What do you think?
Rate this book
Call Me American: A Memoir
The incredible true story of a boy living in war-torn Somalia who escapes to America--first by way of the movies; years later, through a miraculous green card.
Abdi Nor Iftin first fell in love with America from afar. As a child, he learned English by listening to American pop artists like Michael Jackson and watching films starring action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger. When U.S. marines landed in Mogadishu to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these real Americans, who seemed as heroic as those of the movies.
Sporting American clothes and dance moves, he became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American, but when the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, it suddenly became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Desperate to make a living, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches to NPR and the Internet, which found an audience of worldwide listeners. But as life in Somalia grew more dangerous, Abdi was left with no choice but to flee to Kenya as a refugee.
In an amazing stroke of luck, Abdi won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America--filled with twists and turns and a harrowing sequence of events that nearly stranded him in Nairobi--did not come easily. Parts of his story were first heard on the BBC World Service and This American Life. Now a proud resident of Maine, on the path to citizenship, Abdi Nor Iftin's dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our time: a vivid reminder of why western democracies still beckon to those looking to make a better life.
Abdi Nor Iftin first fell in love with America from afar. As a child, he learned English by listening to American pop artists like Michael Jackson and watching films starring action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger. When U.S. marines landed in Mogadishu to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these real Americans, who seemed as heroic as those of the movies.
Sporting American clothes and dance moves, he became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American, but when the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, it suddenly became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Desperate to make a living, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches to NPR and the Internet, which found an audience of worldwide listeners. But as life in Somalia grew more dangerous, Abdi was left with no choice but to flee to Kenya as a refugee.
In an amazing stroke of luck, Abdi won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America--filled with twists and turns and a harrowing sequence of events that nearly stranded him in Nairobi--did not come easily. Parts of his story were first heard on the BBC World Service and This American Life. Now a proud resident of Maine, on the path to citizenship, Abdi Nor Iftin's dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our time: a vivid reminder of why western democracies still beckon to those looking to make a better life.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2018
264 people are currently reading
7561 people want to read
About the author
Abdi Nor Iftin
3 books119 followersWhen the civil war in Somalia began, Abdi Nor Iftin was five; he and his brother became
the sole providers for the family while they also attended a madrassa. Amidst the daily
shelling and the famine, Abdi had one escape: American movies and music. At
neighborhood showings of Rambo, Commando, and The Terminator, Abdi learned of
America, and taught himself English, and began to dream of a life in the United States.
In his memoir Call Me American, Iftin recounts his harrowing, extraordinary, and
uplifting story. His love of western culture and music earned him the name “Abdi
American.” This became a liability when Islamic extremism took hold of Somalia.
Evading conscription by al-Shabaab while secretly filing stories for NPR under penalty
of death, he stayed in Somalia until he had no choice but to flee. He smuggled himself
into Kenya, where a different but grinding life of hopelessness awaited. He spent days
hiding silently in an apartment from raids by Kenyan police, once passing time
reading memoirs and watching more movies. And then, a stroke of incredible luck: he
won the Diversity Visa Lottery.
Now a proud and legal resident of Maine, Abdi is advocating for the refugee rights he is
also a community navigator. He’s on the advising council for Refugee International with
some of America’s most distinguished diplomats and prominent international human
rights leaders. Abdi was a TexdAmoskeag 2019 speaker.
On Janauary 17 th 2020, Abdi’s long life dream came true after he was sworn in as a
naturalized American citizen in Portland, Maine. For the first ever, Abdi is voting in the
US elections and excercising his American rights, one which many Americans take for
granted. But for Abdi it is liberating to have a voice in America.
Today’s America and the travel/immigration ban worry Abdi, a Muslim, a former refugee
and a displaced person. Abdi’s dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our
time: a vivid portrait of the desperation refugees seek to escape and a reminder of why
western democracies still beckon to those looking to make a better life.
the sole providers for the family while they also attended a madrassa. Amidst the daily
shelling and the famine, Abdi had one escape: American movies and music. At
neighborhood showings of Rambo, Commando, and The Terminator, Abdi learned of
America, and taught himself English, and began to dream of a life in the United States.
In his memoir Call Me American, Iftin recounts his harrowing, extraordinary, and
uplifting story. His love of western culture and music earned him the name “Abdi
American.” This became a liability when Islamic extremism took hold of Somalia.
Evading conscription by al-Shabaab while secretly filing stories for NPR under penalty
of death, he stayed in Somalia until he had no choice but to flee. He smuggled himself
into Kenya, where a different but grinding life of hopelessness awaited. He spent days
hiding silently in an apartment from raids by Kenyan police, once passing time
reading memoirs and watching more movies. And then, a stroke of incredible luck: he
won the Diversity Visa Lottery.
Now a proud and legal resident of Maine, Abdi is advocating for the refugee rights he is
also a community navigator. He’s on the advising council for Refugee International with
some of America’s most distinguished diplomats and prominent international human
rights leaders. Abdi was a TexdAmoskeag 2019 speaker.
On Janauary 17 th 2020, Abdi’s long life dream came true after he was sworn in as a
naturalized American citizen in Portland, Maine. For the first ever, Abdi is voting in the
US elections and excercising his American rights, one which many Americans take for
granted. But for Abdi it is liberating to have a voice in America.
Today’s America and the travel/immigration ban worry Abdi, a Muslim, a former refugee
and a displaced person. Abdi’s dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our
time: a vivid portrait of the desperation refugees seek to escape and a reminder of why
western democracies still beckon to those looking to make a better life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 696 reviews
January 4, 2019
Studying Political Science, I spent many hours learning about unsuccessful peacekeeping operations and failed states. The ultimate example: Somalia, a country shaken by war, terrorism and ever-changing tribal conflicts so violent and complicated that it makes you feel desperate reading scientific texts about it - and they are of course rather detached in language. Abdi Nor Iftin was born in Somalia and lived through all of this, and his impressive memoir is so powerful not only because he writes in a very sober language that has great narrative force, but also because of his perseverance: While people around him were brutally murdered and his home country blasted and shot to ruins, many others lost faith and were mentally destroyed (which seems unsurprising, regarding what they had to experience), but Iftin somehow managed to fight on, trying to survive, to escape hunger and religious indoctrination and ultimately to flee Somalia.
But his point is clearly not to portray himself as a hero, but to stand up for all Somali refugees who often have to endure discrimination and are frequently neglected and overlooked by the international community - Somalia is a relatively small (19th biggest in Africa), poor country which is mostly portrayed as a harbour for terrorists and pirates. But there are millions of people in and from Somalia who just want to live in peace. Abdi Nor Iftin is one of them.
Most of the book tells the story of the multiple conflicts and their repercussions during the reign of Siad Barre, the Civil war and the rise of Al-Shabaab, including the reasons for the success of the terror organization. After fleeing from a drought in the rural areas, Iftin and his family lived in Magodishu, where the author was known as "Abdi American" due to his love for Western culture and his self-taught ability to speak English - and it were these exact things that made him a target for the radical Islamists. But would the country of his dreams grant him entrance and save his life?
This is such a moving and informative book, it achieves everything that the celebrated "Small Country" tries to do. Highly recommended. And if you are interested in Iftin's take on the current President of the country he loves, read his article "President Trump Betrayed My American Dream" in Time Magazine: http://time.com/5316584/world-refugee...
But his point is clearly not to portray himself as a hero, but to stand up for all Somali refugees who often have to endure discrimination and are frequently neglected and overlooked by the international community - Somalia is a relatively small (19th biggest in Africa), poor country which is mostly portrayed as a harbour for terrorists and pirates. But there are millions of people in and from Somalia who just want to live in peace. Abdi Nor Iftin is one of them.
Most of the book tells the story of the multiple conflicts and their repercussions during the reign of Siad Barre, the Civil war and the rise of Al-Shabaab, including the reasons for the success of the terror organization. After fleeing from a drought in the rural areas, Iftin and his family lived in Magodishu, where the author was known as "Abdi American" due to his love for Western culture and his self-taught ability to speak English - and it were these exact things that made him a target for the radical Islamists. But would the country of his dreams grant him entrance and save his life?
This is such a moving and informative book, it achieves everything that the celebrated "Small Country" tries to do. Highly recommended. And if you are interested in Iftin's take on the current President of the country he loves, read his article "President Trump Betrayed My American Dream" in Time Magazine: http://time.com/5316584/world-refugee...
August 26, 2023
هذه المرة من الصومال!
كان صديقي ليبان الصومالي حاضراً في بالي طوال قراءتي لهذا الكتاب. تعرفت على ليبان في أحد معاهد تعليم اللغة، وقد كان طالباً متميزاً وفائق النشاط. كنت ألتقيه مصادفة في أماكن مختلفة من مدينة تعز حيث كنا ندرس. أذكر في إحدى المرات أنه "انبثق" من خلف إحدى السيارات المتوقفة، ولم يكن خلفها سوى جدار، ثم تعجب لاستغرابي من تجسده المفاجئ. وعلى كل كان شديد المرح ويفرقع مقهقهاً لأبسط فكاهة، أحياناً لم تكن هناك فكاهة في الأساس.
