Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli
Storia vera di Enaiatollah Akbari. Italienischer Text mit deutschen Worterklärungen
📖 Summary
Fabio Geda's general non-fiction work, published in 2015 across 228 pages, tells the poignant and remarkable true story of Enaiatollah Akbari. The narrative is constructed through a series of conversations between the author and the young protagonist, capturing Enaiatollah's voice with striking authenticity, warmth, and resilience. The book chronicles an epic and perilous journey of survival, beginning when Enaiatollah is just a child living in Afghanistan. Following the tragic loss of his father and facing extreme danger from the Taliban due to his ethnicity, his mother makes the agonizing decision to leave him behind in Pakistan for his own safety, embarking him on a journey that would span several years and multiple continents. Throughout the pages of this compelling account, readers are transported across borders, mountain ranges, and treacherous seas as Enaiatollah navigates the harsh realities of illegal migration. The journey takes him from the mountains of Pakistan through Iran, Turkey, and Greece, before he finally finds refuge and a semblance of peace in Italy. Along the way, the young boy encounters a vast spectrum of humanity. He experiences profound cruelty, exploitation, and the constant threat of deportation, yet he also discovers unexpected kindness, solidarity, and friendship from strangers who help him survive against astronomical odds. What makes Geda's book stand out within the genre of non-fiction is its ability to balance the grim realities of geopolitical crisis with the innocent, observant perspective of a child growing up under impossible circumstances. Enaiatollah's narrative is not merely a catalogue of suffering; it is a testament to the human spirit's capacity for endurance, adaptability, and hope. He learns to work various menial jobs to pay for his passage, navigates cramped and dangerous smuggling boats across the water, and learns to read and write along the way, transforming himself from a terrified child into a resourceful young man. The title itself, which translates to There Are Crocodiles in the Sea, serves as a haunting metaphor for the hidden dangers that lurk in unfamiliar waters and precarious situations, a warning given to Enaiatollah by his mother before they parted ways. Yet, despite the crocodiles he encounters, he continues to swim forward. The book invites readers to look beyond statistics, headlines, and political debates surrounding refugees and immigrants, offering instead a deeply personal, humanizing portrait of a single life shaped by displacement. Ultimately, the narrative is an inspiring reflection on identity, belonging, and the fierce, unconditional love of a mother who gave up her child so that he might live.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Deeply moving and humanizes the refugee crisis through a personal lens
Written in an engaging, accessible voice that preserves the protagonist's perspective
Balances moments of hardship with genuine warmth and resilience
Offers vital educational insight into global migration challenges
⚠️ Cons
Some readers may find the detailed accounts of hardship emotionally heavy
The narrative style, being told through an author-protagonist collaboration, might feel compressed in places
❓ FAQ
Who is the author of the book? +
The book was written by Fabio Geda, who compiled the story through conversations with the protagonist.
What is the primary subject matter? +
It is a work of general non-fiction detailing the true migration journey of an Afghan boy named Enaiatollah Akbari.
How many pages long is the book? +
The 2015 edition spans 228 pages.
Where does the journey take the protagonist? +
The journey begins in Afghanistan and leads through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Greece, ultimately ending in Italy.
What does the title refer to? +
The title references a warning given to the protagonist about the unseen dangers waiting in the sea during his migration.
