I finally got “I am Malala” this Saturday and was so excited to read it that I ended up finishing it within the same day. Like millions of others, I had eagerly been following Malala’s inspirational story chronicling her fight for the right to education. I was dying to know more about this insanely amazing girl, who at such a young age, actually fought for the right to go to school and the right to learn. Many girls at that age, myself included, view education as a chore, something they have to do. It was amazing to see this young girl not only realize the value of education at such a young age, but really fight for it, even in the face of threats to her life. I am definitely a huge Malala fan.
What the Taliban have done to areas such as Pakistan and Afghanistan is so incredibly heartbreaking and shows the world what happens when violence prevails. To try and shut women out of the public arena completely is the most ridiculous notion, and to actually outlaw education for girls is perhaps even more heinous. Women are just as important to any culture as men, and have just as much a right to an education. As a girl born in a first-world nation, where women enjoy equality (for the most part) in all areas, I find it unbelievable that girls in other areas of the world are groomed solely for the purpose of looking after a household, bearing children, and following the edicts of men. Malala’s plight has really brought forth so many of the issues women around the world face and all the rights they are denied (one’s we take for granted); the right to fall in love, the right to an education, the right to choose who you marry, the right to go out in public whenever you want, the right to talk to an unrelated male, the right to dress as you choose, etc. It’s difficult for people growing up so removed from such an environment to really understand the struggle women go through in such parts of the world, and “I am Malala” does a great job of allowing us a glimpse into Malala’s radically different world.
Now on to the actual book. For those of you that don’t know, “I am Malala” was actually co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb. The book chronicles much of Malala’s life as well as that of her parents as they endure the multitude of hurdles life has to throw at them. We learn Malala’s history, from that of her birth to the day she was shot, all set in the backdrop of Pakistan’s political history. Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is clearly an enormous influence on her life, and an educational activist himself. Many of his views and morals are what helped shaped Malala’s fight for education. The book is interestingly written in that there is a lot of history and politics in the background of every chapter, to show us how each political shift is affecting Malala’s life, and how her and her family react to all these drastic changes. However, here it must be mentioned that at some points along the read, it seems as though there is too much political history and the co-writer’s voice drowns out Malala’s. Some parts of it actually read like a history book, thus disappointing many of us who want to know more about Malala herself. While it can’t be denied that the political background is necessary to put things in perspective, it seems a bit excessive at times, and drowns out the voice of our heroine. Regardless, the novel should definitely be read by everyone living in a first world nation, simply because it allows us to see things through the eyes of a survivor; a survivor of such harsh conditions and unthinkable obstacles, of the likes of which most of us have never faced.
Malala is a true inspiration to us all, and I pray that she is successful in her fight for the right of girls all over the world to go to school.
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