Redemption Road

A new book.

I just love a new book. And when I heard of this one, I was excited.

Redemption Road is a novel dealing with people dealing with those things done to them during the 14 year civil war here in Liberia and also dealing with the things they themselves have done. A civil war is an awful awful thing. And the person who has done things to you may live nearby. I think it was brought closer to me as a woman shared with me how her 21 year old son was gunned down during the war. The man who did it lives a couple of streets over and people have asked her, Do you want us to go get him? But she says no. The things people just have to forgive are amazing. I know there was a civil war here and I think it was mainly tribal in the end, but the power and willingness to forgive is also great here.

Anyway, the other evening the author of this book, Elma shaw, came on board. She read a chapter, told her story and signed books for us. It was a delightful evening. Truth and Reconciliation. It is going on here in Liberia. What does happen to those people who have done terrible things? And how do you deal with those things you may have done? And perhaps you were a child or forced or drugged to participate.

This book is going to be required reading here in Liberia in the older grades in school and at the university level. And because illiteracy is so very high, mostly due to the fact that there were no schools during most of the 14 years of war, there are plans to make an audio edition in Liberian English to be read over the radio so people can hear.

The author has said one of the main things she would like to see from this book is that people begin to talk…and talk…