Guantánamo Kid The true story of Mohammed El-Gharani

This expertly rendered and wrenching graphic narrative relates the experiences of Mohammed el Gharani, a native of Saudi Arabia who, at the age of 14, was detained by Pakistani guards during a trip to Karachi shortly after 9/11, falsely accused of having ties to Al-Qaeda, and subsequently transferred to American control and held at GuantA¡namo Bay for eight years. Routinely facing cruelty, privation, and torture, el Gharani never loses his tough, rebellious spirit, protesting for better conditions whenever possible. He also relies upon his religious faith, which helps power him through even the worst of the abuse: "I believe that in GuantA¡namo, God was testing us, too. He was testing our patience." Though el Gharani was released in June 2009, he relates his continued difficulties in an appendix interview; as of 2018, he lives in West Africa "still waiting for a 'safe country' to grant him asylum." Tubiana, who scripted the story in collaboration with el Gharani, keeps the often complex story clear and focused, while illustrator Franc's fluid, appealingly cartoony black-and-white drawings imbue even the most harrowing passages with grace and humor (such as a soldier drawn like Beetle Bailey). This is an astounding account of human endurance and faith against overwhelming odds and terrible injustice. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

While not the first comic to depict the ethical quagmire that is Guantánamo Bay (see Jess Parker and Sarah Mirk's webcomic Guantánamo Bay Is Still Open), this Amnesty International-endorsed volume is certainly the most comprehensive. Mohammed El-Gharani is just 13 or 14 when he travels to Pakistan to study English and information technology. Shortly after arriving, he's arrested during a raid on his mosque. "The Pakistani government wants to sell you to the Americans, 5,000 dollars each," one of the friendlier officers tells him. Labeled an enemy combatant based on two other detainees' testimony, El-Gharani is detained at Guantánamo for seven years without trial, subject to many brutalities at the hands of sadistic guards and, worse, apathetic or cowardly bureaucrats. Journalist Tubiana's present-day epilog reveals that the effects of El-Gharani's imprisonment endure long after his release; unfortunately, the judge's proclamation of innocence did not mean he would be treated like an innocent man. VERDICT Compellingly told with simple yet effective black-and-white illustrations from artist Franc (Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie), this account of one of the more shameful skeletons in America's closet is a thoughtful nonfiction addition to any adult collection and, considering there are still 40 detainees at Guantánamo in 2019, as relevant as ever. [An editor's pick, LJ 2/19.]-Ingrid Bohnenkamp, Springfield-Greene Cty. Lib. Dist., MO © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.