I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
A MEMOIR BY THE YOUNGEST RECIPIENT OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
As seen on Netflix with David Letterman
“I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.”
I Am Malala – When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.
Instead, Malala’s miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls’ education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.
I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one person’s voice to inspire change in the world.
Book Review by J. Hooligan
I checked the audiobook out from the library, forgetting that I had bought the ebook when it was on sale… because I’m that sort of person. As amused and annoyed as I was with myself when I realized this, I actually ended up getting a better experience with the book this way. Malala speaks at the beginning and end of the book, and there’s her UN speech as well. So, the audio version is definitely worth listening to.
It’s pretty emotional, hearing about how so many children in Pakistan are unable to be educated because their poor and/or female. I think it was very important of her to point out that the biggest issue with the ignorance there is because of this lack of education. These people are studying their holy text, but aren’t understanding the words. That’s something to be said of all religions. It’s scary what happens when the uneducated come into power and twist a holy book to their desires. And knowing she stood up for her education despite the threats, she is amazing. Truly.
I introduced my 5 year old son to the story of Malala last year, we own a couple picture books about her. I wanted him to know how important it is for all people to be given the opportunity to be educated. Also, I want to raise him to understand that there is no type of person better than another – people of all races, religions, genders, etc. all deserve the same opportunities.
To me, the worst part of this was knowing there was a period of time when her father regretted letting her choose an education over her safety. I cannot even imagine the grief her parents went through.
I’ve been reading a lot of non fiction lately, and I’ve noticed there is a lot of rambling in them. This book didn’t have that. It is a fascinating story and I am so glad she lived through being shot. I wish I could afford to go to her talk in Houston, I expect it is going to be great.
Review
“The touching story will not only inform you of changing conditions in Pakistan, but inspire your rebellious spirit.” “Matthew Love, “Time Out New York”””
“Ms. Yousafzai has single-handedly turned the issue of the right of girls-and all children-to be educated into headline news. And she is a figure worth hearing.” “Isabel Berwick, “The Financial Times”””
“Wise beyond her years….” “Annie Gowen, “Marie Claire”””
“Riveting…. Co-written with Christina Lamb, a veteran British journalist who has an evident passion for Pakistan and can render its complicated history with pristine clarity, this is a book that should be read not only for its vivid drama but for its urgent message about the untapped power of girls…. It is difficult to imagine a chronicle of a war more moving, apart from perhaps the diary of Anne Frank. With the essential difference that we lost that girl, and by some miracle, we still have this one.” “Marie Arana, “Washington Post”””
“Remarkable…a must-read, first-person account of her journey through global terrorism, her brave, encouraging parents, and her own fight for girls’ education.” “MarieClaire.com””
“The victory of Malala Yousafzai is that she’s just getting started.” “Mary Elizabeth Williams, “Salon”””
“Briskly written but full of arresting detail…. Striking [and] surprising…” “Jill Lawless, “Associated Press”””
“Ms. Yousafzai’s stature as a symbol of peace and bravery has been established across the world…” “Salman Masood, “The New York Times”””
“Not only has Malala Yousafzai become an international symbol of inspiration and bravery, but her survival instilled educators with courage-and is slowly helping make Pakistani schools safer.” “Nick Schifrin, “ABC.com”””
“For a teenage girl in a distant corner of the globe to spark life into this movement-against overwhelming odds-is truly extraordinary. The world must not allow Malala’s message to die.” “”Dallas Morning News”””
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About the Author
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. She is known for human rights advocacy, especially education of women in her native Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. Her advocacy has since grown into an international movement.
Originally published: October 2013
Authors: Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb
Page count: 288
Subject: Autobiography
Genres: Biography, Autobiography
Publishers: Little, Brown and Company (US), Weidenfeld & Nicolson(UK)