I learned more about race and culture, and many challenges that would be perplexing for an adult let alone a young child. As a Mom my heart 💜 went out to the boy, I also could see the Mom without options and felt my heart ache for her and the other Mothers he had.

I feel God dispatched many Angels 😇 to be vigilant with their watch over him. Despite the hardships, or maybe because he always rose above. Currently reading book 2 (it doesn’t disappoint) and can’t wait to get my hands on book 3. Rush out now!

This is Adel Ben Harhara who wrote this incredible book "To Have Nothing" where he talks about his exploits growing up in Addis Ababa (and later migrating to Yemen) as a Hadrami-Ethiopian whose father (a wealthy Hadrami and one of my grandfather's group of friends) died and left him living on the streets fending for his life.

Adel, who lives in Canada now, contacted me about this while I was in Seattle during the Covid period while he was writing the book, and I was shocked by his crazy tale and the astounding revelations about other things we had in common...

He sent me an early copy of the book - and my grandpa, Salem Bagersh, and his close pal Ahmed Bansser are among the people he dedicates his book too. I read Adel's book in one spine-tingling session and told him this was straight-up Netflix material!

I think my Yemeni and Ethiopian peeps will love the rich accounts of people, culture, and politics - and everyone will be dazzled by Adel's harrowing journey of survival.

If you’re looking for a good summertime read, a hiking friend of mine has written a memoir of his life.  The first book in the series is called “To Have Nothing - God Bless The Child Who’s Got His Own”.  The book is available on Amazon. 

It’s the powerful story of a young boy born into wealth until he was orphaned at the age of 5. Adel tells us his compelling story of survival following the death of his father which shaped the man he has become today.  As you read the pages your heart will ache for the young boy that never felt he fit in or belonged.  The story is interwoven with the religious and cultural beliefs of a historical time in Ethiopia’s history. 

It’s a fascinating read that reminded me of the struggles of many of our new Canadians (some of whom I now call my friends) faced before coming to this country. 

Hope you enjoy it.

Adel Ben Harhara 's book "To Have Nothing" made an indelible impression on me.  I saw how through the difficult and sometimes simply unbearable life of a small child, the fate of an entire nation can be traced.  The personal qualities of the boy Adel helped him survive in the cruel world in which he found himself and where the destinies and lives of hundreds of people were intertwined, where the current situation in the country, at that time, literally affected everything, but could not affect people's ability to support, sympathize, believe, hope, love and be friends.

For me, the book was not only exciting but also informative.

After reading this book, you will learn how a little boy, having gone through suffering, pain, and trials, became a worthy person.

"To have nothing" is the memoir of Adel Ben Harhara , the father of two daughters, a marathon runner, and a project management professional who investigates the meaning of his childhood life by writing and sharing his diaries. The book is about the life struggles of a once privileged child who turned out to be abandoned at the age of eight.

The book "To have Nothing" reveals how it feels to have nothing in life, literally nothing!

Reading Adel's book can make you understand the feeling of losing everything. I can say, Adel's book could be one of the most inspiring books for all age groups.

The book also tells what/how the social, religious, and political atmosphere of Ethiopia in the late 1960s and 1970s looks like. Reading the book takes you to different emotions depending on what the story tells about. In the beginning, Aunt Emebet was an angel, that made me feel happy. On another day, she makes me feel bad when she pushes the child away from the dining table. I felt happy and overjoyed when Adel met his father's best friend Mr Bansser. Reading about the moment of the first flight experience was so much fun. 🤣

After reading the book, I have concluded that if anyone has the desire, the passion, and the commitment to succeed in any aspect of life there is nothing that prevents him/her from achieving his/her goal.

I recommend the book for those who think they have a reason for their failure in life, and for those who have excuses for not becoming who they want to be.

As mentioned many times, running offers me endless opportunities to meet wonderful people all along the journey. The short-term and long-lasting relationships are priceless. A few years ago, in a shared van going to the Chicago Marathon, I met a wonderful new friend; Adel Ben Harhara. In that short ride, we became instant friends and have stayed in touch since. I'm looking forward to seeing him again at the NY Marathon this fall (the slowest finisher buys dinner--I've already surrendered). I was especially humbled and honored to be allowed to read an advanced reading copy (ARC) of his new book 'To Have Nothing: God Bless the Child Who's Got His Own'. It's just been released on Amazon.  The book is his first of a three-volume memoir. It is raw and heart-stopping. You'll be captivated from the get-go. It's a story of resilience, courage, drive, perseverance, and a mindset well beyond his years. Adel, thanks for sharing this tome from the onset--see you in a couple of months. To my friends and family, please get a copy of this--you're in for a breathtaking journey!

