Say You're One of Them

《就说你和他们一样》是一个卢旺达小女孩的自述，故事背景是1994年卢旺达大屠杀。书名“就说你和他们一样”就是小说里一位母亲为了保护她的孩子免受暴民所杀，而叮嘱女儿的话。面对图西人和胡图人的暴戾争端，小女孩只记得母亲最后的嘱咐：无论任何人问起你的身份，记住，就说你和他们一样。“就说你和他们一样”这句话背后有种为求生存而不得不妥协的悲恸，阅读时就像在心里投了一颗未爆炸弹般地感到沉重及震慑。在恐惧、同情及羞耻心的作用下，书中角色引发了我们内心强烈的无助感。或许我们没有力量去改变什么……可是，你至少能做到的是，珍惜，珍惜你所拥有的，更加爱自己，爱生活，更加幸福的活着。Eachstoryinthisjubilantlyacclaimedcollectionpaystestamenttothewisdomandresilienceofchildren,eveninthefaceofthemostagonizingcircumstances.AfamilylivinginamakeshiftshantyinurbanKenyascurriestofindgiftsofanykindfortheimpendingChristmasholiday.ARwandangirlrelatesherfamily’sstrugglestomaintainafacadeofnormalcyamidunspeakableacts.Ayoungbrotherandsistercopewiththeiruncle’sattempttosellthemintoslavery.Aboardabusfilledwithrefugees—amicrocosmoftoday’sAfrica—aMuslimboysummonshisfaithtobearatreacherousrideacrossNigeria.ThroughtheeyesofchildhoodfriendstheemotionaltollofreligiousconflictinEthiopiabecomesviscerallyclear.UwemAkpan’sdebutsignalsthearrivalofabreathtakinglytalentedwriterwhogivesamatter-of-factrealitytothemostextremecircumstancesinstoriesthatarenothingshortoftranscendent.