Why did Ishmael tell the story in the way that he did?

I don't know exactly why Beah chose to structure his memoir in this way, but from his writing we can infer that he chose to first introduce himself and provide the reader with general information about his past before telling his story. He also adds a number of accolades from those who previously read and reviewed the book..... praise goes a long way in marketing.

Throughout the novel, we see that Beah is not only a talented writer, but a man who loves to write. He embraces the role of storyteller in the same way he enjoyed the many storytellers that he knew at home during his youth.