us, they have chosen to share their memories with us so that we may begin to grasp the severity and horror of their journey. They've done the world a great service in doing so. I can only hope that the sharing in some ways helps their healing.

This book is all at once gripping, repulsive and mesmerizing. I often found the content beyond my comprehension. For little boys to be ripped from their families to wander aimlessly, ill and starving, dodging bullets, encountering wild beasts who would have gladly eaten them for dinner, and to be at the mercy of the desert sun--often without water-- is a fate one would not wish on an animal. I imagine few of us have spent even mere moments of our lives knowing the terror that was these boys reality for years.

I must admit I was unaware of the extent of the Sudanese holocaust, and for that I am ashamed. I know this book has raised awareness and for that I thank the author, Judy Bernstein, for recognizing the need to tell this story and for the hard work of getting it done.

To Benson, Alephonsion and Benjamin, I hope you are still able to love and trust in a world where it would be completely understandable if you were not. There are good people among us and I'm thankful your journey brought you to Judy and to San Diego. I hope you are finding some measure of happiness here.
I wish you long life and peace.

Of all the books I've read about the massacre of children in various countries, this one was my favorite. These Sudanese youth spent much of their growing up years in refugee camps in various countries, hungry, thirsty, disease ridden, traveling long distances from one place to another (without food or water during their travels which were most often through the dessert) and abused. With all of the hardship they experienced they never stopped caring for each family member and even strangers when they could do so. Three of the boys eventually come to the U.S; to attend college. They were taught to read and write English in the last camp in Kenya.

This book is at once a book of triumph, of tragedy, and of great sadness.

It is a tale of triumph because the three young boys, now young men were able to survive, even prosper enough to get out of a horrible situation to living in the United States and are now published authors.

It is a tale of tragedy because the situation in their country was so horrible and then made so much worse by the actions of the Government in arming a rebel army intent on genocide merely because this group was of a different tribe.

It is a tale of sadness because this situation has been repeated so many times across sub-saharan Africa since the departure of the colonial powers in the years after World War II.

This is the story of one group of children. It is only one incident among many. And this book concentrates on telling this story, which it does very well. This book puts a human face, the face of children five and seven years old, on a horrible incident.

For a broader picture, not only of this incident in the Sudan, but of the numerous similar conflicts consider reading The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith also published by Public Affairs Press. There is another story as well, that of AIDS.

I usually read for fun, just to have a few laughs or to enjoy a good story, and then I put the book down. This book is not like that. It will penetrate your soul and stay with you long after you're done with it. It will change your concept of childhood and innocence. These children did not grow up watching Sesame Street.

The richness of the language, and the sensitiivity with which these boys describe how they survived experiences that would break an adult, just blows me away. And having had the privilege to follow their careers since arriving in America, I am astounded by how far they have come and the wonderful things that they are doing with the precious gift of life they have managed to escape with.

I think that any book club interested in a truly powerful novel should pick this book. There's endless room in it for discussion and interpretation, and I promise you, when you are done reading it you will look at the world with different eyes. There's a discussion guide on their website, by the way, and it's really stimulating.

