Abdul was born into a privileged family with the opportunity to live a prosperous and successful life. After the untimely death of his mother, he is forced to live with his uncle in the capital city to pursue his studies. He joins politics to fight a dictatorial military regime, motivated by his father's assassination. He is wrongly arrested, tortured and jailed. With the help of his family, Abdul manages to escape from jail and seizes the first opportunity to get out of the country. With the hope of finding a better life in Europe, he embarks on a perilous journey past eagle-eyed border control police officers, through desert, jungle, and sea. When he finally enters Europe, he discovers that it is not quite the idyll he had envisaged. The Despair of Life is a story rich in culture, steeped in political turmoil and obsessed with survival. Amadou Sidibe provides intriguing insights into the lives and journeys of those who risk their lives every day in search of the European dream.
Amadou Sidibe is a Guinean-British born in Conakry, Republic of Guinea, the youngest of seven children of the best parents on Earth. Amadou Sidibe's love of writing began several years ago as an educated young adult back in his native-Guinea. Ever since then, he has relied on writing to voice his opinion in a creative way that spread out fresh hope to those in despair. To chase after his dreams, Amadou moved to the United Kingdom and settled in London. He studied Global Business Management at the School of Management at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston. After his graduation, Amadou Sidibe worked at the Research Office as an Information Support Officer for Funding, Development, and Support at the University of Central Lancashire. He also worked as a Medical Administrator and Data Analyst at IntraHealth/NHS. Despite spending a few years in a rewarding career, he still held on to his love of writing books.
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Reviews
10 reviews
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A great read and eye opener
A very interesting read of a one-man destiny and the obstacles he faces on his journey through life. A lot of the topics address in this book are still ongoing today.
I would recommend it!
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A touching and well-written story!
I can tell that Amadou Sidibe is a new author and one I plan to check out further. An ultimately sad but beautifully written story of a man who immigrates to Europe to lives a better life. A story of determination, faith, courage, love and tragedy, which also gives a wonderful insight into everyday life during his journey to Europe. A quick look at the author's bio revealed he was born in the Republic of Guinea and now lives in the United Kingdom, which is no doubt why he has been able to create such an authentic story. There is a wonderful mixture of characters and colourful personalities, which are brought to life with vivid descriptions but also fine details, which made me able to relate to them, despite the very different times and the reality in which we live.
Highly recommended but have a tissue or handkerchief ready.
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A great story, Excellent reading!
I've just finished reading this awesome-beyond-words book. I'm not going to get too far into the story of this book because I don't want to give anything away. All I can say, please READ THIS BOOK you won’t regret it! It was fascinating, exciting, and emotional. Thank you, Mr. Sidibe!
Highly recommended!
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I recently read Amadou's first novel, The Despair of Life, and I absolutely loved it! The most startling point is that I don't like historical novels. But, Amadou's writing is incredible!!! I laughed, I cried, I ached, I yearned, and I couldn't stop reading the book. The Despair of Life grabbed my attention; I was so completely engrossed! I seriously felt like I was Abdul! The detail is such that it is impossible not to feel the emotions bleed for the characters. Abdul's perilous journey to Europe, his unexpected ordeals, his disappointment and the terrible circumstance he went through and still managed to live. Not just to survive but to try to fulfil his dream is breath-taking.
Amadou Sidibe has become one of my favourite authors, and I highly recommend his novel!!
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Writing a coherent long essay is challenging let alone writing 213 pages book. So kudos to Amadou Sidibe for his effort. Besides exposing the rich African culture and customs to the reader, this book clearly explains the hardship most African immigrants go through especially if they take the risky and perilous journey of travelling illegally. Even though few manage to realise their dream, however, the evidence shows that the majority will have their dream shattered, unfortunately.
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This is a must-read book for all the people in the diaspora and their children born in Europe, America, and other continents to understand that determination and a strong mindset are definitely key to life's toughest challenges!
It is also a great source of inspiration and extra courage to those who would find similarities in their hunt for the 'Eldorado'.
Strongly recommended!
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A very interesting read of a one-man destiny and the obstacles he faces on his journey through life. A lot of the topics addressed in this book are still ongoing today.
I would recommend it!
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I normally do not read much but as soon as started reading this book I could no longer put it down. I would definitely recommend it. Great job Amadou.
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I've just finished reading this awesome-beyond-words book. I'm not going to get too far into the story of this book because I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is, please READ THIS BOOK you won’t regret it! It was fascinating, exciting, and emotional. Thank you, Mr. Sidibe.
Highly recommended!
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I can tell that Amadou Sidibe is a new author and one I plan to check out further. An ultimately sad but beautifully written story of a man who immigrates to Europe to live a better life. A story of determination, faith, courage, love, and tragedy, which also gives a wonderful insight into everyday life during his journey to Europe. A quick look at the author's bio revealed he was born in the Republic of Guinea and now lives in the United Kingdom, which is no doubt why he has been able to create such an authentic story. There is a wonderful mixture of characters and colourful personalities, which are brought to life with vivid descriptions but also fine details, which made me able to relate to them, despite the very different times and the reality in which we live.
Highly recommended but have a tissue or handkerchief ready.
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