I Am Malala

Executive Summary: After a bit of a slow start, I found this book to be really interesting, informative, inspiring, yet depressing and a bit terrifying. 3.5 stars.

Audiobook: I initially had some difficulty understanding Archie Panjabi, but by the end I was used to her, and thought she did a good job.

Full Review
Despite the title, this book is more than just the story of Malala. It includes a much larger look at the history of Pakistan, in particular the region where Malala grew up. It also includes important events during her lifetime that helped to shape the circumstances leading to her being shot.

I found the start of this book a bit on the slow side, but once I got into it, I found all the extra detail more interesting and informative. I know very little about Pakistan. This book helped to give me a lot more background on the country and its people.

I first heard about Malala, like many people I suspect after she had been shot. I had no idea about the struggle women are going through in that region just to get an education. It's incredible the courage and drive of Malala and her father to help to provide something that is often under appreciated here in the United States. A basic education.

I'm not sure how much of this book was written by Malala herself, and how much was done by Christina Lamb, but I thought they did a good job of balancing Malala's personal story with the larger story of her country to give the reader a lot more context and hopefully lead to a better understanding of why her efforts are so important.

If you're interested in learning more about the Middle East, the struggle for equality or just a fascinating story of someone willing to stand up against incredibly difficult circumstances, this book is a pretty good read.