The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience

by Mark Bixler

In 2000 the United States began accepting 3,800 refugees from one of Africa’s longest civil wars. They were just some of the thousands of young men, known as “Lost Boys,” who had been orphaned or otherwise separated from their families in the chaos of a brutal conflict that has ravaged Sudan since 1983. The Lost Boys of Sudan focuses on four of these refugees. Theirs, however, is a typical story, one that repeated itself wherever the Lost Boys could be found across America.

Jacob Magot, Peter Anyang, Daniel Khoch, and Marko Ayii were among 150 or so Lost Boys who were resettled in Atlanta. Like most of their fellow refugees, they had never before turned on a light switch, used a kitchen appliance, or ridden in a car or subway train―much less held a job or balanced a checkbook. We relive their early excitement and disorientation, their growing despondency over fruitless job searches, adjustments they faced upon finally entering the workforce, their experiences of post-9/11 xenophobia, and their undying dreams of acquiring an education.

As we immerse ourselves in the Lost Boys’ daily lives, we also get to know the social services professionals and volunteers, celebrities, community leaders, and others who guided them―with occasional detours―toward self-sufficiency. Along the way author Mark Bixler looks closely at the ins and outs of U.S. refugee policy, the politics of international aid, the history of Sudan, and the radical Islamist underpinnings of its government. America is home to more foreign-born residents than ever before; the Lost Boys have repaid that gift in full through their example of unflagging resolve, hope, and faith.

Genres: Africa, Nonfiction, Sudan, History, War, African American, Book Club

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the stories of the characters very interesting, but I didn't love how the book was written. The four men that the author said the book would be focused on were present in maybe half the book, and I felt like it jumped from topic to topic randomly. The writing also felt a bit detached from the subjects. However, I know that is very hard to write a book with journalistic intent that is both factual and captivating, and although I wished for more of the characters' personal emotions, the amount of information the author was able to put together is tremendous. In short, this book has good content that wasn't edited well.

[Shaunaly Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read for anyone interested in stories that depict the incredible resiliency of the human spirit. Although I found the writing to be a bit repetitious at times, it never trivialized the incredible plight the Lost Boys of Sudan faced as they resettled in various cities across the United States while struggling with personal assimilation with and into "foreign" societal norms in a strange land called America. Stories of refugees, especially those of children from war-torn countries has always been a subject of interest to me, mostly because it makes me appreciate this land that I love so very much and the simplicity of all that most people often take for granted.

I came across this interesting interview with Mark Bixler that I thought I'd add in my review:

An interview with Mark Bixler

Read more about Lost Boys of Sudan

Q: Besides Atlanta, where are some of the biggest communities of Sudanese immigrants in the United States? Have any other countries let in large groups of Sudanese?

A: The U.S. State Department resettled the refugees known as the Lost Boys of Sudan in communities around the United States. Those cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Diego and Seattle as well as Jacksonville, Fla.; Louisville, Kent.; Omaha and Lincoln, Neb.; Rochester and Utica, N.Y.; Charlotte, N.C.; Fargo, N.D.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Richmond, Va., Burlington, Vt. and Tacoma, Wash. The United States resettled roughly 3,800 Lost Boys. A smaller number were resettled in Australia.

Q: Many of the lost boys had very high expectations for what America would be like. What were some of their common disappointments and surprises?

A: Most of the Lost Boys came to the United States eager to receive an education. The goal was to go to school, learn a skill and one day return to help rebuild war-torn southern Sudan. Though many Lost Boys wanted to go to school, U.S. law considered most of them adults who had to go to work to support themselves. The biggest disappointment for many several months after arriving was that they were working so much and could not figure out how they would receive an education.

Q: They seemed to covet an education more than anything else. Were many of them eventually able to get an education? What were their ultimate goals in education—a means to a job or something further?

A: The Lost Boys arrived in this country under tremendous pressure to get an education so that they could one day return to southern Sudan to rebuild their country. Most faced big hurdles getting into school, but many eventually found a way. A grueling schedule is often the cost of an education. One of the Lost Boys in Atlanta works from 3 p.m. to midnight, does homework until 2 a.m. and catches a few hours sleep before rising at 7 a.m. to go to class at a community college. To finally get into school, most Lost Boys relied on American volunteers to sort through red tape, file financial-aid applications and persuade school officials to let the refugees enroll in high school even though some were older than 18. In Atlanta, where about 150 Lost Boys live, roughly two in three Lost Boys had received or were on track to receiving a high-school equivalency degree three years after arriving.

Q: After witnessing and suffering through so much violence, what are the lost boys attitudes toward it? How do they feel about Americans’ portrayal of violence in popular culture?

A: Most of the Lost Boys I know are able to distinguish between real and make-believe. They have endured and/or witnessed traumatic violence but do not seem bothered by Hollywood depictions of violence.

Q: The conflicts between Christians and Muslims in Sudan mirror conflicts that seem to be getting worse elsewhere in the world. Did you sense that the lost boys viewed the conflict through a religious perspective, or did they see it in terms of history and politics?

A: The war in Sudan is very complex even though many people describe it in relatively simplistic terms—as a clash of Islam and Christianity, for example. There’s no question but that Muslims and Christians have killed each other in Sudan, but it’s important to note that Muslims have killed Muslims and Christians have killed Christians in Sudan. Many combatants and victims were animists who followed traditional African religions. Some Lost Boys talk about the war as a conflict between Muslims and Christians, perhaps because those are terms with which Americans already are familiar, but by and large they know it’s a complex conflict that may have been best characterized by the Sudanese author, diplomat and historian, Francis Deng, as a clash of identities in competition over power and resources.

Q: Is the recent international exposure of the situation in Sudan having any effect? Is there hope for a resolution to the crisis any time soon?

A: The international media spotlight has been shining brightly on Sudan since the middle of 2004. More people are aware of what is happening in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, where Arab militias backed by the Sudanese government have gone from village to village on a campaign of killing and rape. The militias have killed at least 70,000 black Africans and forced more than 1.5 million others from their homes. They began their campaign to suppress a rebellion that began in February 2003. Their victims are not fighting the government, but the victims come from tribes from which the rebels draw strength. This is a case of Muslims killing Muslims, an example of the imprecision that comes with labeling the war as a clash of Islam and Christianity. The violence in Darfur, which President Bush and the U.S. Congress calls genocide, complicates the prospects for peace in the north-south Sudanese civil war that has killed 2 million people since 1983. Under intense pressure from the United States and the international community, both sides in that civil war are remarkably close to a peace agreement. After a rare meeting of the United Nations Security Council in Africa in late 2004, negotiators from the north and south said they hoped to sign a peace accord soon. Then efforts would be made to resolve the crisis in the western region of Darfur.

Q: Overall, do you the think the experiment of bringing the lost boys to the US was success? Do you think any of them will eventually return to Sudan to help rebuild their country?

