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Most of us are familiar with that old icebreaker question: “Who would you most like to have dinner with?” Another way of phrasing it is: “Whose story would you most like to hear?” This exercise came to mind recently when I opened Little Brother: A Refugee’s Odyssey (Arcade, 2021), a book recommended by Pope Francis, but the story of a man I’ve never heard of and wouldn’t have known to invite to tell his story. It’s one of many fascinating reads on Aleteia’s 2024 Summer Book List for Adults.
Ibrahima Balde is a refugee, one of millions who have migrated from their home countries, seeking asylum somewhere else. He is someone I do not know, but now that I’ve spent some time with him, I’ll never forget him. In about the length it takes for a long dinner together, you can read Balde’s account of his harrowing journey from Guinea to Europe.
The story was told to Amets Arzallus Antia, a Basque poet, who then “retold” the story in novel form. Balde and Antia are credited as co-authors of the book.
A brotherly quest
Ibrahima starts his life in the capital of Guinea (not to be confused with Equatorial Guinea or Guinea-Bissau, he notes), an African nation bordered by a number of countries, including Mali and Liberia, just two of many places that factor into his long journey. Tragedy hits Ibrahima early in life with the death of his father, leaving him as the "man of the house," a responsibility that teenage Ibrahima takes very seriously. Already trying to provide for his mother and three siblings in nearby Liberia, Ibrahima’s refugee story begins when his younger brother sets off on his own to make his way in life. Ibrahima is determined to find his young brother and bring him home.
In his quest for his brother, Ibrahima recounts the many ways human life is devalued when you are a refugee. From the time he was sold into slavery and trapped in a chicken shack to the moment he had to pull his tooth out with the string of an old carpet, causing his entire face to swell up without access to treatment, Ibrahima experienced trauma after trauma. The book makes the important point that for us, the readers, each of these episodes is a story, but that Ibrahima is reliving these moments over and over again.
One story among countless stories
Through his retelling, we not only gain insight into Ibrahima’s life, but also the stories of other refugees he encounters along the way. He describes for us one man whom many label as "crazy," explaining:
“But I understand him. Because I know what it's like when your spirit is spinning out of control, and when that starts it's not easy to get yourself back. There are a lot of people like that, I’ve seen them. In Libya, in Algeria, in Morocco. People who are lost, without hope; they’d rather be dead, but they’re alive. They live without knowing who they’re living for, or what they’re living for.”
Clearly, Ibrahima’s life is a challenging one to learn about. While the pages turn quickly, it's a story that will stick with you, as well it should. Because we know that while this is Ibrahima’s one story, there are countless other refugees undergoing their own stories each and every day.
Papal concerns
Pope Francis gave copies of this book to a group of Italian bishops and has frequently emphasized this "Way of the Cross" that refugees undergo. The Holy Father cares deeply about the immigration crisis and challenges each of us to see refugees not as a political or statistical issue, but as our brothers and sisters.
We may be familiar with the images of zodiac boats -- overfull with people, crossing treacherous seas and often losing refugees on the way. Ibrahima, like his younger brother before him, travels on one of these risky vessels. He makes it to Europe to tell his story, but so many others either lose their lives or are never given a voice to tell us about their lives.
At the end of this short book, Ibrahima includes a poem wherein he addresses each one of us. Maybe, he says, we are someone who helps determine the fate of refugees; maybe you have helped a refugee in the past; or maybe you will read this and can imagine that this is your life. In the end, he says, this is his life, his story. We have the opportunity, at the very least, to give Ibrahima an hour or two of our time -- to bear witness to his journey, his sufferings, and to more fully comprehend the plight of migrants around the world.
Editor’s note: Be sure to check out all the wonderful selections on our summer book lists (see below). Yes, the summer is coming to an end, but good books are timeless!