بينما كانت لدي أنا وزملائي أحلام أسطورية نؤمن بها مساءً ونفيق صباحاً وقد نسيناها، كان لدى ليبان حلم راسخ: أن يصبح رئيس جمهورية الصومال. أخبرني يوماً بخطته: سيتخرج من قسم الهندسة النفطية ويسعى ليصبح وزير النفط، ويستمر في النضال حتى يغدو رئيس الجمهورية. حسب ما أدلى به فإن أحد الرؤساء السابقين كان وزيراً للنفط. يتابع ليبان سرد تفاصيل خطته، فعندما يصل إلى سدة الحكم سيتعامل مع الشعب بصرامة، فالشعب الصومالي مثل اليمني -حسب قوله- لا يمشي إلا والعصا على رأسه. شكرته كثيراً على مجاملته وهنأته على بصيرته السياسية، ففرقع ضاحكاً مرة أخرى. شرح لي بأن معنى ليبان هو ناجح أو فالح، لذا وأنا أقرأ هذا الكتاب فكرت أنه ربما نجح في خطته فبحثت بين وزراء الصومال وصُعقت عندما وجدت ليبان بينهم. لكن اتضح أنه ليبان آخر ويترأس وزارة الصحة لا النفط. بالطبع صديقي ليبان أطهر وأطيب من أن يكون سياسياً وأتمنى أنه قد أصبح "ليباناً" في مجال آخر.
مثل صديقي ليبان، يتمنى عبدي أفتين في ختام سيرته الذاتية أن يصبح رئيساً لجمهورية الصومال. يبدو أن إحباط الشباب من البزات العسكرية والأثواب القصيرة جعل أحد أحلامهم أن يصبحوا رؤساء لبلدانهم. في سيرته الذاتية، يستعرض أفتين معاناته ومعاناة بلاده التي مزقتها الحروب وضربها التطرف والمجاعة. لا شك أن القارئ العربي سيشعر بعناصر مشتركة ما بين بلده أو البلدان المجاورة والصومال، إلا أنني أجد محنة الصومال أشد وطئة وأطول مدة. هناك مشاهدة محطمة للأعصاب، وكلها منقولة من عينيّ الكاتب وليست من مشاهدته للأخبار أو قراءة الصحف.
ما يميز هذه السيرة –على الأقل بالنسبة لي- هو أن الكاتب من جيل الثمانينات -ربما بنفس عمري تقريباً-، شخص عادي جداً تربى في بيئة منغلقة مع رغبة شديدة للانفتاح على العالم عن طريق الموسيقى والأفلام. يمر أفتين بالمغامرة تلو الأخرى، وفي كل مرة تكون حياته على المحك. تتفكر في قصته وتتسائل عن ذنبه أو دوره حتى يتعرض هو وأسرته لكل ذلك التجويع والتشريد، ولن تجد جواباً يرضيك. وعلى كل فليست جميع تفاصيل حياته مؤلمة، بل تتخللها بعض اللحظات اللطيفة، المفاجآت والإنجازات التي تثلج الصدر. وفي كل الأحوال لا بد للقارئ أن يستشعر عاطفية الكاتب ومشاعره الجياشة سواء عند الخوف أو الحب أو الترقب أو الابتهاج..
قد يظهر الكاتب في مواضع كثيرة من النص كبوق دعاية لأمريكا وسياساتها في المنطقة. أعتقد أن أفتين يحكي الأمور من منظوره ومما واجهه في حياته. وبما أن الإنسان ابن تجربته فلا تثريب على الكاتب إذن.
الترجمة كانت سلسلة وجيدة في أغلب المواضع، لكنها كانت ركيكة في ترجمة بعض التعبيرات والمفردات العصرية على سهولتها. هذا إلى جانب الإسراف في الهوامش لدرجة تخصيص هوامش لنقاط واضحة أو لشخصيات ليست لها أهمية في النص. على كلٍ مستوى الترجمة ككل كان جيداً ومجهود يُشكر عليه المترجم.
سيرة ذاتية ممتازة لمن لديه الفضول أن يعرف أكثر عن الصومال، لمن يحب قصص التشبث بالأمل والتمسك بتلابيب الأحلام.
كان صديقي ليبان الصومالي حاضراً في بالي طوال قراءتي لهذا الكتاب. تعرفت على ليبان في أحد معاهد تعليم اللغة، وقد كان طالباً متميزاً وفائق النشاط. كنت ألتقيه مصادفة في أماكن مختلفة من مدينة تعز حيث كنا ندرس. أذكر في إحدى المرات أنه "انبثق" من خلف إحدى السيارات المتوقفة، ولم يكن خلفها سوى جدار، ثم تعجب لاستغرابي من تجسده المفاجئ. وعلى كل كان شديد المرح ويفرقع مقهقهاً لأبسط فكاهة، أحياناً لم تكن هناك فكاهة في الأساس.
بينما كانت لدي أنا وزملائي أحلام أسطورية نؤمن بها مساءً ونفيق صباحاً وقد نسيناها، كان لدى ليبان حلم راسخ: أن يصبح رئيس جمهورية الصومال. أخبرني يوماً بخطته: سيتخرج من قسم الهندسة النفطية ويسعى ليصبح وزير النفط، ويستمر في النضال حتى يغدو رئيس الجمهورية. حسب ما أدلى به فإن أحد الرؤساء السابقين كان وزيراً للنفط. يتابع ليبان سرد تفاصيل خطته، فعندما يصل إلى سدة الحكم سيتعامل مع الشعب بصرامة، فالشعب الصومالي مثل اليمني -حسب قوله- لا يمشي إلا والعصا على رأسه. شكرته كثيراً على مجاملته وهنأته على بصيرته السياسية، ففرقع ضاحكاً مرة أخرى. شرح لي بأن معنى ليبان هو ناجح أو فالح، لذا وأنا أقرأ هذا الكتاب فكرت أنه ربما نجح في خطته فبحثت بين وزراء الصومال وصُعقت عندما وجدت ليبان بينهم. لكن اتضح أنه ليبان آخر ويترأس وزارة الصحة لا النفط. بالطبع صديقي ليبان أطهر وأطيب من أن يكون سياسياً وأتمنى أنه قد أصبح "ليباناً" في مجال آخر.
مثل صديقي ليبان، يتمنى عبدي أفتين في ختام سيرته الذاتية أن يصبح رئيساً لجمهورية الصومال. يبدو أن إحباط الشباب من البزات العسكرية والأثواب القصيرة جعل أحد أحلامهم أن يصبحوا رؤساء لبلدانهم. في سيرته الذاتية، يستعرض أفتين معاناته ومعاناة بلاده التي مزقتها الحروب وضربها التطرف والمجاعة. لا شك أن القارئ العربي سيشعر بعناصر مشتركة ما بين بلده أو البلدان المجاورة والصومال، إلا أنني أجد محنة الصومال أشد وطئة وأطول مدة. هناك مشاهدة محطمة للأعصاب، وكلها منقولة من عينيّ الكاتب وليست من مشاهدته للأخبار أو قراءة الصحف.
ما يميز هذه السيرة –على الأقل بالنسبة لي- هو أن الكاتب من جيل الثمانينات -ربما بنفس عمري تقريباً-، شخص عادي جداً تربى في بيئة منغلقة مع رغبة شديدة للانفتاح على العالم عن طريق الموسيقى والأفلام. يمر أفتين بالمغامرة تلو الأخرى، وفي كل مرة تكون حياته على المحك. تتفكر في قصته وتتسائل عن ذنبه أو دوره حتى يتعرض هو وأسرته لكل ذلك التجويع والتشريد، ولن تجد جواباً يرضيك. وعلى كل فليست جميع تفاصيل حياته مؤلمة، بل تتخللها بعض اللحظات اللطيفة، المفاجآت والإنجازات التي تثلج الصدر. وفي كل الأحوال لا بد للقارئ أن يستشعر عاطفية الكاتب ومشاعره الجياشة سواء عند الخوف أو الحب أو الترقب أو الابتهاج..
قد يظهر الكاتب في مواضع كثيرة من النص كبوق دعاية لأمريكا وسياساتها في المنطقة. أعتقد أن أفتين يحكي الأمور من منظوره ومما واجهه في حياته. وبما أن الإنسان ابن تجربته فلا تثريب على الكاتب إذن.
الترجمة كانت سلسلة وجيدة في أغلب المواضع، لكنها كانت ركيكة في ترجمة بعض التعبيرات والمفردات العصرية على سهولتها. هذا إلى جانب الإسراف في الهوامش لدرجة تخصيص هوامش لنقاط واضحة أو لشخصيات ليست لها أهمية في النص. على كلٍ مستوى الترجمة ككل كان جيداً ومجهود يُشكر عليه المترجم.
سيرة ذاتية ممتازة لمن لديه الفضول أن يعرف أكثر عن الصومال، لمن يحب قصص التشبث بالأمل والتمسك بتلابيب الأحلام.
October 27, 2019
A page turner of a book! Whether speaking of his upbringing in rural Somalia or in Mogadishu and then later joining his brother in Nairobi, Kenya you are mesmerized by this autobiography.
