North to Paradise: one man's journey to a better life

North to Paradise: A Memoir by Ousman Umar is one man’s journey from a rural village in Ghana to the streets of Barcelona. Ousman Umar is the son of the village shaman. When his mother dies giving him birth, a tribal tradition would have him abandoned as he was considered to be born under a curse. However, his father intervenes. He spent his childhood working the fields, setting traps in the jungle and living off the land. When he sees the strange but wondrous flying machines fly across the sky, he begins to dream of a different life. At twelve years old, he leaves his home and begins a journey to Europe. A journey that would take five years! Traveling through three different cultures, three different realities, from the Ghanaian jungle to the Arab world to Spain, Ousman encountered violence, exploitation and racism. He also found friendship, generosity and hope. It is a story of extraordinary resilience, the beauty of kindness and the power of giving back. 

North to Paradise is the inspiring, emotional and somber true story of Ousman Umar’s journey toward a better life. Once in Barcelona and achieving all he wanted, he couldn’t help but remember those he left behind. He then was determined to give back to his home village and help better their lives in any way he could. His descriptions of his experiences on his journey were heartstopping and heartbreaking. It’s hard to admire such tenacity and determination when most would have given up. The prologue states that a group of 46 started for Paradise, the Promised Land and near the end, only 6 survived! Mr. Umar states that given his experiences it would be easy to think of people as bad but with the goodness he has received, he likes to believe that most people are good, “It’s just that the good people make less noise.” How very true! I highly recommend North to Paradise. 

North to Paradise is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook