Call Me American cover art

Call Me American

A Memoir

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Call Me American

By: Abdi Nor Iftin
Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi, Abdi Nor Iftin
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About this listen

 Abdi Nor Iftin first fell in love with America from afar. As a child, he learned English by listening to American pop and watching action films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When U.S. marines landed in Mogadishu to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these Americans, who seemed as heroic as those of the movies.

Sporting American clothes and dance moves, he became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American, but when the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, it became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Desperate to make a living, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches, which found an audience of worldwide listeners. Eventually, though, Abdi was forced to flee to Kenya.

In an amazing stroke of luck, Abdi won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America did not come easily. Parts of his story were first heard on the BBC World Service and This American Life. Now a proud resident of Maine, on the path to citizenship, Abdi Nor Iftin's dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our time: a vivid reminder of why America still beckons to those looking to make a better life. Cultural & Regional Emigration & Immigration Social Sciences Memoir Africa

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Critic reviews

"Iftin's account of his journey does not mince words or attempt to soften the worst atrocities he and his family experienced. Loyal and grateful to his mother, he shows particular sensitivity to the injustices suffered by women in Somalia. Told simply and well, Iftin’s story explains the incredible bravery and hope necessary to live in the crosshairs of war and to find a way out."
—Jane Constantineau, The New York Journal of Books

"Riveting... [Abdi Nor Iftin] had to endure famine, war, a precarious life as a refugee, and a visa-rejecting bureaucracy before a green-card lottery win, in 2014, enabled him to emigrate. His narrative is both panoramic and particular, full of irreverent asides, and suffused with appreciation for the humanity of others."
—The New Yorker

"Absolutely remarkable and always as compelling as a novel… An essential immigrant story, one that is enlightening and immediate."
—Booklist (Starred Review)

"[A] wrenching yet hopeful autobiography… Iftin’s extraordinary saga is not just a journey of self-advancement but a quest to break free from ethnic and sectarian hatreds."
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A searing memoir…that impressively remains upbeat, highly inspiring, and always educational."
—Kirkus (Starred Review)
All stars
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This book is amazing and his story so real I loved and I would definitely recommend to anyone

What amazing book

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It so sad to notice how extremist Muslims can ruin people's hopes and dreams. People have the right to pursue their personal goals and succeed in life, even to leave their country for better opportunities. Everyone has the right to choose what's the best for them and their families.

Interesting memoir to read and easy to follow.

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A powerful story about the human soul and the incredible struggles Abdi had to go through.

Incredible

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Out of the 86 books I have purchased on audible, this is in the top 5! I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is eye opening, and shows how much more there is to the 1 minute segments you see on the news about war torn countries. It gives context to the news stories about too many migrants making perilous journeys on boats to "greener pastures". Abdi's story is one of triumph, and it saddens me to read that Somalians have gone through this. I finished this 10hr book in 2 days. I have been taken on the saddening journey of what migrants from war torn countries live through, all through this one book.

AMAZING! This book deserves an award of some kind. I finished it in 2 days, because I couldn't put it down!

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