Reviewed By Lisa Panetta-Sawaya,MA, Michigan, USA

This book is the true life story of three boys forced to leave their homes in the Sudan because of the tragic civil war that began in 1983. It is the story of what happens to these children, who later become known as, "the lost boys of Sudan," as they escape to the forest, the desert, traveling one thousand miles across the country of Sudan into Ethiopia, until they reach refugee camps and eventually come to the United States. At the beginning of the book, there is an African Proverb that reads: "When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled." The three authors express that it is them- the children- that are the grass and were trampled, while the adults were as the elephants, fighting the war. "The name lost Boys came to be when our village was attacked by fierce Arab horsemen. We, little boys, spewed out of the blazing village like a colony of ants disturbed in their nest. We ran in different directions not knowing where we are going. We gathered some fruits for our breakfast and lunch. We, little boys, were so messy, all chaos and cries filling the dark, fiercely lightless night." The book is an effort to record; the history of the authors beginnings in a small Sudanese village, the tragic civil war that forced them into a daily fight for survival, and finally, a means for dealing with all of this trauma while transitioning into a new life here in the United States.
After resettling in San Diego, CA, USA through The International Rescue Committee, a nationwide resettlement agency, the three authors, meet their mentor, Judy Bernstein. Through this mentoring relationship, Judy learns of the awful experiences and triumphs, these three young men have lived through. One day, she takes them shopping at Walmart and buys them clothes and notebooks. She offers, that they can write down their experiences in the United States. They agree, and add that they will also write stories about being forced to leave their village as little boys. The book is divided into three parts: Part One: The Village of Juaol, Part Two: Like Ants Spewing from the Nest, and Part Three: Lost Boys. Each part contains personal accounts by each of the three authors. Part One recalls the authors lives before the war. They lived as farmers and were called "Dinka." They came from the Bahr al Ghazal region of southern Sudan. The recounts are moving and beautiful. Benson tells of his mother being the best cook and a winemaker. "...but above all she was the best cook. From the wine to the porridge, the other wives praised her skill. She was known for making different kinds of wine on New Year's Eve... A lot of people came and finished her wine early, which made my mother happy."(5) He also shares the painful and powerful story of his own circumcision. Through out their journey, these boys display deep love for their families, loyalty, wisdom, strength, perseverance, courage, faith and an unwavering hope for the future. "...Joseph had saved my life so many times. Now here I was in a safe place, too weak to walk, when he might be on the front lines already. And Benjamin, his leg so bad in that dirty jail. To Benson, I owed my life. He could have escaped with the others but stayed behind to nurse me and now he was stuck..."(233)
The authors have created this book, in the hopes that it will be a multi-layered legacy; a record of their childhood, a voice for all of those who have experienced the tragedies of Africa's longest ongoing war, and ultimately, a way for them to heal and begin a new and better life. They have succeeded in educating all readers about the huge loss of life, and horrible injustices suffered by innocent children because of this war. This war was waged by governments whose primary goals include power, money, and control over natural resources, while the cost includes the lives of over 2 million human beings. "Ignited in 1983, Africa's longest-running war is still going on. North against south, Muslims against animists and Christians, Arabs against blacks. Huge oil reserves in southern Sudan being held by the northern Muslim government fuel the war. Race, religion and riches. The same things people always kill each other over. With no solution in sight, 2 million blacks in the south have already died. More casualties than Angola, Bosnia, Chechnya, Kosovo, Liberia, the Persian Gulf, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Rwanda combined. Two million dead. Five million displaced and at risk. A holocaust happening today..."(xvii)

The authors of this book have amazing courage to tell the true story of what they endured while civil war raged on in their home country of Sudan. They tell it with eloquence yet raw honesty, which demonstrates how they were able to grow and learn under such extreme circumstances. The tone of the writing made me feel almost as if the authors were talking to me. The writing style is heartfelt yet straightfoward. It cuts right to it.

Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin share their personal stories, putting faces, names, and feelings to what often is only covered in the news as a brief report. The authors' stories are their own, yet they also echo the stories of the thousands of Lost Boys of Sudan as well as the women, children, and men affected by civil war in any country.

This book is educational, touching, sad, and inspirational. It may move you to action, and it will definitely stay with you.

This book is thoughtful and poignant. The reader will get a true sense of what it is to be a small child caught up in the devastation of a country at war. Several times I paused in my reading to reflect on their experiences and the incredible things they had to go through. That being said, I couldn't put it down and read it in two sittings. This is a great book for adults and teens - a personalization of a war in a faraway place written by three young men who now call America home. You will come to care deeply about these three little boys and understand the saying, "When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled". Read it and get your teens to read it, too!

This is the incredible-but-true story

of the tens of thousands of orphans whose

parents were killed during the continuing

genocide in the Sudan, and how these children

escaped by walking through deserts and war zones

experiencing the worst of conditions including

starvation, exposure, disease, physical abuse,

slavery, and attacks by wild animals,

to reach refuge camps in neighboring countries,

only to subsist in the most miserable conditions

for 14 years until, miraculously, a precious few were

rescued through the kindness of strangers,

and were brought to a new life in the USA.

This story was written by 3 boys who came to San Diego.

