Book Review: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
MalalaYousafzai, Christina Lamb
2013
327 pages

Synopsis
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 has become 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.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review
This was definitely an interesting read, despite my personal preference of not really enjoying non-fiction books. However, she leads a very inspiring life as you discover more about the hardships her and her family faced growing up in a valley haunted by violence and religious ignorance. I learnt a lot more about the history of Pakistan and the Taliban, than I had ever known before. Seeing things through her perspective, as well as that of her father, I gained a lot more insight into the way of life over there. I'll be the first to say I'm usually oblivious to the events going on in the world, so it was refreshing to get more in-depth details about the way their culture has them live, as well as how they were treated by the Taliban and Pakistani Army. I also enjoyed how it took us through her life, day-by-day as she recovered from her almost fatal attack. I got to see how she reacted to her condition and what she was thinking during this difficult transition. As a teacher it also naturally interests me about her quest for having education available for all children. It was a well-written book, and one I'm glad I got the chance to read.