Abdi Nor Iftin became a fan of American movies – the action kind – in his teenage years in Mogadishu. From his avid watching he gradually started to learn English – mind you many of the expressions he picked up were from “The Terminator” type of movies – so you can guess some of the expressions! He became a simultaneous translator during movie presentations in a small house in Mogadishu where these movies were shown on the sly. At that time Mogadishu was occupied by different warring clans. Life was beyond stressful and Abdi was pulled into many different directions. He had an Islamic upbringing and was tutored in the Quran at a mosque where the Iman frequently beat his students and proclaimed that Western culture was sinful - so movies, music, independent women (as in women singing and dancing)… all were forbidden and disdained.
Abdi moved warily between these two opposing ways of life, but really preferred the movies over attending the strict mosque where the Iman yelled at and beat his students for not properly memorizing passages from the Quran.
Page 96 (my book)
When Said Barre’s government [in Mogadishu] fell, the citizens stormed into the government arms stockpile. There were more guns in the city than people. There was more ammunition than food. It became a thing to own a gun to save your life. Most people slept with a loaded AK-47 sitting next to them.
There are searing descriptions of life in Mogadishu where Abdi is constantly under violent threat and where searching for food to overcome hunger was a daily task. The author leaves his mother and sister in Mogadishu for fear of being recruited in al-Shabaab and goes to join his brother in Nairobi, Kenya. Life is no picnic there, as he settles with his brother in an enclave in Nairobi known as “Little Mogadishu”. The Kenyan police constantly round-up Somalians and extract bribes from them – otherwise they will be beaten. The level of harassment increases on Somalians when al-Shabaab starts to target and terrorize different areas of Kenya and Nairobi.
After many types of applications and interviews Abdi manages to get a green card to go to the United States in a lottery process where he is luckily randomly selected. He enters the United States and it would be nice to say that all his dreams come true. He gets a lot of help from American people from the contacts he made in Mogadishu and Nairobi (this is where his English language skills helped tremendously). Abdi adapts and struggles to adjust to his dream.
This is a beautifully written memoir and you always feel the positive vibrations emanating from Abdi no matter how low his situation becomes, particularly during the tough years in Mogadishu. It should be noted that only a small portion of the book at the end is devoted to his new life in the United States.
Abdi Nor Iftin became a fan of American movies – the action kind – in his teenage years in Mogadishu. From his avid watching he gradually started to learn English – mind you many of the expressions he picked up were from “The Terminator” type of movies – so you can guess some of the expressions! He became a simultaneous translator during movie presentations in a small house in Mogadishu where these movies were shown on the sly. At that time Mogadishu was occupied by different warring clans. Life was beyond stressful and Abdi was pulled into many different directions. He had an Islamic upbringing and was tutored in the Quran at a mosque where the Iman frequently beat his students and proclaimed that Western culture was sinful - so movies, music, independent women (as in women singing and dancing)… all were forbidden and disdained.
Abdi moved warily between these two opposing ways of life, but really preferred the movies over attending the strict mosque where the Iman yelled at and beat his students for not properly memorizing passages from the Quran.
Page 96 (my book)
When Said Barre’s government [in Mogadishu] fell, the citizens stormed into the government arms stockpile. There were more guns in the city than people. There was more ammunition than food. It became a thing to own a gun to save your life. Most people slept with a loaded AK-47 sitting next to them.
There are searing descriptions of life in Mogadishu where Abdi is constantly under violent threat and where searching for food to overcome hunger was a daily task. The author leaves his mother and sister in Mogadishu for fear of being recruited in al-Shabaab and goes to join his brother in Nairobi, Kenya. Life is no picnic there, as he settles with his brother in an enclave in Nairobi known as “Little Mogadishu”. The Kenyan police constantly round-up Somalians and extract bribes from them – otherwise they will be beaten. The level of harassment increases on Somalians when al-Shabaab starts to target and terrorize different areas of Kenya and Nairobi.
After many types of applications and interviews Abdi manages to get a green card to go to the United States in a lottery process where he is luckily randomly selected. He enters the United States and it would be nice to say that all his dreams come true. He gets a lot of help from American people from the contacts he made in Mogadishu and Nairobi (this is where his English language skills helped tremendously). Abdi adapts and struggles to adjust to his dream.
This is a beautifully written memoir and you always feel the positive vibrations emanating from Abdi no matter how low his situation becomes, particularly during the tough years in Mogadishu. It should be noted that only a small portion of the book at the end is devoted to his new life in the United States.
January 2, 2019
Phenomenal, this has to be one of the best memoirs I've ever read. A riveting account of life in war-torn Somalia - even if memoirs aren't usually your thing I'd implore as many readers as possible to read Abdi's story.
September 15, 2020
عبدي نور إفتين، أو "عبدي الأمريكي" يشكل في حد ذاته مخزوناً ضخما من القصص الواقعية الملفته للانتباه.
يروي لنا عبدي في مذكراته قصة عبوره من جحيم الموت إلى أمريكا بعد صراع مضني ومحاولات عدة باء الكثير منها بالفشل. سعى الإسلاميون الأصوليون والحركات المسلحة الأخرى/ الميليشيات/ تنظيمات أخرى ك ( حركة الشباب) إلى مطاردته واضطهاد لسنوات. وكان ينجو في كل مرة وبأعجوبة.
المذكرات غنية بالمشاعر والأحداث والمواقف المؤلمة . وهي فرصة للتعرف على الصومال، والمجتمع الصومالي، وشيء من تاريخه الموشوم بالموت، والدم، والجوع والعطش، والمجاعة والقحط، والفقر و قلة الحيلة. حيث تسرد هذه المذكرات الكثير من الوقائع التاريخية والأحداث الفاصلة في تاريخ وحياة الكثير من الصوماليين.
يروي عبدي قصص عن حياة أمه وأبيه وهما يواجهان الأسود في الحياة الواقعية، وعن
افلات أسرته من الاعدام خلال هروبهم من موقاديشو حين تعرف احد مقاتلي الميليشيات على والده. ففي الاحتراب الأهلي يقتل الفرد بسبب هويته/ قبيلته/ عشيرته التي ينتمي إليها.
امام كل هذا الجزع كان هناك بريق أمل ل عبدي، أولها كان (فالِس )المرأة التي ستغير حياته إلى غير رجعة؛ كانت تمتلك سينما صغيرة أعدتها في كوخ ملحق بمنزلها، عمل لديها عبدي في التنظيف وترتيب المكان ومنها صار افتتان عبدي بالسينما يكبر يوماً بعد يوم، ومع مرور الوقت تعلم الانكليزية من الأفلام السينمائية، وكان لتعلمه اللغة الإنجليزية الفارق الأكبر في مسير حياته حيث أصر عبدي على تعلم المزيد وتحسين لغته التي وجدها اهم وسيلة للعبور ل أمريكا، كان وشقيقه حسن يستمعان للمذياع كل مساء، إلى برنامج تعلم الإنكليزية ( من صوت أمريكا) المسمى New Dynamic English . وأخذ مع الوقت يترجم باستمتاع للحضور، الأفلام الأجنبية المعروضة في سينما ( فالِس) . ولابد أن أذكر كيف ابتسم القدر له في أكثر من فرصة؛ حين التقى مصادفة ب پول في موقاديشو، حيث وضعه على درب بوصفه مراسلاً إذاعياً ( قدم الكثيير من التقارير والقصص عن طبيعة حياته في موقاديشو وكيف تقلبت أحواله من حال إلى حال في ظل المعارك والحروب، وصراع الميلشيات التي تطحن الشعب الصومالي يوميًا ذلك عبر برنامج the story... ) ، شارون تسمعه على الراديو في ميين( أمريكا) ذات مساء " شكلت شارن مكدونيل بعد استماعها لمعاناته ورغبته في مغادرة الصومال، مع أسرتها فريق حلم بحيث أسسوا صندوقاً لجمع التبرعات كي يدعموا عبدي وأسرته مادياً، كذلك ساهموا في توفير الدعم المادي والبشري ليسافر عبدي من الصومال إلى كينيا ومنها أخيراً إلى الولايات المتحدة"، علي سائق التاكسي الصومالي في كمپالا الذي أنقذه من (مطار عنتيبي) .قدر كبيير من الحظ السعيد كان يمشيي في جانبه. ومن دون مساعدة هؤلاء وآخرن لم يتسع المجال لذكرهم، لم يكن ليحقق عبدي حلمه في الذهاب إلى أمريكا. بل لم يكن هذا الكتاب اليوم بين أيدينا نقرأه ونحن نبتسم مع نهايته؛ (عبدي الأمريكي) من عداد الناجين من قطار الموت في الصومال.
أظن انه من الإجحاف عدم ذكر والدة عبدي ونضالها المرير في الحفاظ على حياة أبنائها الأربعة والتي لو لا كفاحها المستميت لما شهدنا النهاية السعيدة لهذه الرحلة.
أتمنى أن يحقق عبدي حلمه وينهي دراسة القانون في (جامعة ميين الجنوبية) في أمريكا، كما هو يخطط، وأن يصبح في يوم من الأيام كما يحلم رئيساً لجمهورية الصومال.
قصة ملهمة وحافلة بالكثيير من القصص والدروس والعبر . عبدي الأمريكي؛ "من صبي الحرب في موقاديشو إلى طالب في أحد الجامعات الأمريكية ذائعة الصيت."