Reviewing a memoir is tricky because you want to share enough information to allure readers to read the book without giving away too much. With that caveat, To Have Nothing, the first volume of Adel Ben-Harhara's three-volume memoir is one of the most captivating memoirs I have ever read. The writer is a perfect bullet-dodger who narrowly escaped from being aborted, forcibly separated from a young mother as a toddler, and went through a very turbulent childhood brought about by the sudden death of his relatively affluent father. He also faced complete abandonment by his guardian relative and later met the death squad at the infamous Derg era torture house – all before hitting age fifteen. The fact that he is mentally strong, more bookish, and erudite than most children his age has helped him overcome this perfect storm that came his way in his formative period.

The memoir's title reveals the book's central theme, which you won't get any clue about until you have read a third of the book when he hits the very bottom and is left with nothing - literally. It is a brutally honest account of growing up in poor, multi-racial, multi-cultural families and societies. Many people who grew up in the same revolutionary period in Ethiopia as I can relate to most of his stories.

Readers can learn from this very inspiring story of endurance that hardened the young boy who once upon a time "had nothing" to gradually become not only a successful world-class professional but also pushed himself to climb mountains and run over multiple Marathons. You can buy the book on Amazon.

I'm very excited about the Book Launch 'Hope in the Sky'. I feel like I've waited forever for Book 2.

Book 1: "To Have Nothing" is an exceptional read, a story that moved me to my cores with each turning page. This is a story of a young Ethiopian-Yemeni boy who was born into wealth, ended up on the streets, in prison.... I wonder what awaits him in his journey....

To Have Nothing (Book 1 of 3) is a riveting account of Adel Ben Harhara life journey in Ethiopia as an Ethiopian-Yemeni young boy. It was a book that made me laugh and cry at some times. It shows the strength and determination of a boy that went from riches to the streets of Ethiopia. I can’t wait till I get my hands on his second book, Hope in The Sky. Sunday is not coming soon enough.

I read the book with mixed emotions; I had been through fear, sadness, anger, and happiness.

My first appreciation goes to Adel's skill of selecting the support team, who have different disciplines that helped him to make the book readable, interesting, and engaging.

The story revolves around different individuals who have negatively and positively affected his life journey throughout his childhood and teenage lifetime. He was able to entertain their characters and react accordingly. On the other hand, I admire his innate ability to handle individuals, especially those who have a positive personality and are ready to help him, like Banser, and made them decisive in his life destiny.

In this book, we can see noble individuals who have strongly shown their support and concerns for Adel in his childhood and teenage years which made him the person he is today.

The generation of Ethiopians in the 60s and 70s, were willing to lend their hands to those who need money, shelter, food, and any necessities, without asking the person from which tribe and ethnicity she/he belongs, only they need to know that she/he is human, tama aliantiha’ min!

I have very great respect and admiration for Adel for his courage, openness, generosity, and kindness to reveal the true painful life experiences he faced throughout his childhood and teenage years’ time. He knew that at least the next generation would learn from it, and they will realize it.

I found the book as an eye opener for those who have similar life paths but due to their shyness and losing courage to write their true-life history.

In general, the book has a great chance of molding people in their roles and how they should behave and act before things are out of their control.

In readers’ point of view, the story reminds us of some individuals who had an impact in one way or another in our life.

The story can be used as teaching material to inspire children who are stuck and still complaining about not having parents or any other helping hands to make them successful.  In most cases shifting the blame to others is common instead of finding other ways to overcome the challenges.

I loved it and recommend it to others to read!

A rare coincidence!, I would like to share with you my encounter with Adel's story and my experience.

Recently, individuals who read Adel's first book contacted me to ask if the bar he referenced in his memoir was owned by my parents (based on the description and location).  In his first book, To Have Nothing, Adel mentioned that he argued with his aunt, and he ran away when he was 10-year-old. He then started working as a shoeshine boy. During that period, he stated that he spent almost three weeks at a local bar.  These individuals went on to link me up with Adel over the phone so that we can verify, if in fact, the Bar (Tag Bet as we call it in the Amharic language), was my parents or not.

