I Am Malala (#748) hardly needs an introduction to most of the world. Malala Yousafzai tells her story in the engrossing book co written with noted war journalist Christina Lamb. The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban is the subtitle of this volume, although Malala makes it clear in its pages that it is not why she wants to be known. She prefers her activism in the cause of education, especially for women, to be the reason she is famous. She has already won several prestigious international prizes, and is showing no signs of stopping, even though she is not yet twenty one!
What is surprising are the circumstances her family had to overcome before her father could begin making an impact on local and national affairs, including celebrating her birth and adding her to the formerly all-male family tree. Their struggles are outlined here as the world around them changed and danger became a part of everyday living. How and why Malala and her father became targets of the Taliban are explained in chilling detail. Malala's story is one of courage; physical, moral and spiritual.
Since I am reading this for my book club, I went to the Little Brown website to print out the Reading Group Guide available on line. Although the questions for discussions are worthwhile, I was surprised that the role Malala's faith played in her story and her reactions to what happened to her were totally ignored. It seemed to me that it was a key element to what makes Malala Malala, and why her life story is so admirable. Just my opinion...
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