June 27, 2018
In his Call Me American: A Memoir, Abdi Nor Iftin provides an indispensable and eloquent addition to the canon of American immigrant literature. Iftin adroitly relates his story of growing up in Mogadishu with parents forced to abandon their beloved nomadic life. Applying his intelligence, ingenuity, and curiosity, Iftin teaches himself English and American cultural tropes through watching American movies. ”My passion for American was ignited by Arnold Schwarzenegger.” Iftin becomes known in Mogadishu as “the American”, intermittently scrapes together a living by teaching English, and survives years of brutal civil wars. Through perseverance, good luck, and support from a small group of American and British journalists, aid workers, and physicians, Iftin wends his way from Somalia to Uganda to Kenya, and, eventually, the United States. Call Me American is an inspirational memoir, which shows the United States as the beacon for immigrants that it once was. ”Every time I tell my story, I am reminded how lucky I am to be here.” Tragically, Iftin’s monumental memoir may be the last of its kind.
July 13, 2018
"My future was a mystery, but at least I was leaving hell forever." from Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin
Abdi's Somalian parents were nomadic herders of camel and goats. His mother bore battle scars from the large cats she fought while protecting her herd. In 1977, drought left his parents with no option but to go to the city of Mogadishu. His father found work as a manual laborer before he became a successful basketball star. When Abdi was born in 1985, his family was living a comfortable life.
Also in 1977 Somalia and Ethiopia went to war marking the beginning of decades-long military and political instability. Clan warfare arose with warlords ruling Mogadishu.
By the time Abdi was six years old, the city had become a war zone and his family had lost everything had fled the city. Existence became a search for safety, with starvation and the threat of death their constant companions.
Call Me American is Abdi's story of how he survived.
Abdi tells of years of horror and fear yet there is no anger or self-pity in his telling. He and his brother Hassam used their wiles to provide their mother with the necessities of water and a little maize and milk for meals.
When Abdi discovered American movies and music and culture he fell in love with America, and by imitating the culture in the movies became Abdi American. He envisioned a life of personal freedom. He taught himself English and then educated others. He was discovered by NPR's This American Life and he sent them secret dispatches about his life.
After radical Islamists took power, anything Western was outlawed. Abdi was punished if he grew his hair too long and had to hide his boom box and music that once provided entertainment at weddings. His girlfriend had to wear a burka and they could no longer walk the sandy beach hand-in-hand.
Knowing he faced the choice of death or joining the radical Islamic militia, Abdi pursued every option to come to America. The process is complicated and few are accepted. He fled Somalia to join his brother at a Kenyan refugee camp where his brother had gone years before.
Abdi had his NPR contacts and even letters from seven US Senators (including Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters from my home state of Michigan) but was turned down. Miraculously, Abdi was a diversity immigrant lottery winner. The required papers were a struggle to obtain when they existed at all. He had to bribe police, and transport to get to the airport. He was 'adopted' by an American family but had to learn the culture and find employment. After several years Abdi found work as a Somali-English translator and is now in law school.
I read this during the Fourth of July week. I don't think anything else could have impressed on me the privileged and protected life I have enjoyed. America has its problems, and when Abdi wins the green card lottery and completes the complicated process necessary to come to America he sees them first hand.
I am thankful for the personal freedoms I have enjoyed. I have never had to sleep in a dirt hole in the ground for protection or worried that by flushing the toilet soldiers would discover me and force me into the militia. No teacher ever strung me up by the wrists and whipped me. I never dodged bullets to get a bucket of water.
I could go on.
Somalia is one of the countries that Trump included in the immigration ban. Had Abdi not escaped when he did, he would not have been allowed to come to America.
I am here to make America great. I did not come here to take anything. I came here to contribute, and to offer and to give. Abdi Nor Iftin in NPR interview
I won a book from the publisher in a giveaway.
Abdi's Somalian parents were nomadic herders of camel and goats. His mother bore battle scars from the large cats she fought while protecting her herd. In 1977, drought left his parents with no option but to go to the city of Mogadishu. His father found work as a manual laborer before he became a successful basketball star. When Abdi was born in 1985, his family was living a comfortable life.
Also in 1977 Somalia and Ethiopia went to war marking the beginning of decades-long military and political instability. Clan warfare arose with warlords ruling Mogadishu.
By the time Abdi was six years old, the city had become a war zone and his family had lost everything had fled the city. Existence became a search for safety, with starvation and the threat of death their constant companions.
Call Me American is Abdi's story of how he survived.
Abdi tells of years of horror and fear yet there is no anger or self-pity in his telling. He and his brother Hassam used their wiles to provide their mother with the necessities of water and a little maize and milk for meals.
When Abdi discovered American movies and music and culture he fell in love with America, and by imitating the culture in the movies became Abdi American. He envisioned a life of personal freedom. He taught himself English and then educated others. He was discovered by NPR's This American Life and he sent them secret dispatches about his life.
After radical Islamists took power, anything Western was outlawed. Abdi was punished if he grew his hair too long and had to hide his boom box and music that once provided entertainment at weddings. His girlfriend had to wear a burka and they could no longer walk the sandy beach hand-in-hand.
Knowing he faced the choice of death or joining the radical Islamic militia, Abdi pursued every option to come to America. The process is complicated and few are accepted. He fled Somalia to join his brother at a Kenyan refugee camp where his brother had gone years before.
Abdi had his NPR contacts and even letters from seven US Senators (including Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters from my home state of Michigan) but was turned down. Miraculously, Abdi was a diversity immigrant lottery winner. The required papers were a struggle to obtain when they existed at all. He had to bribe police, and transport to get to the airport. He was 'adopted' by an American family but had to learn the culture and find employment. After several years Abdi found work as a Somali-English translator and is now in law school.
I read this during the Fourth of July week. I don't think anything else could have impressed on me the privileged and protected life I have enjoyed. America has its problems, and when Abdi wins the green card lottery and completes the complicated process necessary to come to America he sees them first hand.
I am thankful for the personal freedoms I have enjoyed. I have never had to sleep in a dirt hole in the ground for protection or worried that by flushing the toilet soldiers would discover me and force me into the militia. No teacher ever strung me up by the wrists and whipped me. I never dodged bullets to get a bucket of water.
I could go on.
Somalia is one of the countries that Trump included in the immigration ban. Had Abdi not escaped when he did, he would not have been allowed to come to America.
I am here to make America great. I did not come here to take anything. I came here to contribute, and to offer and to give. Abdi Nor Iftin in NPR interview
I won a book from the publisher in a giveaway.
May 10, 2018
Growing up in war-torn Somalia, Abdi Nor Iftin narrowly escaped death more than a few times. Watching American movies provided a source of comfort to him and it's how he was able to learn English. But in 2006, Islamic extremists come to power and Western culture influences are not only banned but could have deadly consequences for Abdi. With the help of strangers who have been captivated by Abdi sharing his experiences on NPR and the Internet, he is able to flee to Kenya and eventually finds his way to America via the visa lottery. But does the land of the free meet Abdi's expectations?
I feel like whatever I write in this review won't do this book justice. I really hope this book finds an audience because Abdi's life story is incredible and one worth reading. I read memoirs frequently, including ones that take place in war-torn countries, and I would place this book among the very best I have read in the genre. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions. His descriptions of his life growing up are heartbreaking but through it all his spirit somehow remains unbreakable. I can't say enough good things about this book and it's one I highly recommend!
Thank you First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views considered are my honest opinion.
I feel like whatever I write in this review won't do this book justice. I really hope this book finds an audience because Abdi's life story is incredible and one worth reading. I read memoirs frequently, including ones that take place in war-torn countries, and I would place this book among the very best I have read in the genre. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions. His descriptions of his life growing up are heartbreaking but through it all his spirit somehow remains unbreakable. I can't say enough good things about this book and it's one I highly recommend!
Thank you First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views considered are my honest opinion.
September 16, 2018
can't remember the last time a book made me cry this hard (maybe bridge to terabithia ?). I went all day after reading this book. It's harrowing to be reminded that life is so hard for so many people. Abdi gets a magic ticket that saves him from war, violence, and oppression--an American visa. I can relate. He won the life lottery and it makes me so sad that so many people have to leave their home country just to feel safe. Everyone should read this book and we should all work to do something about this.
April 21, 2023
Call Me American: A Memoir is a book about the importance of imagination for someone whose life is filled with little beyond physical & geographic constraints in a war-torn country called Somalia. The author, Abdi Nor Iftin uses his imagination & an inner reservoir of hope & courage to transcend many barriers & boundaries, only some of which are territorial, in a landscape largely controlled by tribal warlords in what would most certainly be called a country typified by excrement, to paraphrase an American president.
How Abdi manages to succeed in his desire to become an American is a most fascinating tale, told by a young man who felt that he was at heart an American before he really had much of a sense of where the United States was situated on a map of the world.
As some have had their lives altered & even transformed by a book or by an intersection with someone who becomes greatly influential, Abdi Nor Iftin becomes virtually addicted to American films shown with the aid of an unreliable generator in a dirt-floored hut in Mogadishu. Yes, Hollywood has been called a "dream factory" but seldom if ever has it been more true than in the case of a Somali boy who came to feel that "all the curses of the universe had descended on my family" but through American films comes to visualize a world beyond the destitution, disease, famine & clan warfare of his native Somalia.