A: Some Americans may look at the Lost Boys in 2005, four years after they arrived, and wonder whether the resettlement experiment worked. After all, many of the Lost Boys work long hours in low-wage jobs. They struggle to balance work and school, and many had big trouble getting into a classroom. Ask the Lost Boys if they think the experiment worked, though, and they’ll tend to answer with a resounding yes. They do face hardships in the United States, but the challenges are nothing like what they faced in Africa. They have enough to eat in the United States. They may not earn much by American standards, but it’s enough for many of them to send something back to hungry or sick relatives in Africa. They certainly miss their friends, relatives and native culture, but the experience of the Lost Boys of Sudan in the United States demonstrate that the American Dream lives, even in a country with disparities and imperfections. Their life in the United States is a difficult one, but the rewards that await are real.

When the Lost Boys arrived, most said their plan was to stay here for a few years, get an education and return to southern Sudan when the war ends. Yet America has a way of seducing people. Some Lost Boys may indeed return to southern Sudan, to become the architects of an ambitious reconstruction, but others will probably stay in the United States. They can help their countrymen in Sudan by studying and working here, sending money to their friends and relatives or to nonprofit organizations working in southern Sudan.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Education is my mother and father.’ - Proverb in southern Sudan

WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT?
- In 2000, the United States began accepting 3,800 refugees from one of Africa’s longest civil wars. They were just some of the thousands of young men, known as “Lost Boys,” who had been orphaned or otherwise separated from their families in the chaos of a brutal conflict that has ravaged Sudan since 1983. The book follows the story of four out of 150 or so Lost Boys from southern Sudan who were resettled in the United States.

- The young men in this book clearly have traits of victim and hero, but I have tried to portray them as no more and no less than complex human beings.

WHY WERE THEY CALLED ”LOST BOYS”?
- Aid workers and journalists called them the Lost Boys of Sudan after the Peter Pan orphans who were cast as children into the world of adults.

THE BOYS ENDURED MANY HARDSHIPS IN ESCAPING THE CONFLICT
- Some estimated that three in five boys who embarked on the trek died along the way of hunger, disease, or animal attacks.

- This time, hundreds of boys lined up along the banks of a river swollen by heavy rain. Crocodiles lurked in the water. Yet Ethiopian fighters with automatic rifles were closing in,

- As a result, again, we drank our own urine so that to sustain our life. If we were not drunk our own urine and eat soft mud and strange foods, therefore, automatically, we would have died like the rest of colleagues who were been dying.

- Only later, after parts of the column paused to rest, did he learn what it was about. A lion, they said, had leaped from the bush, mauled one among the many, and dragged off the limp body as survivors watched, helpless. The attack would turn out to be a prelude of things to come.

- In a final indignity, the Sudanese air force bombed the column of refugees as it streamed south.

- A psychologist who specialized in treating children for the effects of war described the unaccompanied minors as “one of the most traumatized groups of children I have ever met.”

DIVISIONS BETWEEN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN SUDAN
- Divisions deepened after the advent of Islam in the seventh century and its subsequent spread through Egypt and into the northern regions of Sudan.

SLAVERY AND SUDAN
- Slavery and its history in Sudan is critical in understanding the forces that led to civil war and, ultimately, to the refugee crisis that separated so many boys from their parents in southern Sudan in 1987 and ’88.

- 1820. It was in that year that Muhammad Ali, the khedive or viceroy of Egypt, invaded and seized much of northern Sudan.

- His predecessors in Cairo had relied on Sudan for slaves,

- Classical Islamic teaching outlawed the enslavement of Muslims but permitted the bondage of nonbelievers.

- Until recently, calling the southern Sudanese ‘slaves,’ abeed, to their faces was a common practice. … The term abid (singular for abeed) is the exact equivalent of ‘nigger’ in American popular usage.”

SUDAN HANDLED BY THE BRITISH AS TWO ENTITIES
- One of Britain’s most important decisions, one with far-reaching consequence, was a policy of administering Sudan as two entities, north and south.

- In 1947, the year the practice of separate development ended, Britain was eager to extricate itself from Sudan.

- Northerners dominated conferences to determine the form of government in an independent Sudan.

SOUTHERN SUDAN HAS INTERNAL TRIBAL DIVISIONS AS WELL
- In 1991, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army split along tribal lines.

- A British ethnologist who studied the Nuer in the 1930s said “ there has been enmity between the two peoples ” for “as far as history and tradition go back.”

OPTIONS IN HANDLING REFUGEES
- Its overriding goal for most refugees is to help them return to their native countries, and millions of refugees do go home, usually after some measure of stability is restored.

- A second option, used less often, is “local integration,” in which the UNHCR helps refugees settle in a country near their own—if it can find a country willing to take them permanently.

- The third option, and the one most unlikely for the majority of refugees, is resettlement in the United States or another Western country.

MANY LOST BOYS WOULD NOT FIT INTO THEIR OWN CULTURE
- most Lost Boys did not fit the traditional Dinka or Nuer roles of a young man’s place in society. Separation from relatives meant they grew up with a limited education on cattle herding, the traditional skill that defines men as competent and whole in southern Sudan. The minors also lacked cows or money to pay a dowry, so marriage seemed out of the question. In addition, many had not undergone the ritual scarification that marks a Dinka boy’s passage into manhood.

- Combined with their lack of experience herding cattle and inability to pay a dowry, Refugees International said, the men were “ill-equipped for integrating into the Dinka and Nuer societies that shun them.”

THE CULTURE SHOCK AFTER COMING TO THE U.S. WAS SIGNIFICANT
- they knew about electricity in the abstract, the way you know the air is thin atop Mount Everest without having ever been there.

- In Boston, a Sudanese man riding in the backseat of an American family’s minivan glanced at the shrubs in a suburban neighborhood and asked whether lions lurked in the bush.

- “What’s this?” she demanded. “Why is there bread in the dishwasher?”

- Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of Cheryl’s house, a split-level place with a boat parked in the driveway that they mistook for some strange car.

- They rode on and on until Daniel saw flat fields and straight roads sprinkled with what looked like flour. He turned to a passenger beside him. “What’s that?” Daniel asked. “Snow,” the man replied.

NEW FORMS OF PRESTIGE
- Owning a car gave Lost Boys a certain prestige and a sense of independence.

- ‘In Africa, we have cows; here we have cars.’ Although spoken in jest, this statement shows a conscious engagement of Nuer with American culture, which, as they have correctly assessed, is deeply focused on the automobile.”

WESTERN WAY OF LIFE LEADS MANY TO EXHAUSTION
- They took their responsibilities seriously and felt a small infusion of power when they received a paycheck. Yet it took very little time for them to start feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and pressed for time.

- but the cold reality was that work left little time for school. That was hard for many southern Sudanese to swallow.

NOT AFRAID TO HUSTLE
- Within weeks, Abraham was rising most weekdays at 5 a.m. in his apartment near Clarkston to walk to a MARTA station, ride a train to downtown Atlanta, change trains, ride south, and pick up a bus that stopped at the college in time for classes that began at 7:30.

- Jacob tried to savor the moment, but he could not linger. He worked most Sunday afternoons, and his supervisor had given him just enough time off for graduation. Jacob would go to work two hours after the ceremony and clock out around midnight, then return to Clarkston for a few hours’ sleep.

GUILT FOR HAVING LEFT
- “ As with other refugees , they may experience an increase in guilt, as they have so much better conditions than those they have left behind.”

THEY DESIRED AN EDUCATION ABOVE ALL ELSE
- The British allowed missionaries from the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic churches to preach and set up schools, giving thousands of people their first experience with a formal, Western education.

- They saw that lack of education put them at a political disadvantage compared with northerners.

- They would tell you that the one thing they wanted more than anything else in the United States was to go to school.

- “We found that the population had considerable strength and resiliency,” she said. “The major protective factors were belief in God, desire for success in education and desire to be helpful in the future.

- “Education will save us. It will save our country.”

- Although his frequent fatigue makes studying hard, he never wishes he was back in the refugee camps or in southern Sudan, where people can only dream of attending a college like the one where he studies.

STRONG FAITH, HOPE
- “I have been called a Lost Boy, but I am not lost from God,” he said. “I am lost from my parents.”

- To cope, many Lost Boys relied on their Christian faith. “Belief in God and participation in religious activities are strong protective factors against some psychological distress,”

THE SUDANESE HAVE GREAT PRIDE IN THEIR HOMELAND
- “to a Dinka, his country, with all its deprivations and troubles, is the best in the world. Until very recently, going to a foreign land was not only a rarity but a shame. For a Dinka to threaten his relatives with leaving Dinkaland was seen as little short of suicide.”

- The first thing he noticed when he got to the unaccompanied minors’ section of Kakuma was how clean it looked. The second thing he noticed was that nobody asked how they could get to the United States. That was unusual.

- He tried to envision his future, whether and when he would return to a land [the U.S.] that he and others referred to as New Sudan.

- The words of a Dinka elder, spoken in their minds: “ What we want to tell you , these people who are going, is don’t forget people left behind. Don’t forget southern Sudan. Don’t forget your country.”

WOMEN IN SUDAN
- Girls are too valuable. They grow into young women who fetch dowries of valuable cattle when they marry.

- One reason the girls were not recommended for resettlement was that many of them had been placed with foster families in Kakuma who would have opposed resettlement for fear of missing out on a dowry when the girl got married.

**** *** *** *** ***

FACTOIDS
- Southern Sudan is one of the most isolated spots on earth, a place that had little sustained contact with the outside world until the nineteenth century.

- The Sudan was known in biblical times as Cush and, later, Nubia, a place near the end of the Earth from which the Nile originated.

- Sudan, the largest African country in size and one with fifty-six ethnic groups split into more than 570 tribes that speak at least one hundred languages

- Dinka tribe, the most numerous ethnic group in Sudan. Most Dinka are tall and thin, known for exceptionally dark skin and a reverence for cattle.

- it is the cow that dominates Dinka culture and defines their sense of self-identity.

- (The name Magot was his father’s first name. It became his second or “last” name in accordance with Dinka naming traditions.)

- Several countries in East Africa had a tradition of “boy soldiers” that dated to at least 1870.

- And since the government of Sudan allowed any Arab to enter the country without a visa in those years, Khartoum became a popular destination for extremists who would use their time in Sudan to plot attacks against the West.

- Many southern Sudanese refer to each other by traditional names, using their Christian names mainly with Americans or other Westerners.

- Like most other Lost Boys in the United States, Jacob spoke a literal, archaic English.

- The Dinka traditionally emphasize marriage and producing children as overriding goals of life.

- Crews discovered oil in southern Sudan in 1978, but exploitation did not begin until 1998. International companies were harvesting about four hundred thousand barrels of oil a day by 2000, making Sudan a medium-scale oil exporter.

- Most Lost Boys in Atlanta, like so many other Dinka, had many years earlier undergone a ritual that removed their lower teeth... “As with circumcision,” Deng writes, “the Dinka do not give any explanation for the custom other than that it is esthetically pleasant and helps shape the mouth to be handsome. They say that unextracted lower teeth push the lower lip outward and make the lower jaw repulsive. Teeth are removed at about the age of ten in an operation more painful than circumcision. It is done by an expert with a fishing spear.

- Under the traditional Dinka naming system, the child would have acquired a first name of his own and taken as his second name the first name of his father. For example, Deng writes, “Kwol, son of Arob” would be known as “Kwol Arob.” The Dinka have no direct equivalent to the last, or family, name in the Western system. In fact, according to Francis Deng, “there is no precise moment when a child is named, nor is there any designated person who selects the name. Several days after birth, suggestions for names begin. The result becomes more a matter of which name catches the popular ear than it is a matter of formal choice.” Some Dinka receive names that relate to “events or circumstances surrounding conception or birth... It gets complicated because Dinka boys sometimes are called by a nickname when they are young, or by a name that refers to the color of a particular ox.

- examining dental and wrist-bone X-rays can give doctors a fairly reasonable estimate of someone’s age.

HAHA
- After a few weeks, Jacob came to a conclusion about employers in the United States. “When they say they will call you,” he said, “we know we will not get the job. It means they will not call you.”

- John stared at the big boxy car. He raised his right hand and pointed. “This one is the motherfucker,” he said. Several months earlier, John had overheard neighbors tossing around that word, apparently near a full-sized sedan like the Mercury Marquis he would later see at the dealership. He had interpreted the word to refer to the car and not, perhaps as it had been intended, to the person driving it.

BONUS
- NatGeo documentary about the Dinka (large ethnic group in Sudan): https://youtu.be/PT_8HkUa2dM

- International Rescue Committee: https://youtu.be/usIIa6gdiuY

- Refugees from all over the world have been settled in Clarkston, GA: https://youtu.be/d-h_YJvaC2g

- South Sudan’s Sudd (large swamp): https://youtu.be/tjEROfd7-4k

- Overview of South Sudan’s peace challenges over last decade: https://youtu.be/LkWldwFdTPo

- 60 Minutes feature on the Lost Boys: https://youtu.be/jz0s06Ak66Y

- John Garang (South Sudanese leader): https://youtu.be/H1bL1Qir4AE

- ‘The Good Lie’ movie trailer: https://youtu.be/u2X1zZIGtmE

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more insight on the Lost Boys of Sudan. This book was too similar to "They Poured Fire......" which I had read earlier.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the story of this book, but found it very repetitive. It also jumped around a lot so the story was sometimes hard to follow

