June 28, 2021
In this agile personal history of trauma, civil strife, and asylum, debut author Salh vividly describes a youth divided between opposing worlds. After being raised in the Somali nomadic tradition by her grandmother in the desert, Salh left at age nine to live with her siblings in Mogadishu in the 1980s until violence forced them to flee, first to Kenya and eventually Canada. With precision, Salh writes about her role in memorializing her nation’s history through the writing of this book—and the civil war that was overshadowed in world news by contemporaneous American aggression in Iraq—while illustrating the contradictory gender dynamics of the culture she grew up in, due to the growth in religious extremism. Though she received an education in her teens—thanks in part to Somali dictator Siad Barre’s belief in women’s equality—she continued to fear for her safety in a misogynistic society where men were “empowered, guilt-free, and valued above women” and female virginity signified a family’s social standing. This sentiment is rendered most boldly when she describes her circumcision, a harrowing rite of passage in her otherwise “blissful” childhood. Despite the graphic nature of her experiences, Salh’s prose radiates with deep empathy and sensitivity, a reflection of the gift for storytelling she inherited from her poet grandmother. This stuns with its raw beauty.
Starred review from December 3, 2021
Salh's beautifully written memoir about her youth in Somalia also offers a tribute to her grandmother. Salh vividly describes her early life as a nomadic goat herder and the influence of her father, a teacher of Arabic. Life for young Salh, as she describes it, is one rich in poetry and storytelling; she refers to Somalia as a "nation of poets," where poetry is considered a major form of communication for nomads. Sahl's memoir is a tale of both physical danger and family warmth and traditions, both nomadic and urban. She brilliantly takes the reader along with her, whether that is in the desert tending her herd or in the city, protecting her family. As war draws close to Sahl's large family, she is forced into exile, first in Kenya, and then on to Canada and the United States. That is no easy route either, and her reactions to all of the changes in her life make for a powerful story. VERDICT A memoir that demonstrates the power of a young woman to adapt to many difficult changes in life, by an author who was truly inspired by the strength and power of women in her own family. Recommended strongly for all libraries. --Amy Lewontin, Northeastern Univ. Lib., Boston
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July 1, 2021
Salh offers a cleareyed and moving chronicle of her coming-of-age during a tumultuous time in the history of her native Somalia. The title of this debut memoir refers to how the author is the last in her family line to follow the nomadic lifestyle: "All of my ancestors on both sides of my family were nomads; they traveled the East African desert in search of grazing land for their livestock, and the most precious resource of all--water." Salh grew up as the daughter of a cerebral father who was "dissatisfied with the life he had been born into" and his headstrong, vibrant wife. Before entering first grade in the city, she was sent to live with her grandmother in order to provide the older woman with support as she and the rest of their tribe herded goats in the desert. The transition from being a schoolgirl to a young goatherd was rough, especially as she wondered why she was the only one of her siblings to be sent away and denied schooling. But Salh appreciated certain aspects of nomadic culture, particularly their respect for and reliance on each other. The strongest passages feature the author's vivid recollections of nomadic life--e.g., chasing wild animals, learning to make yogurt and butter, and observing how the adults built and dismantled their portable huts--while the legacy of violence caused by Somalia's devastating civil war loom throughout. She writes straightforwardly about how she underwent a ritualistic female circumcision and how the intense policing of her virginity continually overwhelmed her. The war eventually led Salh and many of her siblings to flee to Canada as refugees. Some of the book's lighter moments occur when the author recalls the cultural differences she faced as she tried to adjust to life in North America, as well as her reflections on her own motherhood in her current home of Sonoma, California. A thoughtful look at life in an often misunderstood culture and region.
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August 1, 2021
As a young girl in Somalia, Salh is sent away from her large family's city home to live with her grandmother as a nomad in the desert, herding goats and searching for water. She then endures the eruption of civil war in Mogadishu, flees to Kenya as a refugee, settles in Canada, and strives to create yet another life for herself. Her memoir is a remarkable account of her joys and sorrows as she navigates constantly changing realities. Aware that her transition from a traditional Somalian way of life to existence in the Western world offers an important perspective, she sharply juxtaposes these two very different cultures, carefully documenting her experiences and how they reflect geopolitical issues. The details of Somali family life, rural and urban schooling, and her delight in finally mastering a recalcitrant camel make for an illuminating and engaging read. Salh's candid acknowledgement of her vacillating feelings towards her father, her admiration for her grandmother, and her ability to adapt and thrive in challenging situations also make this chronicle a thoughtful and resonant celebration of the human spirit.
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