Welcome back to our monthly review of books by inspirational female authors, in celebration of the centenary of women legally being able to vote.
For August I have chosen I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai It is the true story of a young Pakistani girl who spoke out against the Taliban to defend her right to an education. This bravery almost cost Malala her life, but she survived and continues to advocate for education as a universal right. In 2014, she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
The story is told in Malala’s own words and you get a sense of the real person behind the icon. Learning that she squabbles with her younger brothers, she loves the colour pink and she hates getting up in the morning made me connect with her story even more. It’s easy to forget she is an ordinary teenager as well as a symbol for resistance and justice.
Alongside Malala’s experiences, the book outlines in some detail the history and politics of Pakistan. It is explained simply, presuming no prior knowledge so it is a good introduction if, like me, you don’t know as much about it as you’d like.
I found her story very inspiring. It reminded me how much freedom I take for granted every day, when that is not the case for women around the world, and also how much further there is to go for equality.
Check back in September for the next review of another inspirational writer.
Philippa, Brompton Library
PS – you can see the previous reviews of inspirational women writers for July, June, May, April and March
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