Overview

Abdi was a happy-go-lucky fifteen-year-old when Somalia's vicious civil war hit Mogadishu and his world fell apart. Separated from his family, he fled the city with countless others, heading for Kenya. The journey was a nightmare, Abdi and his friends enduring sickness, starvation and the violent assaults of death squads. After three months, Abdi and a mere handful of survivors arrived at a refugee camp in Kenya. But the place proved to be no refuge, so, desperate to find his family, he turned around and undertook the dangerous journey back to Mogadishu. When the search was fruitless he relied on his quick wits and the kindness of strangers to escape Somalia, first to Romania, then Germany and, finally, Australia. He was just sixteen when he arrived in Melbourne with no English, no family, no money. Against all odds, this extraordinary boy not only survived but thrived. Abdi's story is one of hardship and struggle, but also of courage, resilience and heart-warming optimism. Shining will move you to tears, exhilarate you and, at times, even make you laugh out loud. Abdi, the boy who never lost hope, offers the gift of his tale to readers who want to believe that miracles still happen.

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9781460795064

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Reviews

'Powerful and uplifting.' -- Bookseller + Publisher 'Aden's odyssey belongs to our time ... Here is a man who counts his blessings and has an inspiring story to tell.' -- Sydney Morning Herald

Author Information

Abdi Aden was just 15 when he fled war torn Somalia, unable to return to his home and find his family. He made a perilous solo journey via Kenya and Romania to arrive in Australia and seek asylum at age 17. Abdi went on to complete secondary education and later university. He became a youth worker, was acknowledged with the 2007 Victorian Refugee Recognition Award and was featured in SBS's second series of Go Back to Where You Came From. Shining: The Story of a Lucky Man is Abdi's uplifting and inspiring book about his survival as a refugee. Robert Hillman's memoir, The Boy in the Green Suit, won the Australian National Biography Award for 2004. His 2007 biography, My Life as a Traitor, written with Zarah Ghahramani, appeared in numerous overseas editions. His first collaboration with Najaf Mazari, The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif has been a set text in many schools. He is also the author of Gurrumul: His Life and Music and the novels Joyful and The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted. Abdi Aden was just 15 when he fled war torn Somalia, unable to return to his home and find his family. He made a perilous solo journey via Kenya and Romania to arrive in Australia and seek asylum at age 17. Abdi went on to complete secondary education and later university. He became a youth worker, was acknowledged with the 2007 Victorian Refugee Recognition Award and was featured in SBS's second series of Go Back to Where You Came From. Shining: The Story of a Lucky Man is Abdi's uplifting and inspiring book about his survival as a refugee. Jacob's theatre credits include; The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet for Bell Shakespeare; On the Shore of the Wide World at Griffin Theatre Company/Pantsguy; Snugglepot and Cuddlepie for CDP Productions/Money Baa; Orfeo Ed Eurice for Spectrum Festival; Daylight Saving for Darlinghurst Theatre Company; and The Block Universe for Old 505. Jacob appeared in television's Dr Feelgood and Sisters and the film Hacksaw Ridge. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Sydney Theatre Awards in 2016 and is a member of MEAA.

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