This is the way it works for some who are in search of a dream, Abdi Nor Iftin among them: watching Arnold Schwarzenegger provides Abdi not with a ticket out of Mogadishu but with an alternate reality to contemplate & take aim at. Years before in Austria in the aftermath of WWII, Arnold Schwarzenegger became an immigrant to the United States after being uplifted by the Tarzan movies featuring Johnny Weissmuller, himself an Austro-Hungarian immigrant to America, arriving at Ellis Island in 1905 from a village in what is presently part of Romania.
In my opinion, America must continue to serve as a place of refuge for contemporary Schwarzeneggers & Weissmullers, people fleeing the ravages of war, sectional violence & natural catastrophes, "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" and much like Abdi Nor Iftin, in search of a dream, which by its very telling, will enhance the United States or any receiving country.
Abdi's family was nomadic & carried no real sense of nationality, with one's identity rooted in a particular tribe and in his their case, a rather small & powerless tribe. After the colonial powers that had partitioned today's Somalia into zones that were Italian (the south), British (the middle & part of the northern portion) & French (the extreme north that is presently a country called Djibouti), it was decided to fabricate a unified post-colonial country with the Italian & British parts.
Only the presence of a strongman named Siad Barre, after a 1969 coup, kept the many clans with distinct tribal loyalties under a semblance of control. With the overthrow of Barre some 15 years later, Somalia fractured and drifted into a state of regional control by various militia, ultimately becoming a "failed state" without ever having had much of an opportunity to become a successful one.
Abdi's family flees to the capital of Mogadishu in search of only temporary safety as the countryside is devastated by warring tribes & then has to flee again, back to their old & very insecure homeland when the capital becomes embroiled in almost constant warfare including suicide bombings & the attempt to force young boys into militant militias favoring one clan or another. Abdi's dad is captured & led away, his little sister dies of starvation & at age 6 he is confronted with the notion that even relative safety seems beyond the grasp of Abdi's family & most Somalis.
Curiously, taking Koran classes, the only schooling Abdi had ever had at that point, provides him with some structure and later, having learned some English via the films he has watched + a few discarded books in that language, an older Abdi attempts to serve as an interpreter and using his own devices during a temporary lull in the battle for control of Mogadishu, even fashions himself as a teacher of English in an attempt to earn money. However, being called "the American" by some puts Abdi in even more peril.
Eventually, Abdi manages to flee to Uganda & then to Nairobi in Kenya with the help of an American reporter he has met & others who see in him, a yearning that seems almost unquenchable. In time & against the longest of odds, Abdi wins an escape to safety via the "diversity lottery" and makes his way to Maine & a family willing to offer him shelter as well as safety in America.
Like so very many, Abdi Nor Iftin carries with him the imprint of his native country, having left a brother in Kenya still in search of a new homeland & other family members back in Somalia who still must contend with constant uncertainty & continuing violence. But now, Abdi is able to send home remittances to assist his family back in Somalia. And even while safe in America, Donald Trump's condemnation of Muslims strikes fear in Abdi, even though as he departed for America he told his brother, "I am going to the land of the free & am done with fear".
Rating this book is an almost impossible task. The story of Abdi Nor Iftin rates a 5 without question but as a literary work, it is hardly an epic effort. I recommend Call Me American, a Memoir to anyone keen to learn something about Somalia & its continuing struggle and especially to everyone who has doubts about the amazing people the United States gains by opening its borders with great care to those who desire to call themselves American.
*I had the good fortune to meet Abdi Nor Iftin on October 18th, 2018 when he came to tell his story to those who filled an auditorium though the auspices of my local library. He spoke with great assurance & signed my copy of his book with the Somali words for "Good Luck", Nassib Wanaagsan. Let us wish Abbdi the same as his dream continues to unfold.
**By way of an update, Abdi Iftin spoke today (3/21/21) via Zoom to a local congregation I am a member of. He is still attempting to aid his brother in leaving the Kenyan refugee camp, speaks frequently with his mother in Somalia by phone, has encountered racism in America and is now a student at Boston College, majoring in Political Science, hoping upon graduation to work in some field that will benefit immigrants, refugees & others like himself.
How Abdi manages to succeed in his desire to become an American is a most fascinating tale, told by a young man who felt that he was at heart an American before he really had much of a sense of where the United States was situated on a map of the world.
As some have had their lives altered & even transformed by a book or by an intersection with someone who becomes greatly influential, Abdi Nor Iftin becomes virtually addicted to American films shown with the aid of an unreliable generator in a dirt-floored hut in Mogadishu. Yes, Hollywood has been called a "dream factory" but seldom if ever has it been more true than in the case of a Somali boy who came to feel that "all the curses of the universe had descended on my family" but through American films comes to visualize a world beyond the destitution, disease, famine & clan warfare of his native Somalia.
This is the way it works for some who are in search of a dream, Abdi Nor Iftin among them: watching Arnold Schwarzenegger provides Abdi not with a ticket out of Mogadishu but with an alternate reality to contemplate & take aim at. Years before in Austria in the aftermath of WWII, Arnold Schwarzenegger became an immigrant to the United States after being uplifted by the Tarzan movies featuring Johnny Weissmuller, himself an Austro-Hungarian immigrant to America, arriving at Ellis Island in 1905 from a village in what is presently part of Romania.
In my opinion, America must continue to serve as a place of refuge for contemporary Schwarzeneggers & Weissmullers, people fleeing the ravages of war, sectional violence & natural catastrophes, "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" and much like Abdi Nor Iftin, in search of a dream, which by its very telling, will enhance the United States or any receiving country.
Abdi's family was nomadic & carried no real sense of nationality, with one's identity rooted in a particular tribe and in his their case, a rather small & powerless tribe. After the colonial powers that had partitioned today's Somalia into zones that were Italian (the south), British (the middle & part of the northern portion) & French (the extreme north that is presently a country called Djibouti), it was decided to fabricate a unified post-colonial country with the Italian & British parts.
Only the presence of a strongman named Siad Barre, after a 1969 coup, kept the many clans with distinct tribal loyalties under a semblance of control. With the overthrow of Barre some 15 years later, Somalia fractured and drifted into a state of regional control by various militia, ultimately becoming a "failed state" without ever having had much of an opportunity to become a successful one.
Abdi's family flees to the capital of Mogadishu in search of only temporary safety as the countryside is devastated by warring tribes & then has to flee again, back to their old & very insecure homeland when the capital becomes embroiled in almost constant warfare including suicide bombings & the attempt to force young boys into militant militias favoring one clan or another. Abdi's dad is captured & led away, his little sister dies of starvation & at age 6 he is confronted with the notion that even relative safety seems beyond the grasp of Abdi's family & most Somalis.
As the sun is rising, we creep through a thorn fence & I see the bodies of a man & a woman in an embrace of death. Just beyond them I see a woman on her back crying, blood coming from her stomach, stray dogs about to feast. Then shots thud against a wall beside us and we turn & flee back to the remnant of a house. I am six years old & learning that nowhere in the world is safe.By 2008, Somalia had been at war for 17 years & drought further ravages the country but Abdi suggests that calling this living hell a "war" was too polite; instead, with a million dead & well beyond a million Somalis homeless "it is just endless gory terrorism on starving civilians who did not care which side won."
Curiously, taking Koran classes, the only schooling Abdi had ever had at that point, provides him with some structure and later, having learned some English via the films he has watched + a few discarded books in that language, an older Abdi attempts to serve as an interpreter and using his own devices during a temporary lull in the battle for control of Mogadishu, even fashions himself as a teacher of English in an attempt to earn money. However, being called "the American" by some puts Abdi in even more peril.
Eventually, Abdi manages to flee to Uganda & then to Nairobi in Kenya with the help of an American reporter he has met & others who see in him, a yearning that seems almost unquenchable. In time & against the longest of odds, Abdi wins an escape to safety via the "diversity lottery" and makes his way to Maine & a family willing to offer him shelter as well as safety in America.
Like so very many, Abdi Nor Iftin carries with him the imprint of his native country, having left a brother in Kenya still in search of a new homeland & other family members back in Somalia who still must contend with constant uncertainty & continuing violence. But now, Abdi is able to send home remittances to assist his family back in Somalia. And even while safe in America, Donald Trump's condemnation of Muslims strikes fear in Abdi, even though as he departed for America he told his brother, "I am going to the land of the free & am done with fear".
Rating this book is an almost impossible task. The story of Abdi Nor Iftin rates a 5 without question but as a literary work, it is hardly an epic effort. I recommend Call Me American, a Memoir to anyone keen to learn something about Somalia & its continuing struggle and especially to everyone who has doubts about the amazing people the United States gains by opening its borders with great care to those who desire to call themselves American.
*I had the good fortune to meet Abdi Nor Iftin on October 18th, 2018 when he came to tell his story to those who filled an auditorium though the auspices of my local library. He spoke with great assurance & signed my copy of his book with the Somali words for "Good Luck", Nassib Wanaagsan. Let us wish Abbdi the same as his dream continues to unfold.
**By way of an update, Abdi Iftin spoke today (3/21/21) via Zoom to a local congregation I am a member of. He is still attempting to aid his brother in leaving the Kenyan refugee camp, speaks frequently with his mother in Somalia by phone, has encountered racism in America and is now a student at Boston College, majoring in Political Science, hoping upon graduation to work in some field that will benefit immigrants, refugees & others like himself.