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not everyone can say that they've endured walking in the heat for days on end hoping for a chance at safety, or constantly seeing their loved ones get eaten by wild animals right before their eyes all before knowing how to flush a toilet! This seems like content from straight out of a movie, but for the lost boys who were refugees from conflict and war in Sudan, this was every day life. Since 1983 war and conflict had broken out in Sudan, and the Lost Boys of Sudan was a groups of boys traveling from different parts of Sudan and surrounding areas to camps where they were told they would be safe from war. For many of these boys, at very young ages they were separated from their families due to chaos and danger from the war. These boys traveled together and became the only sense of family that each other had. Talk of these boys became quite prevalent in America during the time, and soon after, resettlement agencies were at the rescue of thousands of the lost boys. Social service professionals were able to resettle thousands of refugees from Sudan into America. The issue for these boys now was not how to find ways to survive, but how to survive in such an advanced surrounding that came with moving to America. This book focuses on the resettlement of four lost boys, Jacob Magot, Peter Anyang, Daniel Khoch, and Marko Ayii. Although this book talks much about the civil war in Sudan, a lot of the plot also explains the difficulties, excitements, and successes of these four boys as they learned how to find jobs instead of find food, take public transportation instead of walking miles in the hot sun, and get an education instead of learning ways to protect themselves.
Personally I feel as though this book was extremely eye-opening to read. Reading this book allowed me to put my own life into perspective and it allowed me to really appreciate all that I am fortunate enough to have. Learning about the experiences of these boys and all of the hardship that they went through made me realize how grateful I should be, and how grateful I am for all that I have. As eye-opening as this book was though, the plot of the story was a bit difficult to follow. It seems as though the plot jumped from one event to a completely new event quite quickly which made it difficult to follow at times. There was so much explaining required for this book to have the full effect, but I feel as though these details could have been explained in more of an organized way. Also, although it was nice that the author went into such great detail about everything in this book, such as what the war in Sudan was like and the details surrounding it, I feel as though the book would have been even more captivating and hooking if it was not constantly flooded with details upon details. Although it was nice to hear of these details, it seems to me that some parts could have been left out as to ensure that it was not unenjoyable to read about. However, although there were some tedious parts to read, I do recommend this book to anyone who has the desire to look at life through another set of eyes, or anyone who has the desire to reevaluate the importance of aspects of their lives. I also simply recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear a courageous story of people who, despite hardship, were brave enough to focus their efforts on achieving their goals and dreams.

[Hadiya Ahmad · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy slow, information heavy novels—The Lost Boys of Sudan is for you. Bixler grabs the attention of the reader by forming a connection between the reader and the four boys, Jacob Magot, Peter Anyang, Marko Ayii, and Daniel Khoch, though do not be deceived, the book tends to stray from the boys. The book begins with the boys fleeing from the civil war their home country, Sudan. Sudan had been at war since 1983, and the boys fled in 2000; the trauma they faced was unimaginable. Young children saw their friends eaten or killed, many starved to death or drank their urine to survive. The book goes over details of what the boys had seen or done to survive; most were separated from families and friends, and many experienced losses of loved ones. Due to the havoc and perils of the Sudanese war, “The Lost Boys” were forced to trek hundreds on foot to refugee camps, or neighboring countries, to attempt to escape to possible sanctuary. American Social workers worked to relocate many of the 20,000 Lost Boys to the U.S, but this story focused on four boys who move to Atlanta, Georgia.
Personally, this book was difficult to read and follow along. The author made it seem as though the reader would learn about the hardships of the Sudanese civil war through the boys’ personal experience and journeys, and this was unfortunately not the case. The book starts and ends with the resettlement of the boys, but much of the book is textbook content about the war. Understandably, this is one approach to the novel, as many readers enjoy straightforward, factual content. However, teenagers and students like me can more easily resonate with the book through a more personal, intimate, recount of the journey Jacob, Peter, Marko, and Daniel had had as refugees. Instead, the book is sprinkled with stories of the boy’s acclimatization to the U.S, and the rest is simply an account of the civil war.
Nevertheless, I still found this book to be extremely eye-opening to the horrors of war. I had not known about the Sudanese civil war or its atrocities until I read The Lost Boys of Sudan. Bixler explains the cause of the war, the results of the war, and helps the reader create a solid understanding of the Sudanese political status. In today’s society especially, it is important to learn about and create and understanding of what is happening in the world around us, so we can work to make a change. As the future leaders of the world, it is especially crucial for teenagers to be aware of issues happening around the world, because that is a way of learning, and advancement. Not just in Europe and the U.S, but in developing countries such as Sudan, Palestine, Syria; beyond what is taught in school.

[Franligorria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan An American Story of the Refugee Experience

This book is revealing and heartbreaking. The story is about a group of 3,800 refugees and their story about escaping Sudan’s cruel civil war. There's a focus on four boys who arrive in Atlanta, Georgia: Jacob Magot, Peter Anyang, Daniel Khoch, and Marko Ayii. They begin their journey by escaping to different parts of Africa after fleeing Sudan due to a civil war. Luckily, they are taken to the United States to begin a new life, however, they must embark on the journey alone after four months. They discover that they’re not alone, the refugee agencies help them settle down, a foundation is born in their name and hundreds of volunteers come together to show them how to live, not just survive. They face many challenges to have an education, pay rent, pay for appliances and much more. They must overcome challenges that impede them from receiving an education and take advantage of every opportunity they get.
You’ll find that despite the story focusing on the tragedy, there are also funny parts, moments that will give you hope and topics that will make you feel compassion. The author did such an outstanding job at including little details and exploring a different side to the story. He included multiple characters’ reactions to things or memories from the events. Bixler described the refugees well and elaborated on what they did several times, there was always an answer to any question I had about the events that unfolded. However, my only complaint is that the author sometimes overwhelms me with information. I was reading a page multiple times to understand the whole picture because there was, a lot of information and multiple people involved.
As a young adult I wouldn’t have thought about picking up this book on my own. However, I would recommend for my fellow peers to read this story, if not in its entirety at least a few pages. I truly grasped the concept of what a civil war is and the toll it takes on people. After you read this book you will have a better understanding of both sides of the civil war. My heart ached for the refugees when their struggles in America were mentioned, knowing people from my country have been there too made my heart feel heavy.
I think that young readers will feel empathetic and find this story eye-opening. Adults would feel inspired to act the same way volunteers felt and open their hearts to provide services for more refugees. This book is rich in history, anybody in the history field or interested in pursuing that path should take the time to read this.