During my conversation with Adel, after 50 years, he vividly described to me the place, the furniture, my parents, and the three children who once lived in the same vicinity.  He also mentioned to me that in 2010, Adel tried to find the owner of this local bar (Tag Bet) if they were alive or if there are any of their descendants who were living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Unfortunately, he found no one.

I happened to be one of the three children who lived in the same house at that time.  Lo and behold, it was our house, owned and run by my parents!  It was a surprise for me!

One can say, in comparison to others mentioned in his book, that my parents' support for him could be considered a drop in the ocean.  However, it was important enough for him to remember and mention it in his book.  Here I am, without any prior knowledge of this book, perhaps pure chance, my family and I became part of this astonishing childhood and teenage life history. 

Using this opportunity, I would like to thank my late parents for being kind enough to allow that 10 years old boy to stay in our house (as he was sleeping on a street corner inside a sewer concrete). If not, things would have not been the same as we cherish now.

 Fifty years later, Adel and I reminisced about the things that took place at that time. I thought it was worth sharing it as a story on its own.

 The book is astonishingly written to reveal the story of Adel's real painful life experiences he had been through, and how he could survive and prove himself to be somebody; From Nothing To Everything.

This true life experience journey made by the Author has proved to me how someone can definitely go through his life without being loved and protected by her/his parents or any one close relatives. Regardless of the changes that occurred in her/his psychological and physical impact. No matter what the journey is unstable and full of difficulties: “God Bless the Child Who’s Got His own”.

What a story, what a life! And told so well.

It was difficult to put this book down and I'm excited to read the next volume

The book is well written and the story of Adel is similar to most unfortunate street kids in Ethiopia. Every child on the street has some kind of history to tell. I really like the research put towards writing this book about language, culture and social values in Ethiopia.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Both the history lesson and the way Adel describes his experiences and the characters from his childhood. What resilience! Enjoy! Waiting for books 2&3.

This is a beautiful memoir than spans across the nations. You empathize with Adel's struggles in life from his earlier years in Ethiopia and Yemen, to finding himself and succeeding here in Canada. It is a powerful and moving story.

After reading the proof copy of this book I found it very intriguing. The story of a boy growing up with nothing is not unusual but how Adel managed to overcome the poverty in a culture we have very little knowledge of, is a wonderful read.

Adel captures the reader and takes them on an unbelievable journey in To Have Nothing. He masterfully weaves history, geography & culture into his emotional account of his early childhood in Ethiopia. I couldn’t put down the Advanced Readers Copy and can’t wait for volume II.

Don't be put off by the long introduction, let yourself be immersed in the story and the raw human experience of the personal storyline intertwined with intriguing insights of connected facts and perspectives on geography, culture, religion, language and politics.

To Have Nothing is one of the few books I couldn’t put down! This book is great storytelling about a boy’s resilience to survive from rejection during his formative years. Despite every curveball thrown at him Adel writes about his strive to survive and look beyond what is In front of him to continue persevering.

I read the ARC copy of the book and can not say enough about it. It is a captivating page-turner.

The adage, "everyone has a story" applies, however not everyone has a story like this. Adel's heartbreaking tale of survival after the passing of his father is inspirational. Definitely, a perfect summer read.

For me, this story brought me to a corner of the world that I am not familiar with and was interspersed with explanations of traditions, laws, religions, languages, and culture. Very enjoyable and amazing true story.

This was an interesting look at two cultures that I knew very little about. Hard to envision this happening in the last 50 to 60 years. The author draws you into his emotional journey. Looking forward to reading the next chapter in the author’s story!

It was well written and captured the feelings of a young boy living in a life we cannot even imagine. The attention to detail was so captivating and the emotion was heart-wrenching. What an amazing story to be able to tell. So incredible that he began to write things down at such a young age, almost knowing that he would use those journals to write his story at a later date.

I was able to read the Advance Readers Copy (ARC) and I found myself engrossed with Adel's journey through his family turmoil, political upheaval, and personal growth. Adel's story was so vivid, expansive, and filled with modern history I found myself wanting to see his story told in a movie or short series format. Having seen many other biographical journeys written and explored through this means, Adel's story is certainly worthy of the same treatment. Well worth reading!