June 18, 2018
This memoir tells the story of Abdi Iftin, affectionately known as Abdi American, who survives several civil wars in Somalia and comes to emigrate to America through grit, perseverance, and a little bit of luck.
This book was extremely graphic in the way it described the horrors Abdi and his family faced, in addition to being subject to extreme poverty and abuse at the hand of his schoolteacher. It also contained some interesting tidbits, such as how one little boy from his neighborhood ended up fleeing Somalia to become a breakout star in the Tom Hanks' film, "Captain Phillips".
One of my gripes with this book is, it tended to drag on during certain parts of his story. I found myself quickly skimming through certain paragraphs that I felt didn't add anything new or relevant to his life story. Also, I was left feeling unsatisfied with the last chapter in the book. There were some unanswered questions that would have wrapped up the story nicely. For example, what happened with Abdi and Fatuma?!
Overall, I would recommend this book to read if you're interested in learning more about the conditions people in Somalia faced during their civil wars from a firsthand perspective.
I received this ARC from Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
This book was extremely graphic in the way it described the horrors Abdi and his family faced, in addition to being subject to extreme poverty and abuse at the hand of his schoolteacher. It also contained some interesting tidbits, such as how one little boy from his neighborhood ended up fleeing Somalia to become a breakout star in the Tom Hanks' film, "Captain Phillips".
One of my gripes with this book is, it tended to drag on during certain parts of his story. I found myself quickly skimming through certain paragraphs that I felt didn't add anything new or relevant to his life story. Also, I was left feeling unsatisfied with the last chapter in the book. There were some unanswered questions that would have wrapped up the story nicely. For example, what happened with Abdi and Fatuma?!
Overall, I would recommend this book to read if you're interested in learning more about the conditions people in Somalia faced during their civil wars from a firsthand perspective.
I received this ARC from Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2018
In the dictionary, as a definition to the word "optimist" should be Abdi Nor Iftin's photograph. He grew up in Somalia where he learned English by watching American movies (Arnold Schwartzenegger?) and listening to American music (Michael Jackson). He taught "American" to his friends and family.
Once war breaks out in his homeland, he decides it is time for his dream - to move to America and become a citizen. His first step was to escape to Kenya where time and time again, law enforcement shake down Abdi and his brother, taking their cash instead of detaining them on a trumped (the author was horrified when the 2016 election results were known) up charges.
Thankfully, he had made contact with some powerful people in the U.S. and out who couldn't always ease his way, but there were many rooting for him.
Wonderful narrator, too. Recommend. Recommend. Recommend.
Once war breaks out in his homeland, he decides it is time for his dream - to move to America and become a citizen. His first step was to escape to Kenya where time and time again, law enforcement shake down Abdi and his brother, taking their cash instead of detaining them on a trumped (the author was horrified when the 2016 election results were known) up charges.
Thankfully, he had made contact with some powerful people in the U.S. and out who couldn't always ease his way, but there were many rooting for him.
Wonderful narrator, too. Recommend. Recommend. Recommend.
June 25, 2018
"Call Me American" A Memior by Abdi Nor Iftin did a number on me. I felt for Abdi and what his family went through and might still be going through. The world can be so tiring at times.... *sigh*
This Memior is about Abdi, who grew up in Somalia which is in constant war. We get a first hand account what it is like living in a country that is constantly at war. The hopelessness in this book was palatable. At one point the author described that his brother felt so hopeless he had to leave. The book covers Abdi's life before and after he won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery and was granted a green card.
This book is heavy and laced with violence and hopelessness. It will make you question humanity and where we went wrong but it is also required reading.
This Memior is about Abdi, who grew up in Somalia which is in constant war. We get a first hand account what it is like living in a country that is constantly at war. The hopelessness in this book was palatable. At one point the author described that his brother felt so hopeless he had to leave. The book covers Abdi's life before and after he won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery and was granted a green card.
This book is heavy and laced with violence and hopelessness. It will make you question humanity and where we went wrong but it is also required reading.
July 5, 2018
I had the opportunity to hear Abdi speak with Portland’s Mayor Strimling last month and was very touched by his story. I learned a lot about Somalia from this book, and my eyes were opened even more to the immigrant experience. I’m so glad Abdi shared his story and hope he’ll achieve all he hopes to in his life.
March 29, 2019
The fact that Abdi Iftin is alive to tell his story after his tumultuous early life in war-torn Somalia is incredible in itself; the way his life events led him to be able to write and publish his story for a Western audience is nothing short of miraculous. Can’t recommend reading this book highly enough.
January 4, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy!
I originally picked this up because I heard part of Abdi's story on This American Life, on an episode about how he won the visa lottery and immigrated to the United States. This memoir goes back much further - it begins with the story of his nomadic parents meeting and moving to Mogadishu because of a terrible drought, and then follows his family as war tears apart Somalia and forces them out of their home and into years of horror. It's painful to read, straightforward in its descriptions of life in Somalia but also sprinkled with lighthearted memories of Abdi and his brother and friends.
Abdi is such a remarkable person (he taught himself English from Schwarzenegger and Stalone movies, what!), and his memoir is powerful and readable and thorough, a good crash course about a country and culture I honestly don't know much about. What was especially striking to me was that even though he is so determined and persevering, so much of what happens to him is entirely luck: he happens to meet a reporter who sets him up to record dispatches to international radio stations, which leads to making friends out of listeners in the US who are able to advocate for him (often unsuccessfully) from afar. An incredible story that taught me so much.
I originally picked this up because I heard part of Abdi's story on This American Life, on an episode about how he won the visa lottery and immigrated to the United States. This memoir goes back much further - it begins with the story of his nomadic parents meeting and moving to Mogadishu because of a terrible drought, and then follows his family as war tears apart Somalia and forces them out of their home and into years of horror. It's painful to read, straightforward in its descriptions of life in Somalia but also sprinkled with lighthearted memories of Abdi and his brother and friends.
Abdi is such a remarkable person (he taught himself English from Schwarzenegger and Stalone movies, what!), and his memoir is powerful and readable and thorough, a good crash course about a country and culture I honestly don't know much about. What was especially striking to me was that even though he is so determined and persevering, so much of what happens to him is entirely luck: he happens to meet a reporter who sets him up to record dispatches to international radio stations, which leads to making friends out of listeners in the US who are able to advocate for him (often unsuccessfully) from afar. An incredible story that taught me so much.
July 23, 2018
I received this remarkable memoir as a Giveaways winner. I want to thank Goodreads and Knopf.
How many of us can fathom learning a foreign language from watching action movies? I can't. But that is exactly what Abdi Nor Iftin did. Growing up in war-torn Somalia, he began teaching himself English at an early age by watching films like The Terminator. His love of American culture, combined with a desire to escape a ravaged Mogadishu, led to a determination that is to be admired. Iftin’s story is harrowing, a life lived under unbelievably brutal conditions. Frequently beaten, often facing starvation, his life was one of dodging bullets while on the run to the next hiding place. Despite the horrors depicted, Iftin manages to have a surprisingly hopeful and upbeat voice. He maintains a firm control of both his story and his tone, never allowing it to slip into what could very easily be an unbearable read. The fact that Iftin did manage to finally escape the horrors of his country and write such an eloquent and moving memoir is simply extraordinary. The odds were never in his favor and, with the current travel ban in place, impossible today.
The New York Times Book Review interviews an author each week and a frequently asked question is, “If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?” The question itself is totally ridiculous and I wonder why it is still asked. Any author’s recommendation would have to be a toddler’s picture book. But if I could play author, my reply today would be, “ Call Me American”. I can dream that reading a book could change the direction of this country and its immigration policies, can’t I? This is an eye-opening look at Somalia and the inspiring journey of a man who deserves to find a place here and to be called an American. Highly recommended.
How many of us can fathom learning a foreign language from watching action movies? I can't. But that is exactly what Abdi Nor Iftin did. Growing up in war-torn Somalia, he began teaching himself English at an early age by watching films like The Terminator. His love of American culture, combined with a desire to escape a ravaged Mogadishu, led to a determination that is to be admired. Iftin’s story is harrowing, a life lived under unbelievably brutal conditions. Frequently beaten, often facing starvation, his life was one of dodging bullets while on the run to the next hiding place. Despite the horrors depicted, Iftin manages to have a surprisingly hopeful and upbeat voice. He maintains a firm control of both his story and his tone, never allowing it to slip into what could very easily be an unbearable read. The fact that Iftin did manage to finally escape the horrors of his country and write such an eloquent and moving memoir is simply extraordinary. The odds were never in his favor and, with the current travel ban in place, impossible today.
The New York Times Book Review interviews an author each week and a frequently asked question is, “If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?” The question itself is totally ridiculous and I wonder why it is still asked. Any author’s recommendation would have to be a toddler’s picture book. But if I could play author, my reply today would be, “ Call Me American”. I can dream that reading a book could change the direction of this country and its immigration policies, can’t I? This is an eye-opening look at Somalia and the inspiring journey of a man who deserves to find a place here and to be called an American. Highly recommended.
March 18, 2022
Wow, this was so good. I spent the majority of my day reading this today.