[Justin Neale · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like faced-paced action books with fantasized violence, this book is not for you. The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler tells the traumatizing experiences of a certain group of young boys in Sudan who are separated from their families, live their young lives amidst the civil war and death, and move to America with limited knowledge of the technological world.
The Lost Boys of Sudan uses personal accounts from many lost boys to provide an immersive narrative of the inconceivable lives of the Lost boys. The plot follows the circumstances of their horrific experiences from living during a civil war and then moving to the United States as refugees to seek education and opportunity. These boys are separated from their family as young boys, many under the age of 12, and flee their homes to seek safety. They walk on foot for hundreds of miles in the deadly conditions of Sudan with no food or water to neighboring countries and refugee camps. The main characters, just like most of the 20,000 lost boys, seek asylum in America to achieve their dream of earning an education.
This book stands out because it makes the reader feel connected with the characters and empathetic towards their situation. It is impossible for most to understand what it truly feels like to have their home village be attacked by soldiers who kill everyone in sight, survive on their own in the wilderness, or to swim through a crocodile infested river and see people be eaten, yet this book provides insight to the lost boys’ struggles. The storyline throughout the book is slow at points and even skips around a little bit. The plot is deep, but not thrilling, especially when focusing on the history of Sudan and its people. Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 because of how the plot slows down. Nevertheless, this was still one of the best books I have read this year and I highly recommend this book if you haven’t heard of the lost boys of Sudan before. I had never heard of the lost boys of Sudan before, but after reading this book it made me realize the hardships many people endure, and the story of the lost boys was eye-opening.
This book is geared toward people who like a slow-paced but fascinating read and is written almost as a biography of the lost boys. Readers who are interested in the accounts of people in war zones will be fascinated by this book, as well as anyone who wonders what it would be like to try to live in America with no knowledge of technology or anything.

[Jared Comeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book, The Lost Boys of Sudan, the author, Mark Bixler, shares the stories of a few Lost Boys from Sudan. He describes the journey from a life with almost nothing to a new life in the United States. He describes the problems and difficulties of the Lost Boys in Sudan and conveys the confusion, interest, and difficulties the boys experience, what happens to The Lost Boys of Sudan, and possible factors that caused that.

The book was good and informative. The book told the story of the Lost Boys who were having problems in Sudan and their journey from their home in Sudan to their new home in the United States. When the author wrote about the problems in Sudan, he included a lot of detail about the separation of the north and south. It was very heavy on the information, but it seemed necessary because the problems in Sudan are not very well known and there was a lot of complications that created many problems. The detail is very informative and did a good job of informing the reader of what was happening.

The author also is doing well in explaining the stories of the Lost Boys when they were confused or having trouble with different tasks or unfamiliar items. The way the author wrote about those times was entertaining and interesting because it shows what they didn’t have access to and things they had never seen before. The author also did well in explaining the differences in culture.

I find some of the chapters to be very long and boring because they are heavy with factual information that departs from the narrative. The chapters are difficult to read and hard to understand, however, they are very important in giving information regarding why the Lost Boys are in their situation in the first place. In my opinion, the author should have attempted to write the trouble areas in a way that would have been easier to read, more engaging, and overall more enjoyable.

I gave this book a review of 3 out of 5 stars because I thought that the book had a lot of good information, and entertaining, and enjoyable parts. However, it had enjoyable parts in the book, I felt that the long and boring parts were too much and that brought down the rating. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading about world problems and what is happening in the real world. I also recommend it to people who like to read very informative and factual books.

[Jack Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine you and a few men are lost in an unknown terrain in the dark. You suddenly feel a sharp pain in your fight foot. Then, you reach down to touch your foot and feel a sticky pool of blood around your ankle. After seconds of panicking and disbelief, you realize you have been shot. That is just one of many hardships the twenty-thousand Lost Boys went through in Sudan. Their villages were attacked by the Northern Sudanese Army forcing them to breakaway from their families at such a young age. In parts of the book, there was lots of information about the countries during the times of war that seemed to drag on. It was like the author was side tracking instead of focusing on the Lost Boys to me. After years of crossing rivers filled with crocodiles and drinking their own urine, many of the boy’s reached Kakuma. The book did a great job explaining the boy’s journey’s in detail as well as having some of the boys share their experiences. As time went on, the United States increased the number of refugees allowed in their country and the International Rescue Committee began recruiting refugees with certain qualifications. So, what’s next for some of these boys? A life in a new country with no knowledge and the expectation to earn money through a job.

This book is great for you if human resiliency and perseverance interests you. I thought it was amazing to see how the Lost Boys adapted to their totally different lives in the United States. They worked extremely hard and listened to their advisors to help them grow. The boys didn’t even know what stairs were when they initially arrived. I also recommend this book to those who have conflicted views of foreign refugees. The author stresses the value of refugees and that they can still make an impact in the US despite being from another country. However, there were parts about the Sudanese government that failed to capture my attention. The history of Sudan is told by the author in rich detail and his explanations are very complex. It’s like the story of the Lost Boys disappears for a section of the book. If you’re not a very focused and engaged reader when it comes to government, you will want to put this book down during this part. Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It was a great read except for the government part which heavily affected my rating.

[Max Kornbluth · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the year 2000, the United States accepted 3800 refugees of the Sudanese civil war which had been raging for the past 20 years and was one of Africa's longest civil wars. Thousands of boys who were orphaned by the war had to make a perilous and death-defying journey across Africa to refugee camps and finally to the safety of America, these were the “Lost Boys”. The story follows 4 of these lost boys in their extraordinary story of making it to America and attempting to orient themselves in our modern society when before they had never even seen a light switch. This book is eye-opening and does a great job of demonstrating the struggles of such refugees who have made their way to America and shows their struggles to do things that we take for granted like getting shelter, finding a job, furthering education, and navigating our fast and complex society which we have grown accustomed to. It very much highlights the boy's resilience and their determination to never lose hope. One thing that the book lacks is a bit of coherent-ness about the boy's journey. The book tends to skip around and over some areas of their journey which may be confusing for the reader. Another issue is the fact that the 4 boys the book focuses on are only present for about half the story, this makes it hard to get to know these characters and see their development as well as making the book seem impersonal. Additionally, the book can also be a bit bland at times due to the story being told less as a narrative and more like a documentation of events. Due to the book being slow at times as well as the many mature themes in this book like the devastation of war and struggle of immigrants I would recommend this book to a more mature audience like late teens and adults, it might be difficult for younger audiences to finish the book without becoming disinterested. Overall, this book does a very good job of helping people living in the first world put their lives in perspective and demonstrates the determination these boys have to make their lives better after enduring so much hardship, loss, and struggle. The content of this book is fantastic, but the writing suffers in my opinion, due to this I would give it 3/5 stars.

[Rachel Basa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan is a powerful and eye-opening story that highlights the resilience of the human spirit while reminding readers of the everyday privileges we often take for granted. This book follows the treacherous journey of four Lost Boys—Jacob, Peter, Daniel, and Marko—who were forced to abandon their homes due to the Second Sudanese Civil War. From 1983 to 2005, North and South Sudan fought over political, religious, and economic power. As a result of a long, 22-year battle, millions of Sudanese citizens were displaced from their homes, leaving thousands of young boys alone, questioning if they were now orphans.

Facing starvation, diseases, and wild animal attacks, this story outlines the hundreds of miles many Lost Boys were forced to trek across Africa. In hopes of finding refuge, many experienced the loss of loved ones, friends, and strangers caught in the same situation, as they died at the hands of militias and the forces of mother nature. Those who were lucky enough to survive the journey reached temporary safety at refugee camps in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, it was not long until this short-term haven was overthrown, forcing the Lost Boys to trek through the plains of Africa again towards safety in Kenya. After reaching refuge at Kakuma, many boys spent years surviving on minimal food and resources, wondering about the outcome for their family members they lost during their flee.

