Radiance of Tomorrow

A Novel

By: Ishmael Beah

Narrated by: Dion Graham

A haunting, beautiful first novel by the bestselling author of A Long Way Gone

When Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone was published in 2007, it soared to the top of bestseller lists, becoming an instant classic: a harrowing account of Sierra Leone's civil war and the fate of child soldiers that "everyone in the world should read" (The Washington Post). Now Beah, whom Dave Eggers has called "arguably the most read African writer in contemporary literature," has returned with his first novel, an affecting, tender parable about postwar life in Sierra Leone.

At the center of Radiance of Tomorrow are Benjamin and Bockarie, two longtime friends who return to their hometown, Imperi, after the civil war. The village is in ruins, the ground covered in bones. As more villagers begin to come back, Benjamin and Bockarie try to forge a new community by taking up their former posts as teachers, but they're beset by obstacles: a scarcity of food; a rash of murders, thievery, rape, and retaliation; and the depredations of a foreign mining company intent on sullying the town's water supply and blocking its paths with electric wires. As Benjamin and Bockarie search for a way to restore order, they're forced to reckon with the uncertainty of their past and future alike.

With the gentle lyricism of a dream and the moral clarity of a fable, Radiance of Tomorrow is a powerful novel about preserving what means the most to us, even in uncertain times.

©2014 Ishmael Beah (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Dion Graham skillfully balances his presentation of this harrowing novel by the author of the bestselling memoir A LONG WAY GONE. The story is set in modern-day Sierra Leone after the civil war. Graham's lyrical delivery illustrates Beah's claim that he brings his country's oral tradition to his writing. The written and spoken word are both beautiful and horrifying as the elderly Mama Kadie and Pa Moiwa, along with others, return home to find their town destroyed, the only signs of its former residents the human bones scattered about." (AudioFile)

“Underlining this compelling, leisurely paced story is the gorgeous, image-rich language, and Graham's masterful narration highlights the native cadences and the lyrical phrasings. He smoothly portrays the range of characters and their accents, from the metaphor-filled speech of the villagers to the authoritative tones of the factory owners and the more clipped speech of the city dwellers. Graham's performance also underlines the sense of despair that pervades the novel, lightened occasionally by moments of humor and, ultimately, hope. He seamlessly integrates the characters, cadence, and tone, connecting listeners to this powerful story.” —Booklist

Great story

It was heartbreaking but a story that illustrates the resilience of the human spirit. I fell in love with the characters and recommend this book.

Amazing!

I loved every second of the novel. I wish I would have listened to the memoir first, but it will be my next read. I was sad when the novel ended.

It was a beautifully written novel and spoken performance. I normally listen in my car but played this book even when I was at home.

A tale for enlightenment

Radiance of Tomorrow is a novel that paints a picture with words of one of the most tragic social situations in modern history, but manages to make the reader believe that there is hope for the characters because of their strength and resilience. I look forward to the next novel.

A dark story, beautifully told

Ishmael Beah has an excellent "voice". If Radiance of Tomorrow is an example of contemporary Sierra Leone literature I look forward to discovering more.

The book has the feel of a folk tale & is conveyed perfectly in audiobook format. By this I don't mean it is a "simple" story, but the telling conveys something of the culture of the characters in the book. The style of the writing adds depth to the story being told.

If you've read Ishmael Beah's memoir "A Long Way Gone" his novel will seem a lot more personal than many standard works of fiction. If you haven't read his memoir you probably ought to. Regardless, Radiance of Tomorrow stands alone as an incredible work.

The narration is superb. Overall a remarkable book.