After reading this fantastic story,

you will be amazed at the indomitable human spirit,

and the will to survive,

even among young children.

Powerful reading...

In the spring, the ninth-grade social studies teachers at the school where I teach focus on civil war in Africa. My challenge as an English teacher was to find a non-fiction book that would work well with both the English and social studies curriculum. This book meets our needs perfectly. It provides an intimate experience of Africa and civil war that goes right to the heart of what we most hope our students learn--that war is anything but glorious, and that people everywhere share in the same human experience of death, suffering, love, and determination. I hope my students will see themselves in these heroic boys.
Readers who are willing to open themselves to the experiences of this book will find their views of themselves, war, and Africa deepened. When I finished the last chapter just an hour ago, I did so with the overwhelming sense that Africa is all of our home.

This book was truly inspiring- to experience such horrible things- to see such terrible things- to come thru as such wonderful young men- is truly inspiring. As I read along, as an adult, I am picturing the boys on the back cover- then page 110, half way thru the story- they remind me that this group of 5, at this point, had a LEADER who was 9, Alepho was 7 at that point. These were such very young children struggling to survive. The book is sad, funny, and inspiring. Thank you all for taking the time to write this book- it will be passed thru our family. It is an excellent reminder of how lucky we are- and how we need to stay involved in the world affairs of other countries.

"They Poured Fire On Us from the Sky" gives you a firsthand view of the chaos of war through the eyes of three African children. These three boys describe the sensations and emotions of a world painful to imagine. Yet these boys, growing into young men, endure and retain a tenderness for each other and their loved ones that exemplifies the best qualities of humankind. Book groups will find that this memoir stimulates discussion on many levels. I also highly recommend this book to high school teachers looking to capture the interest of their students.

This is a great book for a book club or a middle school class, and a great book for the individual reader. The voices of each narrator are very distinct, and I particularly enjoyed the early chapters about life in a typical Sudanese village (before the civil war). This book is not only about the slaughter of rural Sudanese, but is also a nostalgic look at a lifestyle that is fast disappearing on this earth--where humans and animals live in close proximity to eachother, and where communities raise children together. I had the extraordinary opportunity of meeting two of the three authors and they are truly incredible people. Proceeds from this book will be used to keep these young men in college. I hope they meet the success they so deserve.

I did not know much about all the on going civil war in Africa.

Reading this such vivid stories of Benson, Alepho and Benjamin, I couldn't stop picturing 5-7 years old crossing the desert in bare foot.

I was so touched by their courage, hope and love for each other in spite of unimaginable hardship they went.

This book was such an eyeopening to what is going on in Afrida, refugree, vulnerable little children.

I strongly recommend this book to everyone regardless of ages.

Visiting [...] I was happy to read that Benson and Alepho found their mother who is still alive in Sudan.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories with us.

Be prepared. If you read the "Kite Runner" and were moved by the journeys faced, this book will make the "Kite Runner" seem like a comedy. The journies these boys faced and the hunger and suffering they endured and mind-blowing. I truly believe that every teenager in America who is lazy & thinks they "have it so bad" should read about what these brave men endured to know how lucky they are to have a roof over their heads and live in this country. Well done, but very, very sad.

Well Written - The author represents the 3-5 men biographed here. She trys to keep a chronological theme as to where each was and how they were reconnected in Africa. Really clear on how they were persecuted and their villages and families tortured and destroyed.

My favorite little independent bookshop, Latitude 33, recommended I read this when they found out I was interested in African Affairs. Melanie, the manager, said that she and several of her book club customers read the book and loved it. That was encourgement enough for me.

I was completely caught off guard.

"They Poured Fire on us From the Sky" changed my life in a profound way.
After reading this book about the Civil War in Southern Sudan, I felt compelled to do something on behalf of Darfur. The story told by Benjamin and his brothers is now tragically repeating itself with devastating consequences to the Fur.

Thankfully, the editor used at light hand so that it retained the Dinka voice, which is the
heart and soul of the story tellers.
You will fall in love with these boys. You will pray for these boys, and you will thank the IRC for bringing them hope in the form of a mentor and friend, Judy Bernstein. READ THIS BOOK!