After spending years of uncertainty at refugee camps, a glimmer of hope arrived for the Lost Boys in the year 2000. In partnership with the United Nations, the U.S. launched a refugee resettlement program that offered some Lost Boys a new beginning in America. Of the 3800 boys selected—Jacob, Peter, Daniel, and Marko—were given the opportunity to start a new life. This book highlights the resettlement journey of the four Lost Boys and their struggles of adapting to a Western lifestyle. Faced with the obstacles of learning English, integrating into American culture, working low-income jobs, and trying to pursue an education, this book highlights the power of perseverance. Serving as a testament to human strength, the themes of this story will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

[Kerry Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would you feel getting a fresh start in a new country, after barely surviving the past 10 years of your life in a country engrossed in war?
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, there was a war going on in Sudan that separated, displaced, and broke thousands of families. Children were sent to refugee camps across Africa, where they were starved for weeks and forced to drink their own urine to survive. Rebel army soldiers often beat many refugees to death and tortured them. This story is about 4 young boys' journey to the United States, where they hoped to start a new life and get an education. The struggles they encountered are recalled in the story, including adapting to a modernized world full of technology. Along the journey they encountered many new things for the first time, including airplanes, escalators, taxis, revolving doors, and doors with peepholes. The book follows the Lost Boys as they begin their new life.
Overall, I liked the book. I thought it was a powerful story with an important message. I liked all the background of the families the author included, explaining how their lives were prior to the war. However, I felt that the author added too many facts in random parts of the story. At times, I felt it was more of a history textbook than the story of the Lost Boys. Facts about Sudan prior to the war were mentioned which I just felt were not necessary to make connections.
My favorite part of the story was when the Lost Boys started learning how to drive. I felt this one of the only times that I knew exactly what they were going through. This chapter made me laugh and brought back memories of when I got behind the wheel for the first time and was clueless.
I would recommend this book to people who are interested in hearing moving stories like the Lost Boys’ story. I feel it would be a good read for people who are either in high school or older because it has some harsh concepts and could be tough to understand and follow along for younger audiences. I would give this book 4 stars. The book deserves 4 stars because even though I learned a lot and enjoyed reading it, I feel the book could have been structured better.

[Nolan Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan By Mark Bixler
The Struggles of Good Men- 3 Stars, Nolan Riley
The novel, The Lost Boys of Sudan includes, sorrow, happiness and a sense of hope for most of its readers. The story follows the lives of several Sudanese refugees, as they begin their new lives in America. The new environment will prove to be challenging for the men as American culture is much different compared to their old ways of living. The reader will learn of these struggles as they work their way through Mark Bixler's novel.
While many people have their opinions, and possibly even minds set on their views of foreign immigration, The Lost Boys of Sudan gives the reader the perspective of these refugees. If you do intend on reading this story, I suggest having an open mind. Put your opinions aside and enjoy the story. Your views may even change. Mine certainly did. As I allowed all past beliefs to be pushed aside, I enjoyed the story more as it allowed me to look at different perspectives. While following these men’s journeys, I truly admired their strength, and courage to persevere despite the odds. Moving to a completely different country may sound easy due to the privileges given to us by the United States, but it truly isn't. Imagine having to move to a country like Sudan, or Saudi Arabia. These privileges are not the same in these countries.
The novel not only explained the Journey of the refugees, but also the events that were taking place in Sudan, and the United States at the time. I personally did not enjoy these parts of the story as they were relatively confusing and boring in my opinion. This sole reason is why I gave this story a 3/5 stars. Had these parts been removed from the story, it would receive 5 stars in my opinion. While the events happening do contribute to the story, they were just not interesting and often made me want to stop reading.
I highly recommend this read to those who are conflicted in their views of foreign refugees. I also recommend this novel to those who are looking to enjoy a great story, and journey. If you fall into these categories, The Lost Boys of Sudan is for you.

[Sean Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is the quality of life in a war-torn country? Is it better off to stay and face imminent danger or is it better to venture outwards to new lands? The story about the “Lost Boys of Sudan” by Mark Bixler is one that can be heard about around the world. This book is based upon the lives of four refugees from Sudan and their journey to America. Throughout the book, we see how these four boys manage to survive during hardship. From the first day they arrived in America they faced challenges that they would have to overcome. The lost boys needed to learn how to use everyday things like air conditioning, the toilet, and how to plug in a lamp. Also, in the book, we get to see an in-depth review of America from new citizens and how many challenges are often seen as minuscule to Americans. The reason why the boys had to leave Sudan was that there was a horrifying Civil War. Many people helped the boys along the way and helped them get back on their feet. Sadly the book also called out the people who did the opposite and left the boys with false empty promises. Overall, I thought this was an interesting book and I always was excited to pick up the book. However, with this book, there were some positives and negatives that I found. Some of the positives for me personally were that there were some sprinkles of history in the book, there was a lot of fact-based language, the book also easily connected to my empathic side at times, and lastly, I enjoyed there being a good amount of quotes from the lost boys. On the other hand, some of the negatives that personally afflicted me were as follows, I found that some details of the book for repetitive, and as a reader, I was occasionally unmotivated because of that, contradictory to that I can understand how the repetition led to an emphasis on those details as well as the development of the plot. I feel as though this book is great for a reader who can stay motivated and enjoys the occasional splash of history as well as someone who enjoys learning about refugees. This book may be a harder read for someone who only enjoys either fiction or fantasy books because this is more of a fact-based book. Thank you.