January 10, 2021
ممتع جدا حكاية الرحلة و المغامرة لخلق الحياة المفقودة في الصومال
December 24, 2018
This was one of the heaviest books I have read in a while. It’s devastatingly sad and the circumstances are unimaginable for most of us which is why his ambition and hope for the future is so awe inspiring. I couldn’t give this book less than 5 stars and I only wish there was a way to ensure more people would read this book. Abdi Iftiin’s shoes need to be walked in by more people.
June 10, 2018
"I didn't want to die for them; I wanted to live in a beautiful American city with paved roads, gorgeous women, money, cards, and jobs."
I received a copy of this book from firsttoread.com in exchange for an honest review.
While I learned from this book and the content is interesting something about the way it was written took me out of the story. The author shares the harrowing story of his life growing up in war torn Somalia and his desire to be an American. He shares how he survived in Mogadishu and his love of American films and trying to immigrate.
The tense of the story changes in a couple places and there are times the author writes in a way that's sort of passive as if removing himself from the experience but overall it's an informative read, especially for people unfamiliar with what the US's involvement with Somalia. It's a story that will stick with you.
I received a copy of this book from firsttoread.com in exchange for an honest review.
While I learned from this book and the content is interesting something about the way it was written took me out of the story. The author shares the harrowing story of his life growing up in war torn Somalia and his desire to be an American. He shares how he survived in Mogadishu and his love of American films and trying to immigrate.
The tense of the story changes in a couple places and there are times the author writes in a way that's sort of passive as if removing himself from the experience but overall it's an informative read, especially for people unfamiliar with what the US's involvement with Somalia. It's a story that will stick with you.
April 25, 2020
This book left me heartbroken and hopeful, thankful for the privilege of being born an American but wanting so much for my country and our world. This is by far the best book I have read in 2020.
February 6, 2024
Call me American is a moving memoir about a boy growing up in Mogadishu in a state of constant civil war—with different clans and warlords vying for control, and in the end, a brutal dictatorship under Sharia law. As a boy, he has to dodge bullets to hawk water-bottles and qat; he has to escape for a period with his mother through the desert littered with mauled corpses; throughout his childhood, he is constantly beaten during his Koran lessons and would be whipped for the innocently transgressing Sharia law by going to the beach. The only redeeming hope in his life is America. As a boy, he discovers a small movie theatre where they would play popular American films (Terminator in particular appeals to him) and he becomes obsessed with learning English. He collects words from films, writes them all over his wall, and in time, he becomes so adept that he can translate the movie dialogue. When American soldiers arrive to broker peace in the city, he imagines himself in a blockbuster film and chases the helicopters wanting to see how they will defeat the cruel militiamen. For a brief time, before anti-American sentiment takes hold of the city, he even teaches English. For him, secular America—its wealth, its glamor, its technology—represents everything he wants in life. His friends start to call him "Abdi American". Even before he comes to America, he thinks of himself as American.
In many ways, it's a traditional refugee story, one that puts so much desperate, naive hope in escaping the war-torn country to reach a Utopian destination of asylum. It presents a harrowing picture of interminable shooting, pervasive starvation, cruel refugee camps, and callous bureaucracy. And yet at the same time, this memoir is haunting in its emotional stiltedness: when Iftin is kicked out of home, we never really hear what his mother thinks or says; when his father leaves for another city to take a new wife, we never understand how the family feels about this; when Iftin flees to Nairobi, wins the lottery to apply for a green card and has to scrounge up all the requisite documents, all while Kenyan police surveil his apartment, we never hear how his brother, Hassan, feels about his brother leaving him forever. There is so much harrowing drama and anxious suspense that there is rarely any room for emotional introspection. It is a quick-paced story of survival.
In many ways, it's a traditional refugee story, one that puts so much desperate, naive hope in escaping the war-torn country to reach a Utopian destination of asylum. It presents a harrowing picture of interminable shooting, pervasive starvation, cruel refugee camps, and callous bureaucracy. And yet at the same time, this memoir is haunting in its emotional stiltedness: when Iftin is kicked out of home, we never really hear what his mother thinks or says; when his father leaves for another city to take a new wife, we never understand how the family feels about this; when Iftin flees to Nairobi, wins the lottery to apply for a green card and has to scrounge up all the requisite documents, all while Kenyan police surveil his apartment, we never hear how his brother, Hassan, feels about his brother leaving him forever. There is so much harrowing drama and anxious suspense that there is rarely any room for emotional introspection. It is a quick-paced story of survival.
January 22, 2023
من المنطقي أنك عندما تقرر أن تقرأ سيرة ذاتية فستختار سيرة ذاتية لشخص يعرفه الجميع و ربما غير العالم. مع هذا الكتاب كان إختياري لا منطقي إلا إني كنت أريد أن أشتري كتب من دار المدى و وقع اختياري على هذا الكتاب دون مدح من أحد ولربما كان أجمل اختياراتي لذلك اليوم.
الكاتب يميط اللثام عن هذا البلد القريب جداً من خليجنا العربي والذي بالكاد أعرف عنه شيء و الذي من خلال الأحداث المثيرة دفعني الكاتب لأن أتوقف كثيراً لأفتش عن معلومات يذكرها .. منطقة معينة في الصومال , رئيس قاد حرب , نهر يغذي قلب الصومال, قردة من فصيلة غير مهددة بالإنقراض تنافس الصوماليين على المانجو و غيرها الكثير من المعلومات التي دفعتي للتوقف كثيراً و البحث عنها كي تكون الصورة أوضح وأمتع. ألم أقل لكم إني لا أعلم الكثير عن هذا البلد. شاءت الظروف أن ألتقي برجل صومالي يعمل في الكويت و أناقشه حول المواضيع في الكتاب. كان له آراء مخالفة عن الكاتب و هذا أمر طبيعي لكن الرجل استمتع جداً بالحديث حتى كان يصحح لي نطق بعض المناطق و ودعني بحرارة.
يحسب للكاتب القدرة العجيبة للتحول بين السرعة و البطيء و تحسب في لحظات كثيرة جداً إنه نجا ثم يعود من جديد أشبهه تماماً مثل لعبة الحية عندما تأكلك في آخر لحظات لتعود لنقطة الصفر و هكذا تعيش طوال الكتاب في لحظات مثيرة لا تنتهي , توقفت عند كثير منها و صورت ذلك للأصدقاء في سناب معبراً عن الكم الهائل من النعم الذي نعيشه ولا نحس به و نأخذ الأمر كمسلمات وما لا يدركه الكثير بأن الصومال رغم ويلات و أهوال الحروب و الصراعات إلا إنه على الأقل يمتلك أنهار عذبه و خضار و بيئة صالحة للحياة و نحن في الخليج لا نملك أي من ذلك لولا التقنية إلا إننا نتناسى ذلك و لو استوعبنا كم النعم لهانت جميع مشاكل حياتنا اليومية.
رغم الآلام التي لا تنتهي في الكتاب إلا إني وددت لو كان بإمكاني أن أعطيه نقاط أكثر من الخمسه إلا إن ذلك غير ممكن للأسف.
السلبية الوحيدة في الكتاب هو إنه على الرغم من إن الكاتب مسلم و يحفظ القرآن عن ظهر قلب إلا إنه شن هجوم قاسي للغاية على المتدينين و صورهم بشكل لم أراه في حياتي و أنا من قلب الجزيرة العربية وسيخرج قاريء الكتاب الأجنبي بصورة سلبية جداً عن الإسلام بعد الإنتهاء من الكتاب إلا إني أغفر للكاتب أمر و هو إنه عكس الصورة التي عايشها و ربما ذلك حدث بالفعل ويحدث حتى اليوم في ظل جهل شديد بروح الدين لذلك لا أستطيع أن أحكم عليه بالمبالغة وأنا أعيش في بيئة مختلفة تماماً عما عاش.
هذا النوع من الكتب هو ما يحمسني لأن أنادي القراء بتقليل القراءة في الروايات حيث إن كل ما يملك المؤلف هو خياله فإن أراد أرسل لك خفافيش و إن شاء أنقذ البطل من أهوال المصاعب بجرة قلم وربما يحدث كل ذلك على كوكب زحل. المذكرات هي قصة لكنها على أرض الواقع يمكن أن تعاينها بنفسك ولا يمكن أن يخرج الكاتب نفسه من المأزق من خلال جرة قلم ولذلك تأثيرها أوقع بالنسبة لي على الأقل.
أكرر دعوتي لتقليل قراءة الروايات و التوجه نحو السير الذاتية و هذا الكتاب هو أفضل مثال على صحة دعوتي.
الكاتب يميط اللثام عن هذا البلد القريب جداً من خليجنا العربي والذي بالكاد أعرف عنه شيء و الذي من خلال الأحداث المثيرة دفعني الكاتب لأن أتوقف كثيراً لأفتش عن معلومات يذكرها .. منطقة معينة في الصومال , رئيس قاد حرب , نهر يغذي قلب الصومال, قردة من فصيلة غير مهددة بالإنقراض تنافس الصوماليين على المانجو و غيرها الكثير من المعلومات التي دفعتي للتوقف كثيراً و البحث عنها كي تكون الصورة أوضح وأمتع. ألم أقل لكم إني لا أعلم الكثير عن هذا البلد. شاءت الظروف أن ألتقي برجل صومالي يعمل في الكويت و أناقشه حول المواضيع في الكتاب. كان له آراء مخالفة عن الكاتب و هذا أمر طبيعي لكن الرجل استمتع جداً بالحديث حتى كان يصحح لي نطق بعض المناطق و ودعني بحرارة.
