Official Review: FRIENDSHIP: A True Story of Adventure, G...

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Donnavila Marie01
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Official Review: FRIENDSHIP: A True Story of Adventure, G...

Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "FRIENDSHIP: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance" by Francis Mandewah.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Did you ever experience being so down and in need but the people like your nearest kin whom you were expecting to lift you up were the same people who made your situation worse? Did a stranger come to your aid instead? This book proves that there are angels within our midst in the guise of other human beings.

FRIENDSHIP: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance by Francis Mandewah is a non-fiction story. As the title connotes, this is the life adventure of Francis Mandewah who is a native of Sierra Leone. The Republic of Sierra Leone is an African Country located in its Western part. It is a country which was rich in natural resources and minerals including diamond. It was one of Africa’s leading countries in diamond production. I felt obliged to give the readers a background about this country because it has something to do with the bittersweet memories of Francis.

After reading the first 30 pages of this book, I was having a second thought if I will finish it because the detailed narration and descriptions are dragging. Nonetheless, I decided to continue and finish the book.

Francis came from a very poor family. His mother was the only bread winner. Despite poverty, his mother inculcated the significance of education. Back in first-year high school, he stayed with his uncle Alfred who maltreated him. He had to do all the house chores and sell oranges. Because of poverty, he experienced discrimination from his classmates. He met Thomas Frederick Johnson who was also called Tom. This American pilot became his friend and benefactor.

What I like most about this story is the liberating information about Africa especially Sierra Leone. The author presented a background on the history of the country. He also narrated the events systematically. The grammatical error is minimal which do not hinder the reader from understanding the author's premise.

Francis’ zeal reminds me of Plato’s philosophy that at the end of the tunnel, there is light. This book is not just the story of Francis but the events he presented could also happen to any one of us. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because it has some grammatical errors like redundancy. Example, when he said, “Tom gave me $300 in US currency”. He could have ended his sentence with $300. I recommend this book to everybody especially to those who are about to lose hope because of frustrations.

******
FRIENDSHIP: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance
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Post by Chrys Brobbey »

Francis's story is the experience of many children in developing countries such as his. The book will serve as a good incentive for the many people who face challenges to not succumb, but to persevere. Sierra Leone (meaning 'Lion Mountain') is relatively a small country in West Africa that suffered years of civil war, and recently the Ebola plague. Francis's hardships could have been compounded by any of these events. This may offer an added context.
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Post by Amagine »

I like that this is a story of hope that things can change and get better. I also like how the narrative takes place in Africa. That makes it more interesting because it is fascinating to learn about another culture and way of living. This sounds like a good book for anyone who wants some positive vibes in their life.

Great Review! :character-marge:
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Donnavila Marie01
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Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

Amagine wrote:I like that this is a story of hope that things can change and get better. I also like how the narrative takes place in Africa. That makes it more interesting because it is fascinating to learn about another culture and way of living. This sounds like a good book for anyone who wants some positive vibes in their life.

Great Review! :character-marge:
Thanks, Amagine. This is indeed a great book because we all have our own troubles but each has his own unique way of addressing. This guy addressed his own in an extraordinary way.

-- 12 Apr 2017, 02:17 --
Chrys Brobbey wrote:Francis's story is the experience of many children in developing countries such as his. The book will serve as a good incentive for the many people who face challenges to not succumb, but to persevere. Sierra Leone (meaning 'Lion Mountain') is relatively a small country in West Africa that suffered years of civil war, and recently the Ebola plague. Francis's hardships could have been compounded by any of these events. This may offer an added context.
Thank you so much for the added information. These kinds of books are what we need in liberating the whole world of the conditions of people in the third world countries who are suffering at the hands of foreigners in their own land.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

Thank you for a very honest review! I loved that his story taught us to be strong in times of adversities. As you said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We must never lose hope. Additionally, we are never truly alone. God is always with us, through the good times, and the bad.
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Post by michelonline29 »

Very nice review. I admire the character of Francis in the story. He seems like a tough man in dealing with his difficulties in life.
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Post by kimmyschemy06 »

Sounds like a poignant life story. I would love to read about Africa. Good job on the review.
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Donnavila Marie01
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Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

ellieonline03 wrote:Thank you for a very honest review! I loved that his story taught us to be strong in times of adversities. As you said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We must never lose hope. Additionally, we are never truly alone. God is always with us, through the good times, and the bad.
Faith and hope are the main ingredients of a well-lived life. Thanks much!

-- 24 Apr 2017, 04:25 --
michelonline29 wrote:Very nice review. I admire the character of Francis in the story. He seems like a tough man in dealing with his difficulties in life.
He is tough. He overcame fear by having genuine faith. He changed his fate 360 degrees.

-- 24 Apr 2017, 04:31 --
kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like a poignant life story. I would love to read about Africa. Good job on the review.
Through this book, you will start to appreciate what you have. You will appreciate the comfort of life that you are enjoying.
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Post by michelonline29 »

Maybe this was really a good read for you :) I look forward to reading this if it's available for me.
"The only source of knowledge is experience" -Albert Einstein
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