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine being tossed from your home amid violence without an idea of your family’s whereabouts, or if they’re even alive. Imagine wandering for years to find safety, then relocating to a place that seems like another planet, it is so different, and having to face that on your own. The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler follows the journey of four boys that are part of a group of about 3,800 adolescent male refugees from Sudan known as “the Lost Boys”. Having been cast out of their homes at an early age, separated from their families amid violence, some boys eventually found themselves resettled in the U.S. Entering their new life with high hopes, they soon realized that there was much more to America than what they have been told, and that they must navigate this unfamiliar world to the best of their ability in order to succeed. The book gives a realistic representation of life as a refugee in America and provides insight into their struggles and ordeals. It gives a lot of background information to set context. The story is very broad and general and is perfect, and would be very informative, for a reader who might be interested in the topic but has very little prior knowledge or experience. For a reader who is an expert on the topic, or interested in research however, this book would not be a good option, as its structure causes it to skip around between context and narrative, making it hard to get a grasp on the chronological order of events. It also does not entirely focus on the four men in the way it was intended to, and often goes off-track with other refugees or volunteers, and so does not provide specifics of events. For a reader who has prior knowledge, it may not be an informative piece, but it would be a good book to read for pleasure. Overall, I would rate this book a 3/5 for its informative view on the lives of immigrants, and their experiences in the late 2000s, taking points off for broadness, and odd structure.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when people that do not understand modern life are dropped into one of the largest cities in America? The book The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler answers the question just asked. The story follows 4 young men from the war-torn country of Sudan. These men range between 18-21 years old and have been resettled in Atlanta after they have been in refugee camps for most of their lives. They must learn how to do simple things like turn on the lights in a house, or flush a toilet, or even use public transportation. These simple tasks appear as something that the refugees are completely unfamiliar with most things modern. It is almost like children in the bodies of adults. This story shows how the men adapt to their new lives and shows what their lives are like as refugees. This book felt slow at times, but the good parts overshadowed the bad and the book ended up as something I would recommend to others. The parts I liked best were when Bixler wrote about the effects of 9/11 on the refugees, and how people didn’t accept them as much even though they, nor their culture, had nothing to do with the terrorists. This book highlights some of the faults of the Americans while also showing how they were able to help as much as they could. Another thing I found fascinating about the book is how many American people were willing to throw down everything in order to help the new citizens of the country. Many people sacrificed tons of money, time, and relationships to receive nothing but satisfaction from themselves. However, there are faults to this book. At times it felt as though I was reading a history textbook, with nothing to do with the topic at hand. Also, it became difficult to remember all the people that it talked about for there were a lot. The book went back and forth a lot. I enjoyed reading this book and feel that I would recommend it to others.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan is a nonfiction book telling the history behind how many young boys in Sudan were abandoned, rescued, and brought to live in the United States. It talks about the journey of a few boys to the United States, the challenges they face once they arrive, and their lives once they conquer these challenges. There are many things that the author did well when writing this book and some things that they could have changed. The amount of detail that the author employs strengthen the book and makes it very interesting. This can be seen when he is writing about the journey of the boys before they come to the United States. The amount of information also makes it easier to understand the decision the boys are making and why they are making them. The book does have some strange pacing. This can be seen when there are some chapters that are talking about the boys in the US, and then it transitions to how a volunteer heard about the boys and why they decided to help. This inconsistence can make it difficult to understand exactly what is going on. If you want to understand more about what its like to be a refugee in the United States or if you want to volunteer to help refugees, you will want to read this book. It goes very in depth about what the lost boys go through and how others help them. If you need an example of how refugees can be successful in the US, you will also want to read this book. This is because the book goes over how the boys start from nothing and slowly create their new lives. I gave this book 3 stars out of 5. The reason I didn’t give it five starts is because the story is hard to follow, and the topics jump around. The reason I didn’t rate it any lower is because it is very informational and gives great insight on what refugees go through when they enter the United States.

[Max Beigel]

After reading the Lost Boys of Sudan, you will be inspired to work as hard as they did to accomplish your goals. The boy's goals were to create a stable income and receive an education for themselves after coming to America with basically nothing. About 20,000 of these Lost Boys ended up on their own with no parents, lost from their families for years, and walking across the country after their villages were attacked by northern Sudan armies. Crossing crocodile-filled rivers, hiding from gunman, watching friends get eaten by lions, eating leaves for food, and drinking their own urine were things with which the main boys, Jacob, Peter, Daniel, and Marko had to deal. After years of living in Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) relocates the boys to Atlanta, Georgia to begin their new lives.

To hear about the pain these boys suffered is really eye opening and made me feel very blessed for everything I have. Each character has its own little story to follow, which helps the reader connect more with them. As well as the comical aspect, of misunderstanding and misdeeds committed by each Lost Boy adds to the context of the story as they adapt to the confusing lifestyle of America. Although, the background of the story is a tad tedious and the plot develops slowly, as the reader learns more about the boy's experiences in the United States, it leaves the reader wanting to know more what happens with them and if they succeed in their new lives,

This book receives a 4.5/5 because of its failure to keep the reader involved while reading the background and historical parts of the story, however, the rest of the story is impacting and engrossing.

[Maggie P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to enter a society where you feel like you are centuries behind? In the book The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler a group of young boys are brought into the United States from Sudan. It was interesting and exciting to follow these boys on their journey to learning about a society where technology is as advanced as it is in this century. I think this book does a very nice job of describing the emotions deep inside the boys who have to learn how to fit into a brand-new world. I like how the author is able to grab the attention of the reader in a different way throughout this chapter. The author also did a great job explaining the conditions in detail of the boy's life prior to entering the United States. However, I did not like how repetitive the book tended to be. A lot of things that had been said were repeated a number of times and I think that making the points once would have been enough. I think highly of this book and would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason I am not giving this book 5 stars is just because of how repetitive the situations and the pages were, but everything else was outstanding and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good read. I would recommend this book for an audience over the age of 12 because it does tend to get violent at times. I think this book would be good for anyone looking to read about war or just to get more information on what like was like for young children fighting for their countries. Overall, I am glad I have read this book and I now have a new appreciation for the life I was given and I appreciate all the hard work that is done by those who fight for their countries and who have to live with the trauma of war.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a war-torn Sudan, many people struggle to bring home necessities to their families, raids take place in villages regularly, and men and women are forced to fight for the people destroying their homeland. The story revolves around boys, who would soon be men after the trip out of Sudan and into their new home, America. The story portrays how awful and gruesome the civil war in Sudan was and how it affected not only the Sudanese people, but also countries all around the world. These boys had never seen electricity nor a well-built shelter, coming to America was not an easy task. As the story progresses the boys become more adapted to America and learn how to live a basic life. The story is written around the boys however, it explains a much larger picture and how all parts of Sudan are affected.

The beginning of the book gives an in detail run-down on what is taking place in Sudan and does an exceptional job introducing the main characters however, the book falls of in interest for me slightly after the chapter in which 9/11 is mentioned. Few chapters felt as though they were out of place and/or over examined a certain aspect.

Overall, the book was both extremely interesting and informative. If I were to give an honest rating on the book, I would give this book a 4 out of 5. I would have given this book a 5 out of 5 however I felt as though there was a lack of content to be written about towards the middle of the book, and then began to pick up towards the end. This book I am sure is a must read and to whom reads The Lost Boys of Sudan, will surely not be disappointed.

[Aareb · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Mark Bixler tells the story of “the Lost Boys of Sudan,” hence the title. The book follows the story of these boys, from their lives in Sudan before and during the wars to their immigration into the USA as refugees. It tells of their horrible experiences from the warfare in their initial home country and their optimistic views of their future in the country they heard so much about. They arrived and had to learn the ways of the advanced American life, as they had never used technology like electricity of even flushing toilets.

The book shares a detailed story of their journey and their past and does a very good job in educating the reader about the boys’ feelings about all the events occurring to them. However, I did not give it 5 stars because most of the book felt like background to me. The first two thirds of the book felt like repeated detailing of the boys’ pasts, while I wanted to read about their experience in their new home. Up until it finally moved past that point, the book was quite unenjoyable and boring for me, as I was not interested in their past because I had already heard these things several times. Due to this insipidity, I am giving this book a 3/5.