They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky is the story of three young Sudanese men-"Lost Boys"-and their story of life as a refugee. The US government defines a refugee as "[Someone] who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion." They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky eloquently offers the human definition of what a refugee is, capturing the true story of three young boys and their struggle to reach safety.

They Poured Fired is a unique is both captivating and horrifying as it provides a first hand account of survival through war, hunger, and life in exile. The story is complicated by the fact that the survivors were children--little boys--who fled their homes as orphans and walked more than 1,000 miles before reaching safety.

Despite the book's heavy themes and topics, They Poured Fire does not dwell on past pain and things lost. Instead, it is a remarkable story of perseverance and hope understood through survival.

This is a story about Sudanese boys who were forced to leave their country because of atrocities committed upon them and their families. It is story that will leave you both happy and sad. Happy because some of the boys survived the journey accross the country but sad because so many died along the way as they crossed the desert to refugee camps. What really hurts so much is that so many are still suffering whilst the rest of us watch.

I'm in the middle of reading this book and have to agree it's a great read. I can't imagine a full grown adult going through this experience let alone children. This book really does give a voice to all those lost boys that lived through this turbulent time. It's so sad that so many of them were left orphaned but inspiring that many of them were able to survive through sheer force of will. This book is giving me a renewed appreciation of life and reminding me that were stronger than we think we are. This is an ultimate survival story that I think many people should read. I think this would also be a great read for young people 13 and above. I for one plan on sharting this book with many people in my life.

After hearing about the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan several years ago, I read this book. This true story, written in their own words, is about three of the Lost Boys who were separated from their families during Sudan's civil war at a young age. They spent months walking across the harsh land of Sudan, fighting wild animals, disease, hunger, thirst and guns. Their story of determination and bravery moved me immensely. They survived things we can't even imagine and they did it without adult supervision, supporting each other as they went. I just reread the book and was moved again by this powerful book. I highly recommend it.

If you are just as tired as I am of turning on the news at night and gaining no real understanding as to what is going on in the world -

If you are just as tired as I am of reading the newspapers and hearing more about movie stars than you are about humanitarian aid-

If you are just as tired as I am of trying to put the pieces together in a world that is torn by hunger and worst of all war-

If you are just as tired as I am of never getting the full or true story about what happens outside our protected American borders -

If are you just tired. If you are just frustrated. If you are curious and interested and sympathetic and want to get real about real issues that happen to real people in real life, -

This book is for you.

This book is for everyone.

But especially, this book is for you.

"They Poured Fire On Us from the Sky" is a deeply moving account of the many years of wandering endured by three of the lost boys from the Sudan. It is an inside look at war from a child's point of view; a quick read, yet a difficult one, because of the severe hardships these young children experienced over such a long period of time. Our book club was touched both by the simplicity and intimacy derived from the first person accounts and by the strong values conveyed--lessons on resilience, family, loyalty, and determination.This is an excellent choice for a book club, and also for older students (high school level). There is much to discuss. Educators especially will find the book a good read, since even as they are nearly starving to death and wrought with disease, these young boys placed a top priority on becoming educated.

I knew little about the Lost Boys of Sudan but this book gave me a real account of how these young people fought to survive in a world of war and hell. The authors' stories make the reader realize how simple life really is for all of us and how much we take for granted. These young boys survived through total deprivation, starvation and illness but their turmoil did not make them give up hope of what may lie over the next hill. Their determination is chronicled in three authors' perspectives that made the book exciting to read as I personally cheered them on in their personal journeys for survival.

I believe, that it is with every great book you read, that you begin to understand more about the world around you. Whether it's about love, pain or struggle, the stories that you read can truly define how you feel. For me, "They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky" was one of those books you hold onto for a while right after you finish. The detail and insights of what life was like for them was incredible. It impacted me it ways I cannot explain. It helped me realize how important it is to appreciate things and never take anything for granted (although we all do). This book was amazing and inspiring. It seduced me completely and freed me from my clueless ness about Sudan. I recommend this book to all who believe that the will to survive is greater then anything you could possibly imagine.