This beautifully written book about a young man’s journey takes us on a time capsule through one of the most complex periods of Ethiopian history. This is a story of survival and resilience. I was transported into the pain and hardships I faced as a young person fighting for freedom under one of the most brutal dictatorships my country has ever seen. This book took transported me in ways that I will forever be grateful for. Captivating, intimate, and raw. A recommended read to all!

This is a very compelling and emotional story of a child’s journey of growing up in Ethiopia while enduring unimaginable hardships. There are many moments of inspiration, shock, and humour to keep you on the edge of your seat and to pull on your heartstrings for the challenges he had to endure. Although based on his life, there is also an Ethiopian lesson in culture, history, religion, and family dynamics. I can’t wait to read the next two books of this trilogy to follow Adel’s intriguing story.

I found it to be an amazing tale of resilience! Adel suffered many hardships but kept fighting for freedom, true connections, and a better life for himself.  His perseverance in the face of loss and abandonment is truly moving and the humorous anecdotes throughout the book kept it light and easy to read.  I found some of the educational parts of the book distracted from the main story, but overall this was an incredible book and well worth the read!

I found this book to be very informative which helped me to understand a culture and history I knew very little if anything about. Overall, I found this book an easy read as it flowed well. I wouldn't normally pick this type of book to read so I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting I found it. It was hard to put down at times. To summarize I found the story to be extremely inspirational and compelling. It revealed that despite all the trauma suffered in his life, he was able to escape and move on in hopes of a better life through perseverance and education. If you are looking for a good book to read, I highly recommend this one!

I started reading Adel's books around midnight to read a few pages before going to bed. It's such a great book, hard to put down and I ended up going to bed at 3 o’clock. He articulated the book so well in his true colour to the point I can hear his voice while reading it. Adel reveals his extraordinary life pathway by divulging stories of his fascinating travels and unique childhood including the risks he took, his fears, blunders along the road, losses, victories, and disappointments as well as griefs.Adel is not what one would call the "funny" or “nice” person one might meet in their lifetime. However, he is a person with a lot of knowledge and experience in many areas. Talking to Adel for an hour is the same as reading 10 books in different genres while entertaining. I was always curious how he ended up with a very sharp mind while living in the western world where life is different from the east where he’s originally from. I always wondered, was it the books that he read or his life experience? I finally got my answers from his book which helped me to take a slice of his full pie in his first volume. If you ever wondered who Adel really is and what he was really like and how he got here, this book will tell you. The book leaves very little if any.Adel was not a regular “Chu Chi” (kid). His story is inspiring and an excellent example of anyone who can get wherever they want, it doesn’t matter where they come from. As an Ethiopian, I can imagine how hard the society's beliefs and cultures toward a mixed person in a race as well as religion is, didn’t make it easy for him. Adel speaks the untold story of many people who had to go through the same thing as he did and decided not even to think about it again. Adel opened different boxes that many people don’t have the courage to.I can’t wait for the next two editions!

This book is written unevenly and has a slow start. But it does pick up and rewards the reader with a tale that is quite stirring. Family infighting mixed with religious and racial bigotry made Adele's life precarious almost from the very start. Living on the streets and then being forced into political detention could have ended his life at any time. However, his innate gifts and some well-timed help from friends and relatives allowed him to come through it all.

The book has English, Amharic (Ethiopian), and Arabic versions and I'm sure the three different audiences will have extremely different reactions to the story. The book discusses mixed marriages, sex between persons of vastly different ages, and the rights -or lack thereof- of women and children. I had a quite different reaction to Adele's when it came to how his father, mother, and other family members treated him.

An enthralling story about a boy in a land far far away. A middle eastern/Arabian history lesson on times we can hardly conceive. A cultural education on familial hierarchy, politics, religion, and language. You must have a spirit that burns, a drive to survive, and a sprinkle of luck ‘to have nothing and yet make things possible.

The author takes you on a highly personal and powerful retelling of his childhood years. At times you feel fear and pain and isolation and it makes you wonder what your own reaction would have been. There’s no way to know, but t cheer on the boy. Looking forward to the two next books!