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The boy who fled Afghanistan and endured a terrifying journey in the hands of people smugglers is now a young man intent on changing the world. His story is a deeply harrowing and incredibly inspiring tale of our times.
Gulwali Passarlay was sent away from Afghanistan at the age of twelve, after his father was killed in a gun battle with the US Army. He made a twelve-month odyssey across Europe, spending time in prisons, suffering hunger, making a terrifying journey across the Mediterranean in a tiny boat, and enduring a desolate month in the camp at Calais. Somehow he survived, and made it to Britain, where he was fostered, sent to school, and won a place at a top university. He was chosen to carry the Olympic torch in 2012. One boy's experience is the central story of our times. This powerful memoir celebrates the triumph of courage over adversity.
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 9781786497154
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 370 g
Dimensions: 130 x 192 x 29 mm
Edition: Main
An extraordinary man - achieving against all odds - Jon Snow, Twitter
Riveting - The Bookseller
[A] powerful account of a year-long journey to Britain... As a call for Europe and Britain to do more for the world's refugees, the book is as powerful as that harrowing picture of the dead toddler on the beach. - The Times
This is a harrowing but necessary must-read about an exceptional young man. - Stylist
The Lightless Sky is a heart-rending read that illuminates the plight of unaccompanied minors forced to leave their homes and loved ones. [Passarlay's] fierce intelligence is apparent throughout... His powerful account is a testament to the courage of all those fleeing conflict in search of safety. - The Independent on Sunday
Beautifully written... It should be required reading in British schools. - The Big Issue
A Book of the Year - New Statesman
A story which moved me to tears more than once - Women Together
With the current refugee crisis in Europe, I decided to reach for this book with both hands. And I'm so glad I did. It is incredibly moving and gripped me from start to finish. I definitely cried in places.... More
I had the pleasure of meeting Gulwali in October, 2017 at Durham Book Festival.
I started his book the same day but then knowing that parts of this could be upsetting I parked the book to one side to continue at a...
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I simply could not put this book down. It made me feel emotions that had a profound and lasting impact on me. Truly. Both gripping and harrowing, it’s a must read. Incredible.
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