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Reviews
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
cyberbosanka's review against another edition
5.0
Inspiring book. It made me think about people and about world we live in.
eily_may's review against another edition
5.0
An enjoyable read. Interesting to get an insight into a girl who was so well known and so acclaimed at such a young age.
vivi85's review against another edition
5.0
What an inspiring young lady for women and children’s rights to education. I highly recommend listening to this on audiobook. At the end, you will be able to listen to her full UN speech. A very powerful message awaits.
elisabethfurlong's review against another edition
2.0
This was my book club’s August pick and I was so excited to read it because I don’t usually choose memoirs. While the story is admirable and I think Malala is an extremely brave person, I did not like this book very much. I felt like the entire story was about how wonderful she thought he father was and how HE felt about everything going on in their country and with education as a whole. I wanted more of Malala and less of her father.
Also- I had a hard time concentrating when each story she told started with the entire history of Pakistan and the countries surrounding it.
Also- I had a hard time concentrating when each story she told started with the entire history of Pakistan and the countries surrounding it.
lizzieanne771's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book - I learned a lot about a region of the world I don't know enough about. It's humbling to see how much some in the world have to risk and give up for something we too often take for granted - like education.
denisestewart's review against another edition
4.0
What a courageous young lady. I could never, ever be this brave. Nor would I continue to speak out for women's rights and education....nor would I have any faith left in a God who allowed any of this to happen.
I am not looking to argue with anyone about this....the following are excerpts from the book and my own opinions....they are mine and I am entitled to them.
"Would it have been better if we had not become independent but stayed part of India?" "It seemed to me that before Pakistan there was endless fighting between Hindus and Muslims. Then even when we got our own country there was still fighting; but this time it was between mhajirs and Pashruns and between Sunnis and Shias. Instead of celebrating each other , our four provinces struggle to get along. Sindhis often of separation and in Baluchistan there is an ongoing war which get talked about very little because it is so remote. Did all this fighting mean we needed to divide our country yet again?"
"There seemed to be so many things about which people were fighting. If Christians, Hindus or Jews are really our enemies, as so many say, why are we Muslims fighting with each other? Our people have become misguided. They think their greatest concern is defending Islam and being led astray by those like the Taliban who deliberately misinterpret the Quran. We should focus on practical issues. We have so many people in our country who are illiterate, And many women have no education at all. We live in a place where schools are blown up. We have no reliable electricity supply. Not a single day passes without the killing of at least one Pakistani."
Wow....this book was such an education to me. It was very well written and gave a very interesting history of Pakistan....I believe this version of the history. Also believe that this is one of the most oppressive (especially to women) religions I have ever heard about...it is also one of the most violent. I believe almost all organized religions are very violent in both their history, their slanted views and their actions.
Imagine living in a world where...there are public beheadinss....beating of women..because perhaps they looked the wrong way...didn't have their face covered while out...maybe their hair was not covered....women are not allowed to live alone....can only be out in the accompaniment of either their husband, brother or father...or some male relative....never alone....they are not even allowed to answer the door if they are home alone and someone knocks on the door.....most are uneducated (you betcha...how much better to keep someone under your thumb?)and of course with being uneducated comes being illiterate.
How about believing that the reason your country was hit with an earthquake is because women are not behaving...they are disobeying "God" and so He is punishing them....sounds like some radical so-called "Christians" who believe the recent floods were caused because of the gays......How ludicrous is all this?? Totally crazy...and there are NO other words for it.
Any way ...bless Malala...she believes in women's rights...she believes in education of women...and the bullets fired from the Talaban guns have not silenced her...not at all....Now instead of quieting her...her story has been heard...almost all around the world....she has spoken on behalf of the women of Pakistan in front of the United Nations and received a standing ovation.
"Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world." Indeed.....education....a very powerful tool.
The sadness that I feel as I close this book is...not enough people will read her story...not enough people will understand the message....education....not enough people will do research....not enough will ask questions..get answers....ignorance will remain...(one only has to look at the dumbing down of America with the horrible, horrible, reality shows that are shown daily...hourly...and the foolish, horrible untrue stories that are spread like fire on the interet....(in this day and age with the tools to check things out that would take only mere moments...most don't..they blindly cut and paste and pass the untruths on..and on...and on....and on.
Education one of our most important pocessions....that and the brain we have to think and reason with....wish more would use theirs....
I am not looking to argue with anyone about this....the following are excerpts from the book and my own opinions....they are mine and I am entitled to them.
"Would it have been better if we had not become independent but stayed part of India?" "It seemed to me that before Pakistan there was endless fighting between Hindus and Muslims. Then even when we got our own country there was still fighting; but this time it was between mhajirs and Pashruns and between Sunnis and Shias. Instead of celebrating each other , our four provinces struggle to get along. Sindhis often of separation and in Baluchistan there is an ongoing war which get talked about very little because it is so remote. Did all this fighting mean we needed to divide our country yet again?"
"There seemed to be so many things about which people were fighting. If Christians, Hindus or Jews are really our enemies, as so many say, why are we Muslims fighting with each other? Our people have become misguided. They think their greatest concern is defending Islam and being led astray by those like the Taliban who deliberately misinterpret the Quran. We should focus on practical issues. We have so many people in our country who are illiterate, And many women have no education at all. We live in a place where schools are blown up. We have no reliable electricity supply. Not a single day passes without the killing of at least one Pakistani."