THIS SHOULD BE A MUST READ FOR KIDS AND ADULTS..THERE WAS TIMES WHEN I HAD TO PUT THIS DOWN I WAS DEEPLY TOUCHED AND INSPIRED HOW STRONG AND BRAVE THE LOST BOYS WERE..JUST IMAGINE YOUR CHILD GOING THROUGH SUCH TERRIBLE LIFE HARD TO IMAGINE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE LOVE ONES THERE AGE.THIS IS KIDS FOR GOD SAKE..NEEDS TO STOP..SADDENS ME

Even as a ninth grader, this book reached into my mind and made me feel the hardship and sorrow the main characters went through. Some young readers might judge that a nonfictional book must be boring and have no thrills. Not this one. The journey of three little boys feels unique because it shows a completely different culture. "They Poured Fire On Us From the Sky" is truly inspiring and adventurous to all ages of readers.

This book is the compilation of remembrances of three boys' travels as they were pushed from their warm beds, loving parents and the only home they'd ever known. --and all under the age of 7!

It is impossible to put down. I skipped meals, lost sleep and while DRIVING HOME from work today, I realized I could never ever complain about event the worst days of my employment ever again.

You just want to take these boys in your arms and tell them you're so sorry for not knowing this was going on....going on today and ever since 1983! Pick up this book and get educated. Your heart will never be the same.

"They Poured Fire On Us From the Sky" is moving story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. It is an authentic story of triumph over tragedy told in the voice of three Sudanese youths, expertly edited by Judy Bernstein. It provides real-world insight into the problems of civil strife in Africa. It is a compelling story of youth trapped in net of atrocities--I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I hope that a full-length motion picture of this story is made to give a human face to faceless Sudanese depicted in the hit movie "Black Hawk Down". The Lost Boys and Judy Berstein have done a masterful job in telling their story, and it is one young people will benefit from reading.

Kevin J. Greene

Associate Professor of Law

I read the book 2 years ago and it's as inspirational as any book can be. Things that I thought mattered are silly to me now. I almost didn't read it because anything about children suffering I stay away from. But each time I saw it in the book store it was calling me to pick it up. They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky... what an unusual name for a book. I wondered what it meant. And what is the significance of the red shorts? The book is so well written and powerful with just the perfect tone that even middle school children on up should read it. By the end you will feel this book is about 3 wisemen, not 3 boys. The book will teach you to forget about your ego and make you want to spread kindness in the world.

I have a BA in English and taught high school literature courses for seven years before becoming the administrator of an alternative school. I consider myself well read. Therefore, when I say this was the most moving book I have ever read, I do not say so lightly. I had the honor of meeting one of the authors, Benjamin Ajak, at a recent conference. While his English is not articulate, his message is gut wrenchingly moving. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is not a summer beach romance. It is the story of the survival of the human spirit at its most base level. It is both appalling and inspiring. It is a must read. If you are not a humanitarian before you read it, you will be after you read it.

This is a wonderful-horrible book of hope-despair. It teaches history while providing perspective and clearly shows how life can zigzag from contentment to torture to growth. The book is a treasure chest holding the lost childhood of thousands of children.

"They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky" is an amazing book. The Lost Boys' ordeal is unlike any I have heard before. The stories of Alephonsion, Benson, Benjamin and their family are beautifully told in this tragic but inspiring book. The experiences of these boys are shocking and unforgettable. While it was heart-breaking to read, there was a constant sense of hope when so easily there could have been a sense of despair. This hope pulled these Boys through and will undoubtedly pull the reader through. This is a book that should be read in every school.

Heartbreaking and lyrical. I had no idea these boys were enduring things I could not imagine grown men surviving. The simple essays leave nothing to the imagination as you follow the lives of these three boys. I found myself connected to them and wanting to know how they are doing now. Moving and profound and more entrancing than any work of fiction I have ever read.

This book is an insipirational read. They young boys in this book experienced so much pain, hardship, and relentless fear and despite all of that they managed to emerge with hope and optimism and go on to lead very productive lives. Students in middle school and high school would be served well by reading this in their schools as they could perhaps find real heroes to emulate. Though the descriptions are vivid, it is not brutal and therefore I believe young people could read this without being traumatized by its content.

