As a child in a small village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumours of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry. But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighbouring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown. 224pp, UK. BLOOMSBURY.

Portrays the small, northern village of Fadugu as its way of life collapses. Based on years of correspondence between villagers and the books authors, both former Peace Corps volunteers in Fadugu, this harrowing account views the Revolutionary United Front through the eyes of those who bore the brunt of its attacks. Index, bib, b/w photos, 223pp, USA. COLD RUN BOOKS.

Now in paperback. A daughter's memoir of her father, her family, her country and a continent. Highly acclaimed by authors Fergal Keane, Peter Godwin, and Gillian Slovo. viii, 403pp, UK.FLAMINGO.

In 1998, the author began reporting from the war zones of Africa. This fascinating autobiography charts his career as a war correspondent and the ambush in Freetown in which his colleague was killed and he was left with a bullet in the head, and a very slim chance of survival. Illustrated with b/w photos. Bib, 308pp, UK. SATIN PUBLICATIONS LTD, 1904132294

New, updated edition. The author left her comfortable life as a GP in York and headed off for two years in a remote hospital in Sierra Leone. There she finds that the oranges are green, the bananas are black and her patients are really ill. Her memoir describes dealing with medical supply shortages, invading rebels and being inspired by the tenacious spirit of Sierra Leoneans. Includes new chapters covering the author's recent return visit when she worked in the rebuilt hospital and her children attended the local school. 320pp, UK. EYE BOOKS.

An account of a photojournalist's journey through war torn Sierra Leone describing the use of child soldiers, the diamond trade and forced amputations. Illustrated with b/w photographs. sources, notes, 308pp, USA. THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.

2002 2000 0312282192 Hardback

Autobiography of the Sierra Leone-born doctor whose fascinating life story offers a glimpse into the complex relationships between Britain and her former colonial subjects. Index, apps, b/w photos, 416pp, UK. CAMPBELL MATTHEWS & CO.

Ella Koblo was the first woman to be Paramount Chief in Kaiyamba Chiefdom, Moyamba District, in Sierra Leone. She was the first Sierra Leone woman to enter the legislature in 1957, and became the first female cabinet minister in West Africa. This biography is a testament to her achievements. 66pp, SIERRA LEONE. PEN POINT PUBLISHERS.

2004 1904855342 Paperback

New paperback edition. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. Now twenty-five years old, he tells his riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and honesty. Includes extended afterword and an interview with the author. Chronology, 248pp, UK. HARPER PERENNIAL.

Memoirs of a missionary doctor who spent most her life in Sierra Leone. B/w ill, 187pp, UK. DUDU NSOMBA PUBLICATIONS.

Shows how the colonial government tried to control the diamond trade, and suggests that a formula might be de-vised to bring in the United Nations as trustee for new African nations now in chaos. BNS, 8 b/w ill, 256pp, UK. RADCLIFFE PRESS, 1860648177

A collection of photographs, poems and reflections of the author's travels in Sierra Leone. Includes maps, colour illustrations, a Sierra Leone fact file and a list of useful websites. 25pp, UK.

2004 Pamphlet

Now available in paperback, with brief author interview included in this edition. With honesty and a great deal of soul searching, an American journalist describes his experiences in Sierra Leone, telling the story of a disparate group of people. A father who rescues his daughter and loses his hand as punishment, a child soldier and the priest who tries to help him, and a highly westernised medical student who claims an immunity to bullets and a cure for HIV. 206pp, UK. PENGUIN BOOKS.

The autobiography of the military leader who was at the centre of the Sandline Affair, in which the sale of arms to Sierra Leone was questioned by the UN and the British Foreign Office. Index, 240pp, UK. MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING, 1840183497

Now available in paperback. The story of a Royal Marine's Major's peacekeeping work for the UN in Sierra Leone, and his unarmed escape from rebels. More than a tale of bravery, Ashby reflects on events and experiences and questions people's motives. Col & b/w ill, index, xxii, 339pp, UK. MACMILLAN - PALGRAVE, 0330491474