82 pages • 2 hours read
Call Me American
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Call Me American is a memoir written by Somali author Abdi Nor Iftin, co-authored with Max Alexander and published in 2018. It documents Iftin’s escape from a war-town Somali, buoyed by his love of American culture.
Plot Summary
Abdi Nor Iftin is born in Somalia “probably in 1985” (7). Both of his parents are nomadic farmers who move to the city of Mogadishu during a drought in the 1970s. The residents of Mogadishu look down on the family for being members of the Rahanweyn tribe. Both of Abdi’s parents will always miss their nomadic past. Abdi’s father finds fame as a basketball player, but the outbreak of civil war in Somalia cuts short his success. Abdi flees the city with his family after sees people gunned down in the streets. However, when the family realizes that the whole country is at war, they decide to return to Mogadishu. Abdi’s father does not return with them, however, as the presence of a man puts the whole family at risk. Abdi’s pregnant mother leads Abdi, his brother Hassan, and their sister back to their home in the city.
Mogadishu has descended into chaos. Abdi and his family stay with a former neighbor.
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