Wow....this book was such an education to me. It was very well written and gave a very interesting history of Pakistan....I believe this version of the history. Also believe that this is one of the most oppressive (especially to women) religions I have ever heard about...it is also one of the most violent. I believe almost all organized religions are very violent in both their history, their slanted views and their actions.
Imagine living in a world where...there are public beheadinss....beating of women..because perhaps they looked the wrong way...didn't have their face covered while out...maybe their hair was not covered....women are not allowed to live alone....can only be out in the accompaniment of either their husband, brother or father...or some male relative....never alone....they are not even allowed to answer the door if they are home alone and someone knocks on the door.....most are uneducated (you betcha...how much better to keep someone under your thumb?)and of course with being uneducated comes being illiterate.
How about believing that the reason your country was hit with an earthquake is because women are not behaving...they are disobeying "God" and so He is punishing them....sounds like some radical so-called "Christians" who believe the recent floods were caused because of the gays......How ludicrous is all this?? Totally crazy...and there are NO other words for it.
Any way ...bless Malala...she believes in women's rights...she believes in education of women...and the bullets fired from the Talaban guns have not silenced her...not at all....Now instead of quieting her...her story has been heard...almost all around the world....she has spoken on behalf of the women of Pakistan in front of the United Nations and received a standing ovation.
"Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world." Indeed.....education....a very powerful tool.
The sadness that I feel as I close this book is...not enough people will read her story...not enough people will understand the message....education....not enough people will do research....not enough will ask questions..get answers....ignorance will remain...(one only has to look at the dumbing down of America with the horrible, horrible, reality shows that are shown daily...hourly...and the foolish, horrible untrue stories that are spread like fire on the interet....(in this day and age with the tools to check things out that would take only mere moments...most don't..they blindly cut and paste and pass the untruths on..and on...and on....and on.
Education one of our most important pocessions....that and the brain we have to think and reason with....wish more would use theirs....
laur2367's review against another edition
3.0
Very detailed account of life in Pakistan under the Taliban. I was impressed by the Malala's continued commitment to education and her drive to attend school despite so many obstacles. The sadness of the situation that her family faced as well as those affected by the Taliban is beyond imagination.
houselhoff's review against another edition
3.0
For starters, hugely inspirational person and story. To grow up surrounded by constant terror, to do what she did, then to get shot in the face, recover, and continue to do what she does now - she’s a one in a million individual. She truly deserves all of her titles, accolades, and adoration that she receives.
I just didn’t feel like the book flowed well, that’s all. That’s what I’m reviewing here. Some chapters felt disjointed, or had extraneous info or anecdotes that I guess were nice but I didn’t feel like added to what she was saying in a meaningful way. Now, when she wrote this she was, what, 16? 17? Not to mention English is her second language. Some parts just didn’t read well, which may be more on the editor than anything but who’s to say.
I know she addressed this in the book, and she wouldn’t be who she is had they not done this, but I really can’t help but feel that this was all just parenting malpractice? Dad is a well known woman’s rights and education advocate in Pakistan. He has a star pupil daughter. Through the years the Taliban causes the country to become incredibly more unstable and violent to the point he consistently fears for his own life. He goes so far as to sleep away from home so that if they take him out, his family won’t be affected. So with all this going on he props up his daughter to become the symbol and mouthpiece to lead the fight for a woman’s right to education in Pakistan? I don’t know maybe I’m cynical here because the takeaway is that this is a truly inspirational story but I can’t help but feel a twinge of like “okay but your dad almost got you killed though..” She defends him, as his her right, and says she knew what she was doing and she made the decision to be a public figure, but she was just a teenaged kid so YOU SEE MY DILEMMA HERE.
Problematic? Maybe. Inspirational? Yes. Is the world better as a result of her, her father, and their story? Also yes. Conflicted feelings and a choppy read - 6.9/10
I just didn’t feel like the book flowed well, that’s all. That’s what I’m reviewing here. Some chapters felt disjointed, or had extraneous info or anecdotes that I guess were nice but I didn’t feel like added to what she was saying in a meaningful way. Now, when she wrote this she was, what, 16? 17? Not to mention English is her second language. Some parts just didn’t read well, which may be more on the editor than anything but who’s to say.
I know she addressed this in the book, and she wouldn’t be who she is had they not done this, but I really can’t help but feel that this was all just parenting malpractice? Dad is a well known woman’s rights and education advocate in Pakistan. He has a star pupil daughter. Through the years the Taliban causes the country to become incredibly more unstable and violent to the point he consistently fears for his own life. He goes so far as to sleep away from home so that if they take him out, his family won’t be affected. So with all this going on he props up his daughter to become the symbol and mouthpiece to lead the fight for a woman’s right to education in Pakistan? I don’t know maybe I’m cynical here because the takeaway is that this is a truly inspirational story but I can’t help but feel a twinge of like “okay but your dad almost got you killed though..” She defends him, as his her right, and says she knew what she was doing and she made the decision to be a public figure, but she was just a teenaged kid so YOU SEE MY DILEMMA HERE.
Problematic? Maybe. Inspirational? Yes. Is the world better as a result of her, her father, and their story? Also yes. Conflicted feelings and a choppy read - 6.9/10
sjffy's review against another edition
4.0
An inspirational story about an outstanding person.
The trouble I had was not knowing how much influence the co-author had on the content or the voice.
Malala's is an important story, and so is that of her family. I think it's important to know whether you are reading an autobiography or a biography, and where the line between the two is.
The trouble I had was not knowing how much influence the co-author had on the content or the voice.
Malala's is an important story, and so is that of her family. I think it's important to know whether you are reading an autobiography or a biography, and where the line between the two is.