MY LIFE IS ART

The author of War Child returns with a how-to book about healing.

Throughout his childhood, Jal faced unbelievable trauma. After his mother died in the South Sudanese civil war, his father arranged for him to escape to Ethiopia, a country he reached after a grueling journey during which he witnessed the deaths of hundreds of his fellow refugees, including children his own age. When the Ethiopian school he was supposed to attend turned out to be nonexistent, he became a child soldier, and not only witnessed horrific murders but also was responsible for an unspecified number of deaths. An aid worker rescued Jal and found him passage to Kenya, where he found Christianity and developed a meditation practice that he credits with giving him a new lease on life. Now, Jal is a successful rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. The purpose of this book, he writes, is to explain how he overcame trauma and to provide others with the tools to live the type of fulfilling life he has crafted for himself, despite unbelievable trauma. Jal intertwines stories about his past with explanations of the “eleven pillars” that now form the foundations of his daily life. “Every human being who has moved on from a traumatic situation is miraculous,” he writes. “Imagine someone who has experienced sexual violence, or a war child, still talking about peace and love.” The author is clearly dedicated to sharing this miracle with whoever is able to listen. In the sections of the book that pivot around memoir, Jal is courageous, vulnerable, compassionate, and insightful. The advice sections, however, hover close to toxic positivity and often deviate into strange, disjointed musings that feel overly specific or outdated. Overall, though, Jal’s energy and vitality renders the book a satisfying read.

A former child soldier’s bright yet uneven memoir-cum-manifesto about surviving trauma.