Reseña: I am Malala

I am Malala 

by  

Malala Yousafzai

276 pages

Published October 8th 2013 by W & N Non Fiction (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) (first published November 1st 2012)

Original Title I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

ISBN 0297870920 (ISBN13: 9780297870920)

Edition Language English

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘Why don’t they want girls to go to school?’ I asked my father.
‘They are scared of the pen,’ he replied.

Malala Yousafzai got worldwide attention when she was shot. Isn't that sad? I didn't know about her before that. Despite been insert in a well know conflict -the conflict, not the whys- , there is a lot of things we don't understand about that war. In this context, the book achieves its goal to learn at least some facts and key players. Recent history like bin Laden and Benazir Bhutto. And Afghanistan.

Written in a unadorned style, this is not a novelization of her life.



The voice of Ziauddin Yousafzai, her father, permeate the background. Big motor and influence.

Education had been a great gift for him. He believed that lack of education was the root of all Pakistan’s problems. Ignorance allowed politicians to fool people and bad administrators to be re-elected. He believed schooling should be available for all, rich and poor, boys and girls.

In moments repetitive about 'education for the girls', though we could find a common ground in many things.
It’s hard for girls in our society to be anything other than teachers or doctors if they can work at all. I was different – I never hid my desire when I changed from wanting to be a doctor to wanting to be an inventor or a politician.

(Y el sueño de los padres de sus hijas/hijos que lleguen a ser médicos trasciende las fronteras.)

Poverty. Children working are things to adress in many societys,including mine.

However, there is something that keep bothering me. Malala said that her mother is iliterate. Again, not big deal, considering the background. But ... but Malala's father is a TEACHER WHO OWNS SCHOOLS for 20 years. There was never the issue arised meanwhile her wife was cooking, cleaning and rising the children?? And later, Malala learning to read, going to school , (reading Twilight and Coelho -ugh), never ever thought about teaching her own mother to read??? excuse me, but WHAT? When my grandmother lost her sight after her 50s , my aunt get her a teacher of braille and books. You could learn at any age.

She didn't mention either anything about helping her mother to cook, or look after her younger brother.... or helping tidy up her home (she is the oldest), is like she is over that. It's not about gender, but help her mother. I don't know. That keep bothering me.

Anyway, her pacifism message is powerful.

I couldn’t understand what the Taliban were trying to do. ‘They are abusing our religion,’ I said in interviews. ‘How will you accept Islam if I put a gun to your head and say Islam is the true religion? If they want every person in the world to be Muslim why don’t they show themselves to be good Muslims first?’

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Notas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashtuns

 http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2012/10/121010_paquistani_malala_yousafzai_blog_rg

 http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/asia/1194838044017/class-dismissed-in-swat-valley.html