Harrowing. Intense. Disturbing. Raw. Emotional. True. Tragically hopeful. A must read among the well-to-do. This will put anyone's life and problems into proper perspective. It is a tale of survival in the midst of the worst affliction that any child could endure imaginable.

These brave courageous kids, now adults, who survived such pain and agony and stared death in the face for months on end really opened my eyes to how fortunate i am and what me along with many other kids and adults in the United States take for granted when it comes to living and going through our daily lives and routines. This goes for other countries as well who think they have it tough at the moment. These brave kids will be coming to my school and i am overjoyed to be able to talk to them when i do.

What a story of deprivation and inner determination. Most adults could not survive the bombs, animal attacts, disease, hunger, thirst, theft, physical hardships, and torment these kids lived through. Barefooted and often with nothing more than the tattered clothes on their backs, these kids overcame unimaginable hardships. I couldn't put the book down. A real eye-opener about what's going on in Sudan that is not reported in the news, nor could it ever be written from this perspective by a Westerner.

I expected this book to be good, but not as good as it was. I was astounded by the level of detail the author goes into. An incredible amount of time in interviewing and research were poured into this book. Unlike other well-researched non-fiction books I've read, this story was not boring - it had me more captivated with each turn of the page. I've read a few other books to better understand the plight of the Sudanese, and this has been the best one, with "Slave" a close second. If you like this book, you will also like "Slave" by Mende Nazer.

Painfully heart-wrenching but important account of how young Sudanese boys survived the genocide in their country. The trauma and atrocities they experienced can only be imagined from the comfort of our homes in the US. A must read for everyone to know what happened and continues to happen in third world countries throughout the world.

This book is outstanding -- touching, funny and sad all at the same time. Definitely worth reading. The Lost Boys' stories - told in their own words - show the strength of the will to survive even among little boys you wouldn't think could survive such tremendous odds. It also reminds how much we take for granted - not only food, shelter and water, but also education. We shouldn't. We can't. Their courage inspires and reminds that we need to learn the reality behind brief headlines in our newspapers and reach out to help others.

I read this book in two days, and felt as though my soul has been transformed and renewed. Never could I understand the severity and magnitude of the Sudanese crisis until I read this book. Each boy has a unique way of writing their story, and each one grabbed my heart strings. It was worth every penny and all the time it took to read this true story. It doesn't go into to much detail about the political situation in Sudan, rather a simple view of what it would be like to be a child in the middle of a civil war. This book should be required reading for each high school literature class.

This is a must read book.
I started reading it and couldn't stop. I bought it for my class and was planning on selling it when I was done reading it but after reading the book I decided to keep it since I want to read it again and again... I also bought a couple more of this books to let my fiends and family borrow because I want everyone to know about this boys story.. Its an interesting book and it changes the way you think about life...
Love it..

This lyrical and poetic book is one that anyone interested in the plight of children caught up in wars and hostilities not of their making should read. It is so well-written and the story woven so nicely with the different voices of the children, now men, that it is hard to put down. I am a school librarian and we are sharing this book with our older middle school students. We know it will engender a good discussion as well as providing the students with a book that they will be happy to read and an outlook on a culture so different from their own.

"They Poured fire On Us From The Sky" is a High School classic. This incredible book exposes the horrible face of war through the eyes of children. While most of us have become dulled by the images of horror on TV, always feeling helpless, this wonderful book, through the eyes of these three boys forces you to realize that the human spirit continues to hope despite, torture, rape, starvation and death. That the next stop just might be freedom. What an extraordinary way to help students learn from Alephonsion, Deng and Benjamin, with their clear and insightful languge, the horrific situation in the Sudan is alive.

Most of us take our freedom and basic needs of life for granted. This book proves that we should not. These boys lived through the "unthinkable" and worked hard to make a new life for themselves. Their story is captivating and very well told.

I highly recommend that everyone read this book. It encourages the reader to look out of a "comfort zone" and realize that tragic situations exist elsewhere. It also makes the reader contemplate, "What can I do to help make the world a better place?"

"They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, is one of the best books I have ever read. This book is one that is hard to lay down you just want to keep reading. All should read this story about the 3 boys and then one may be able to relate to the problems in Sudan. I have personally met one of these boys and the story is heart breaking. A MUST READ BOOK!