يحسب للكاتب القدرة العجيبة للتحول بين السرعة و البطيء و تحسب في لحظات كثيرة جداً إنه نجا ثم يعود من جديد أشبهه تماماً مثل لعبة الحية عندما تأكلك في آخر لحظات لتعود لنقطة الصفر و هكذا تعيش طوال الكتاب في لحظات مثيرة لا تنتهي , توقفت عند كثير منها و صورت ذلك للأصدقاء في سناب معبراً عن الكم الهائل من النعم الذي نعيشه ولا نحس به و نأخذ الأمر كمسلمات وما لا يدركه الكثير بأن الصومال رغم ويلات و أهوال الحروب و الصراعات إلا إنه على الأقل يمتلك أنهار عذبه و خضار و بيئة صالحة للحياة و نحن في الخليج لا نملك أي من ذلك لولا التقنية إلا إننا نتناسى ذلك و لو استوعبنا كم النعم لهانت جميع مشاكل حياتنا اليومية.
رغم الآلام التي لا تنتهي في الكتاب إلا إني وددت لو كان بإمكاني أن أعطيه نقاط أكثر من الخمسه إلا إن ذلك غير ممكن للأسف.
السلبية الوحيدة في الكتاب هو إنه على الرغم من إن الكاتب مسلم و يحفظ القرآن عن ظهر قلب إلا إنه شن هجوم قاسي للغاية على المتدينين و صورهم بشكل لم أراه في حياتي و أنا من قلب الجزيرة العربية وسيخرج قاريء الكتاب الأجنبي بصورة سلبية جداً عن الإسلام بعد الإنتهاء من الكتاب إلا إني أغفر للكاتب أمر و هو إنه عكس الصورة التي عايشها و ربما ذلك حدث بالفعل ويحدث حتى اليوم في ظل جهل شديد بروح الدين لذلك لا أستطيع أن أحكم عليه بالمبالغة وأنا أعيش في بيئة مختلفة تماماً عما عاش.
هذا النوع من الكتب هو ما يحمسني لأن أنادي القراء بتقليل القراءة في الروايات حيث إن كل ما يملك المؤلف هو خياله فإن أراد أرسل لك خفافيش و إن شاء أنقذ البطل من أهوال المصاعب بجرة قلم وربما يحدث كل ذلك على كوكب زحل. المذكرات هي قصة لكنها على أرض الواقع يمكن أن تعاينها بنفسك ولا يمكن أن يخرج الكاتب نفسه من المأزق من خلال جرة قلم ولذلك تأثيرها أوقع بالنسبة لي على الأقل.
أكرر دعوتي لتقليل قراءة الروايات و التوجه نحو السير الذاتية و هذا الكتاب هو أفضل مثال على صحة دعوتي.
August 7, 2022
3⭐️
terrific story..
terrific story..
February 21, 2020
I could not put this book down. Abdi tells of his horrific and thrilling journey from Somalia to America with honesty and optimism. 5/5 without any hesitation.
March 19, 2022
what an incredible story about determination, bravery, strength, good fortune, and perseverance. 10/10 would recommend.
August 31, 2019
I will never hear the word 'refugee'or 'asylum' and gloss over it again...my mind will go to this book and Abdi and everyone "living" a life in these unimaginable circumstances. I needed this book. Everyone needs this book. It should be mandatory reading for communities with a large Somali population, Minneapolis. A life changer, people.
May 14, 2018
I wasn't excited about reading this book, not sure I was the audience that would appreciate it. Turns out, I would highly recommend Call Me American to everyone. This memoir is a first hand account of the atrocities of living with war for more than 20 years. It discusses the complexities of civil war, one country fighting another, and the ever changing rules as warlords and terrorists exchange control, as well as the parts that both America and Russia have played in this on going war. It discusses the complexities and loss of freedoms from being Muslim to having extremist Muslims take over. It discusses some aspects that all Muslims believe that maybe we as Americans, especially women, and mothers, should not easily accept, such no education for girls and the only education for boys as being beaten to memorize the Koran. We learn about the hopes, dreams, hard work, and intervention that it takes to get out of a war torn country to the freedom of America or Europe, and the heartbreak and fear when it doesn't all come together. Abdi Nor Iftin is very honest about his mixed feelings and actions throughout his life. From desiring nothing more than coming to America and cheering the Marines that landed in Mogadishu to aid the citizens, to then cheering the warlords that shot down the Blackhawks and dragged those same Marines through the streets of Mogadishu.
He also tells us how terrorists do use refugee programs as cover to commit further atrocities in countries that are trying to aid people like him. Which causes all kinds of problems for the refugees. We learn of the corruption that goes with each and every step of the refugee programs. He discusses the fact that many refugees don't want to assimilate once they immigrate to another country and the problems that can cause. While many of these topics are just touched on, it gives the reader a lot to think about. As citizens of free countries, I think we should read this book to give us a better understanding of the horrors that these war torn countries face, and understand the complexities of the terrorism that can spread and the feelings of the refugees that are accepted into our countries. Facing the facts, and getting better understanding can lead us to better solutions to any aid or succor we offer. Thank you Abdi, for an honest look at such complex issues, I'm glad that you made it to America and work so hard to assimilate while feeling the loss of your own country, you are a brave man.
He also tells us how terrorists do use refugee programs as cover to commit further atrocities in countries that are trying to aid people like him. Which causes all kinds of problems for the refugees. We learn of the corruption that goes with each and every step of the refugee programs. He discusses the fact that many refugees don't want to assimilate once they immigrate to another country and the problems that can cause. While many of these topics are just touched on, it gives the reader a lot to think about. As citizens of free countries, I think we should read this book to give us a better understanding of the horrors that these war torn countries face, and understand the complexities of the terrorism that can spread and the feelings of the refugees that are accepted into our countries. Facing the facts, and getting better understanding can lead us to better solutions to any aid or succor we offer. Thank you Abdi, for an honest look at such complex issues, I'm glad that you made it to America and work so hard to assimilate while feeling the loss of your own country, you are a brave man.
May 4, 2019
One of my favorite memoirs and maybe in my top 10 books. This book is so well written and walks the line between tragic and hopeful. I knew very little about Somali culture or history and Iftin's memoir is personal as well as providing a lot of general information. He can tell a story so well. His matter-of-fact-ness makes some situations seem hilarious and other times it works to buffer the utter horror is he describing. It's life, messy and imperfect and beautiful.
There seems to have been some controversy because a roommate took offense to the way he was described. That's how it is with memoirs. They are one person's perspective of history. However Iftin seems to treat all parties pretty fairly. His own parents aren't always presented in the best light, but you can tell he respects them. Iftin does seem to have a bit of a modernist approach however. This shines through most when he is talking about religion. However he does also make clear he still participates in his religion to some degree. It seems this is an area he may still struggle with.
Iftin's book ends without an ending. I'm so glad he released this into the world but I want more! I hope we hear more from him literarily and politically.
I don't usually summarize the books I read in my reviews. I'll leave that to more adept reviewers. I only write these firstly for myself so I can look back and remember what I thought about the books I've read. But I will say I really wish I could recommend this book to everyone. What is it about? I think it's about connections. That this world is so much more connected than we could have thought and soon it will be too obvious to ever deny it. I saw today a trailer for a movie about an Indian-British boy growing up in England and loving the music of Bruce Springsteen. This is a book about a child of herders from Somalia who, displaced by war, both fueled and aided by the West, learns English from American movies and dreams to come to America to better himself only to get here, realize there are issues everywhere and keep fighting for a new dream to make the world a better place. I think the more he shares his story, the closer he is to achieving that.
One last note, if you liked this then read (or listen, audiobook is better) to Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Or vice versa, if you liked that then check out Call Me American. It has many of the same themes and even some familiar situations and types. But very different in other ways.
There seems to have been some controversy because a roommate took offense to the way he was described. That's how it is with memoirs. They are one person's perspective of history. However Iftin seems to treat all parties pretty fairly. His own parents aren't always presented in the best light, but you can tell he respects them. Iftin does seem to have a bit of a modernist approach however. This shines through most when he is talking about religion. However he does also make clear he still participates in his religion to some degree. It seems this is an area he may still struggle with.
Iftin's book ends without an ending. I'm so glad he released this into the world but I want more! I hope we hear more from him literarily and politically.
I don't usually summarize the books I read in my reviews. I'll leave that to more adept reviewers. I only write these firstly for myself so I can look back and remember what I thought about the books I've read. But I will say I really wish I could recommend this book to everyone. What is it about? I think it's about connections. That this world is so much more connected than we could have thought and soon it will be too obvious to ever deny it. I saw today a trailer for a movie about an Indian-British boy growing up in England and loving the music of Bruce Springsteen. This is a book about a child of herders from Somalia who, displaced by war, both fueled and aided by the West, learns English from American movies and dreams to come to America to better himself only to get here, realize there are issues everywhere and keep fighting for a new dream to make the world a better place. I think the more he shares his story, the closer he is to achieving that.
One last note, if you liked this then read (or listen, audiobook is better) to Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Or vice versa, if you liked that then check out Call Me American. It has many of the same themes and even some familiar situations and types. But very different in other ways.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 696 reviews