Don't Tell Me You're Afraid

Inspiring true story.

Great

Quite a powerful read, written in the first person from the point of view of Olympic Somali runner Samia Omar. The reader lives with her through a poor but happy childhood, her every moment taken up with running. But the endless war starts to permeate her contented life, whether it's ethnic conflict, casual violence or the increasing powers of Al-Shabaab - a load of muslim thugs intent on enforcing koranic ideas on the populace. Forced to curtail her athletic dreams, to run in a burqa, Samia decides to put herself in the hands of people traffickers and attempt to reach her sister in Finland and pursue sport unhindered...Brings home the plight of the illegal immigrants who make it to Italy (or sometimes don't) in dire conditions.Extremely readable, would be of interest to the YA reader (but I enjoyed it too!)

Absolutely great book for everyone to read to see the other side of current refugee crisis better

Signor Catozellahas drawn attention to one of the most tragic figures in Olympic history. Samia Yusuf Omon grew up in Mogadishu, l;ater.to be taken over by terrorists, who said women should not do sport. She reached the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, then went to Ethiopia, Not being allowed to stay, she decided to get to Europe in the hope of running at the London Olympics like her hero Mo Farah. Sadly, she drowned attempting to reach an Italian rescue ship.

Absorbing, moving and well worth reading.

moving and beautiful

Inspiring, tragic, thought provoking, humbling...highly recommended