Joe Taylor

"They Poured fire On Us From The Sky" is a High School classic. This incredible book exposes the horrible face of war through the eyes of children. While most of us have become dulled by the images of horror on TV, always feeling helpless, this wonderful book, through the eyes of these three boys forces you to realize that the human spirit continues to hope despite, torture, rape, starvation and death. That the next stop just might be freedom. What an extraordinary way to help students learn from Alephonsion, Deng and Benjamin, with their clear and insightful languge, the horrific situation in the Sudan is alive.

Most of us take our freedom and basic needs of life for granted. This book proves that we should not. These boys lived through the "unthinkable" and worked hard to make a new life for themselves. Their story is captivating and very well told.

I highly recommend that everyone read this book. It encourages the reader to look out of a "comfort zone" and realize that tragic situations exist elsewhere. It also makes the reader contemplate, "What can I do to help make the world a better place?"

"They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, is one of the best books I have ever read. This book is one that is hard to lay down you just want to keep reading. All should read this story about the 3 boys and then one may be able to relate to the problems in Sudan. I have personally met one of these boys and the story is heart breaking. A MUST READ BOOK!

Joe Taylor

This is an amazing story that is told by the three people that lived it. I had no idea what children/people in that part of the world went through. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Alephonsian Deng and Judy Bernstein and hear them speak. It was humbling to be in the presence of someone that had survived so much at such a young age and still has a joyful heart. I highly recommend this book.

I can not believe that I knew nothing of the war in Sudan before reading this book. This is something everyone should know. These boys endured so much at such a young age. The book really makes you take a second look at your own perspective on life. It is easy to read; You can put it down and pick it back up again at any time. (Although I doubt you would want to put it down.)

This was an inspiring book. Their stories, strength, courage, and will to strive for life touch my heart and soul! My compassion have stretched from one end of the world to the other end. They've opened my perspectives to life outside and beyond of my own.

If you're looking for a book with a home run straight to the soul, this is the book of the year!

This book was so moving, sometimes tearful, sometimes smiling, but always unable to put down. Recommended especially to young people. Drop the video games and partake in the reality these young men endured.

It sounds like a bit much, but I must say that this book really did change my life. In our society where celebrity is diefied and so much of what is most important in life is blatantly overlooked, I think this book is a must read for all. Somehow it will leave you feeling heartbroken, hopeful, enraged, and empowered at the same time.

This was an incredible story written by three incredible boys. The entire
time I ws reading it I had to keep reminding myself of how old they were.
To think of what they went through at such a young age is remarkable.
I highly recommend this book.

I never thought that a book could move me in the way that this has. It is gripping, inspirational, horrifing, beautiful tear-jerker that will keep your jaw dropped. You will be forever changed by this true account of a tragedy that sadly many Americans do not know about. Amazing book. Make sure to have a box of tissues by your side!

As a former NFL player, I thought I was tough. But when I read what these young boys overcame, it made me appreciate what life is really about. A friend recommended the book and after I started it, I couldn't put it down until I finished it the next morning. Their triumph over all odds is uplifting. After the tragic events of recent days, this is a must read for all to learn about the strength of the human spirit.

This book is so powerful, these boys journey is so humbling, there is no way that you could read this book and not look at your life in a different way. The crazy thing about it is that it is ALL TRUE, this is thier account of their lives, this book has encouraged me more to want to fight for social injustices.

I think everyone should read this book. Not only is it a page-turner and amazingly well written, it was eyeopening as to what is going on in the world around us. This is something we just don't hear about in the news in the U.S.. It will make you appreciate even the smallest things in life.

This first-hand account from three of the Lost Boys of the Sudan is a MUST READ for any book club. We have a diverse group of individuals, and this is the first book that every person has UNANIMOUSLY liked in both style and content.

When combined with personal life stories, war is impossible to ignore. So much courage, strength, and fear of these boys line every single page. It makes one feel so sympathetic, and ones life seem so umcomplicated and easy.

I was not aware of what is going on in the Sudan. This should be required reading, not only for every adult and parent in this country, but also every teenager who thinks they have a raw deal in life...