The Lion's Binding Oath and Other Stories - by Ahmed Ismail Yusuf (Paperback)

About the Book

"[This] collection of short stories, introduces readers to the people of Somalia and their struggles: their humanity, faith, identity, friendship, and family bonds, as whispers of war grow louder around them"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

Religious and ethnic conflict may be the Horn of Africa's most enduring recent legacy. But beneath its recent history of war and displacement lies human stories--families, clans, lovers, neighbors, and friends, all bound together through common cultural, religious, and historical ties.

The Lion's Binding Oath, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf's collection of short stories, introduces readers to the people of Somalia and their struggles: their humanity, faith, identity, friendship, and family bonds, as whispers of war grow louder around them. Through stories that span the years before and during Somali's civil war, Yusuf weaves together Somalia's political, social, and religious conflicts with portrayals of the country's love of poetry, music, and soccer.

Yusuf's collection is a powerful examination of love and resilience in a country torn apart by war, and written with deep compassion for the lives of its characters.

Ahmed Ismail Yusuf has lived in Minneapolis since fleeing Somalia in the late 80s. He did not speak English when he arrived, he was a high-school dropout, and he was not sure what his actual age was. Today he has two college degrees and is the author of Somalis in Minnesota, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. In 2017, The History Theatre of St. Paul, Minnesota produced his short play, "A Crack in the Sky," a memoir about how Yusuf found inspiration in Maya Angelou and Muhammad Ali during his early days as an immigrant to the U.S.

Review Quotes

With their focus on youthful soccer stars or childhood friendships, as well as their simple language and pastoral settings, the tales that begin the loosely linked stories of "Lion's Binding Oath" lull readers into a false sense of security.

But by the end of the collection, it is clear that being young or living in a rural area can't protect Somalians from more than three decades of civil war. Man or woman, adult or child, teacher or reluctant soldier, no one in "Lion's Binding Oath" is safe.

Many stories suggest that if members of Somalia's various factions could learn to live together as its animals have, the world would be a better place. The most arresting example of that is the title story. Reminiscent of Yann Martel's "Life of Pi," it's the last and best story in Yusuf's collection.

"...compelling tales covering many recent experiences of [Yusuf's] beleaguered people..." -- Minnesota Alumni Magazine

"This mature debut is graphic...as it reveals how children grow up around violence and war. They still play, learn, tell stories, and try to get along despite threats and the police presence in their everyday lives. For readers interested in soccer and international affairs, this thin volume will enhance fiction collections." -- School Library Journal

"[...]Yusuf is unquestionably talented, with a knack for stories focused on injustice and the anxiety of separation, be it over time or distance. [...] Informative and direct storytelling from a corner of Africa that's poorly understood in the West." Kirkus

"While Yusuf's book is fiction, he incorporates significant facts into his storytelling. In this way, The Lion's Binding Oath becomes not just entertainment, but also a creative disclosure about Somalia's people, culture, and history." --New Pages

"Yusuf draws us in with descriptions that bring beauty to minute details....In tone recalling Maya Angelou's Gather Together in My Name, this work will appeal to readers of literary and African fiction." -- Library Journal