Friendship

Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance is a memoir as told by Francis Mandewah. But it is more than one man’s story; it is the stories of two men’s lives which woven together created an adventure bigger than either one of them alone.
A chance meeting between Francis, then a young adolescent, and Tom Johnson, a man with a profile career, changed the youth’s life forever in ways he had only dreamed of. Although he and Tom only spent few years physically together, they never grew apart in spirit.
With Tom’s help, Francis left his isolated impoverished village in Sierra Leone to fulfill his dream of an education and a job in the United States. Even when that new life didn’t turn out as perfectly as it initially seemed, Francis was grateful, not bitter. We never learn Tom’s exact motivation, but Francis attributes Tom’s friendship and God’s help to all the good things that happened in his life.
Francis writes in a conversational style, such that I felt like he was right here talking to me. From his descriptions I “saw” his home country, and the places he visited. He does not hold back from transparently expressing his emotions, even the painful experiences he endured. The story line moves at a steady pace, propelling the reader into the next chapter.
My only regret about the book is not knowing more about Tom Johnson, but that is true to the story, as Francis didn’t know much about his personal life either. He only knew Tom offered him a chance that no one else had, or would have, and changed his life. And he did not waste the opportunity but went farther than he imagined.
I enjoyed Francis’ story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys true life stories that are even better than something made up.
As a NetGalley reviewer, I received a digital copy of this book and agreed to write a review.