"Say You're One of Them" by Uwem Akpan *****

• Audiobook
• Short Stories
• Nigerian author
• Story #1:  poor family living in a shanty scrounges for something to make Christmas festive, and also about the sacrifices made for one of the children to go to school....even a sister prostituting herself...finally the boy chooses not to go to school
• Story #2:  Children whose parents are dying of HIV/Aids live with their uncle, who proceeds to attempt to sell them into slavery, although finally, out of guilt, he stops his plan
• Story#3:  A Muslim boy tries to travel across country in a bus full of Christians and during the journey he learns that all lives are sacred, that different does not necessarily mean bad
• Story #4:  A family tries to protect itself from the violence of civil war
• Review:  This is an intense collection of stories about what it is like to live in Africa in the countries torn by religious conflict, political conflict, and violence.   Each story is hopeful and despairing at the same time.  Mr. Akpen's writing is very matter-of-fact regardless of the intensity of actions and situations in the stories, which somehow makes it all very readable.  Themes addressed include:  Muslim v. Christian conflict, family loyalty, desperation of poverty, HIV/Aids,  survival instinct, conflict between tribal rule, dictatorships, and democracy, and the desire for peace.