I don’t think this book is suitable for younger kids because it goes into detail about the horrific experience of the boys in southern Sudan. These details about the war and the inhumane acts are not appropriate for the younger audience. I think this book is aimed at older teenagers and adults to educate them about the boys’ story.

[James Kraus]

The crisis in Sudan is one of the largest problems in recent history, but you've most likely never heard of it. The four boys who used to live in southern Sudan and are now refuges in the U.S, recall stories from their past, providing information and struggles a reader from another country could not possibly imagine.

The book is fascinating and intriguing as the reader is always rooting for the boys to succeed. The refuges are forced from their homes in Sudan and then have to make the largest changes of their lives, moving to the U.S. Overall the book provided a great description of the characters journeys and struggles, following them in their search for jobs or an education.

One thing I wanted and most others who are reading the book would want is the introduction of more characters. I awarded the book an eight out of 10, due to the fact that it was lacking action and had some parts of the story that seemed very dull.

This book was based off real experiences, making it somewhat boring because it was a description of the past from real characters making the reader feel very distant from the topic. The book could have been much more interesting if it was focused around more than 4 boys, giving more personal experiences.

Choosing this book was a great decision and I am glad I was able to learn about a crisis I had never even heard about.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler portrays the complicated and long journey that the lost boys of Sudan went through before and after they came to the United States as refugees. One struggle that refugees go through when they are trying to acclimate to a first world country that is almost exclusively run by technology such as the United States. Some situations that are talked about in the book is about how there was a struggle to get a job, and not understanding many “simple” things about the complex culture of the United States.
My opinion on this book is that it is very difficult to put the book down, due to the number of intriguing details about how difficult life can be for refugees. I praise this book on the fact that it does such a great job going into precise detail. Another thing that the book does is, that it makes sure that everyone understands the situation, and who the refugees are.
One critique is that it is very difficult to start the book and stay engaged but staying with the book and reading through is worth it. Another critique for the book is that for about 30 pages there was a section where it was very difficult to preserve and finish reading the book. Again, The Lost Boys of Sudan is a very enjoyable book to read. And I would highly recommend reading this book to anyone.

[EoinR · Rating 3 out of 5]

"An American story of the refugee experience" - Mark Bixler

This book is about 4 immigrant boys from Sudan, a country in Africa. The story follows their story as they move into the United States and attempt to find a better life than in the war-torn country Sudan. They go through many hardships as they try to get an education and jobs so they can provide for themselves in a new country. However, this story has many drawbacks, hence the 3-star review. I feel this story was hard to follow since it jumped around so much. Some parts of the story felt repetitive or unnecessary, since the author was trying to write a journalistic style novel while still trying to captivate the reader. I think the story itself is very important, letting the American people understand why and how people come to live in America. It is impossible to understand what it is like leaving everything you have to try and find a better life, but this story can give people more sympathy for the immigrants. I would recommend this book for an older audience, probably 16+. Due to the sporadic nature of the book, it requires a certain amount of maturity to follow and grasp the story. In all, this was a slow story, but it is certainly needed due to the importance of accepting and helping the less fortunate prosper in ways they did not think they could.

[Molly Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to move to a land that is completely unfamiliar to you? Cars, electricity, and even stairs are all things you have never known before. The Lost Boys of Sudan is a novel that follows a group of four young Sudanese refuges who escape civil war to seek a better life in America. They leave behind their homeland, and family to be resettled in America. The book follows boys Daniel Khoch, Marko Ayii, Jacob Magot, and Peter Anyang and shows the struggles they face in finding jobs, getting a proper education, and even learning how to drive. This book was very informative, and I learned a lot about Sudan’s civil war. Although this book is very educational, some parts of the book were difficult to get through. For example, I lost interest in the book when it included lots of facts about the history of Sudan. I wish this book showed more of the challenges the boys faced. I didn’t feel that I got to know they boys very well or understand the difficulties they were experiencing. Overall, I would give this book a 3/5 stars. This book touches on topics such as death, racism, and war. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the lost boys of Sudan, however, I feel it should have included more personal stories that could give me more insight into what they were feeling.

[Kate C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frustrated, that feeling you get when nothing seems to make sense, you feel lost, and life just isn’t going the way you expected. In The Lost Boys of Sudan, this story follows four Sudanese boys who were separated from their families in an ongoing conflict of civil war in Sudan. They must adapt to life in the United States and leave behind everything they’ve ever known in their third world country for a chance at a better life, a real education, and an escape from war. Their new life isn’t easy, and lots of stress is put on them to make it in the Unites States, leading to an overwhelming sense of frustration.
While this book was an inspiring story, and great insight into what it is like to be a refugee of war, I believe it was poorly written. At times, I found it hard to follow, as it jumped from topic to topic quite a bit. I went into it expecting to hear more about the Lost Boys’ journey, but instead I got a full history lesson on conflict in Sudan, which I did not care for. I would recommend this book if you are particularly interested in the backstory of civil wars in third world countries, but if you are looking for a real connection to the Lost Boys’ and their story, you should look elsewhere.

[Brian Hawrylciw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine you are displaced from tending cattle, shot at by rebel military, then flown across seas as a refugee to a place where technology is omnipresent and modern. Must feel like seeing the future. But this was the reality for the Lost Boys of Sudan. The book the “Lost Boys of Sudan” is about 4 young men displaced from their homes in Southern Sudan. They travel to refugee camps throughout that region of Africa and are eventually taken in as refugees to the United States of America. In this new foreign land the Lost Boys need to learn how to live and take in the modern world that is so different from their pasts. This book contained a lot of new knowledge for me, which I enjoyed and encourage others to learn about the hardships of the Lost Boys of Sudan and the war going on. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the writing of the book. It was very dry, and I lost interest quickly. The plot dragged on and was interesting in some places, but the majority was very uneventful and uninteresting.
I personally would still recommend reading this book simply to learn about the hardships faced and about the events that occurred in Sudan. I learned a lot through reading it. But this book left me confused by the back and forth of the storytelling and repetitiveness of it.

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lost Boys of Sudan is a book detailing the attempts of young Sudanese refugees trying to adapt to living in America. The boys were thrown from camp to camp in Africa before finally being allowed to move to a city in America where they were provided with government aid and education. They group’s adjust to American life was difficult at first but they eventually found a comfortable spot in society for them.

While very informational, the book is extremely boring and feels like a rollercoaster. Every time you think you are going to stay in the present you are thrown back in time to the actions of an individual with only minor significance to the overall story. The book does an excellent job at explaining every single thing in excruciating detail. The characters are interesting and the reader will definitely root for them when they aren’t being swamped by unnecessary information. If you are a reader who prefers stories with uninterrupted flows, you will not enjoy this book. If you instead prefer to be doused with fun facts at every turn, you will love this book. I am giving this book a 3/5 due to how boring I found it. It was extremely well written, but I cannot give this a 4 or higher in good conscious.