Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Read Book

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

by Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

4.02 · Rating Details · 155,023 Ratings · 10,649 Reviews

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at p ...more

Hardcover, 327 pages

Published October 8th 2013 by Little, Brown and Company (first published November 1st 2012)

More Details... edit details

Get a copy:

Or buy for

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about I Am Malala, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

100 Biographies & Memoirs to Read in a Lifetime: Readers' Picks

3rd out of 1,072 books — 1,058 voters

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Books Rec'd By The Daily Show

1st out of 367 books — 238 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | Rating Details

Oct 12, 2014 Diane rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, inspirational, education, religion, women, daily-show, pakistan

Reading this book reminded me of how much I take for granted every day: Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The freedom to go to the store without needing a male escort. And the ability to get an education, regardless of gender.

"I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children."

Malala, who is now 16, is an outspoken advocate for girls to have the same r Reading this book reminded me of how much I take for granted every day: Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The freedom to go to the store without needing a male escort. And the ability to get an education, regardless of gender.

"I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children."

Malala, who is now 16, is an outspoken advocate for girls to have the same right to go to school as boys. In her native Pakistan, she lost that ability when the Taliban took over: "I was 10 when the Taliban came to our valley ... It seemed to us that the Taliban arrived in the night just like vampires. They appeared in groups, armed with knives and Kalashnikovs ... They looked so dark and dirty and that my father's friend described them as 'people deprived of baths and barbers.'"

The Taliban started bombing schools and decreed that girls couldn't get an education. Malala's father was a school principal and encouraged her to speak out. She was only 15 at the time, but threats were made against her and her family. And in October 2012, when she was riding the school bus with her friends, a man with a gun climbed aboard the vehicle and shot Malala in the head.

Amazingly, Malala survived the bullet and was able to recover. She and her family currently live in England, but Malala writes about how much she misses her home country and wishes she could return to be with her friends. Her graciousness was such that she did not wish revenge on her attacker, and instead prays for peace.

"I thank Allah for the hardworking doctors, for my recovery and for sending us to this world where we may struggle for our survival. Some people choose good ways and some choose bad ways. One person's bullet hit me. It swelled my brain, stole my hearing and cut the nerve of my left face in the space of a second. And after that one second there were millions of people praying for my life and talented doctors who gave me my body back. I was a good girl. In my heart I had only the desire to help people."

Malala's story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I admire her courage and her tenacity, and also hope that her country will one day find peace. "Why are we Muslims fighting with each other? ... 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."

The book is lovingly written, and I also appreciated her stories about the history of Pakistan and her people, the Pashtuns. While reading the book I realized that I knew more about the history of other countries in the region, such as Afghanistan, Iran and India, than I did about Pakistan, and it was very informative. I would highly recommend the book to anyone interested in women's rights, current events, history or inspirational memoirs.

"Today we all know education is our basic right. Not just in the West; Islam too has given us this right. Islam says every girl and every boy should go to school. In the Quran it is written, God wants us to have knowledge. He wants us to know why the sky is blue and about oceans and stars ... The Taliban could take our pens and books, but they couldn't stop our minds from thinking."

Update October 2014:
I was thrilled to hear that Malala had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work. I have recommended this book to numerous people in the past year, and am still amazed by her courage. Three cheers for Malala!
...more

flag 404 likes · Like · see review

Nov 01, 2013 Tanya Tyson rated it liked it

Just to be clear, the rating is for the book not the person Malala herself. I read this quickly whilst on holidays and was keen to find out more about her story after seeing a short tv piece just before leaving home. I think her story is amazing and her courage remarkable, her plight and vision inspiring but the book itself I found to be an odd mix of political and historical fact and personal reflections that didn't quite gel for me. Still a worthy read and I really appreciated the insight into ...more

flag 353 likes · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2013 Natasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: very-good, non-fiction, goodreads-malaysia-2013-rc

Being a fellow Muslim, I was indeed intrigued and awed by the courage of this young girl who is brave enough to state out what is wrong with her country and strive for education to be available for all.

Coming from a country where education is a main priority and females over populated the men in schools,colleges and universities, I was indeed aghast to discovered that in certain parts of the world, women are being treated as second class citizens. It brought a tear to my eyes, how Malala and her ...more

flag 177 likes · Like · see review

Dec 20, 2013 Summer rated it it was ok

Shelves: memoir, war

I really wanted to love this book. I don't think anyone can deny the difficulties this girl has faced or the impact she has had on the world. However, the book reads like an odd jumble of Pakistani history, politics, and personal experience that never quite comes together into a cohesive narrative. The first few chapters are very inconsistent and meander all over the place with no clear destination; it sounds more like a collection of memories or family stories interspersed with factual informat ...more

flag 168 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2013 Limau Nipis rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction, nook-simple-touch, wasting-my-time, 2013-reads

I could not be bothered with negative comments. So, get on with your life. Just ignore the review if you think I write negatively.

I don't want to raise some sentiments here, so if your comments got deleted, like I wrote earlier, get on with your life.

Edited to include what I have wrote earlier in my comments on 4 December '13:

I do feel that this autobiography should have waited for a few years for Malala to have a much more distinctive voice.

Unfortunately, this was muted by the co author.

2.5 sta ...more

flag 132 likes · Like · see review

Jun 09, 2016 Ayesha rated it did not like it

Shelves: non-fiction, bilkul-bakwas-thi, 2016

EDIT: 6/9/2016
---The people who are bashing me, Kindly take a look at the quotes or in the comment section. After some of the gif-y juvenile opinions, the discussion is rather educating.

Dearest Malaala,

---Why did you write an emotionally manipulative story specifically directed at international readers and compelling them to feel sorry about a nation using the lethal weapon of exaggeration and one sided execution of truth.I always thought why Malaala and not someone else as everything about you ...more

flag 93 likes · Like · see review

Nov 08, 2013 L.J. Smith rated it it was amazing

Shelves: biography

I absolutely loved this book. I have been following this story ever since Malala Yousafzai was shot and articles about her began to appear on CNN.com. I was always captivated by the way Malala spoke in interviews before she was attacked: I simply loved the sound of her voice and the sight of her face, which seemed to shine with her spirit. She might not think she is beautiful, but to me she is stunning. I adore the bright colors she wears and the liquid wonder of her eyes.

It was difficult to rea I absolutely loved this book. I have been following this story ever since Malala Yousafzai was shot and articles about her began to appear on CNN.com. I was always captivated by the way Malala spoke in interviews before she was attacked: I simply loved the sound of her voice and the sight of her face, which seemed to shine with her spirit. She might not think she is beautiful, but to me she is stunning. I adore the bright colors she wears and the liquid wonder of her eyes.

It was difficult to read about the shameful, cowardly attack on her, from her own POV. I empathized so much that it was painful to hear the details--some of which she could only describe as being what was told to her about the shooting.

On the other hand, I will always remember one statement she made. "A Talib fires three shots at point-blank range at three girls in a van and doesn’t kill any of them . . . I know God stopped me from going to the grave. It feels like this life is a second life. People prayed to God to spare me, and I was spared for a reason— to use my life for helping people."

It will always give me chills to think that it is amazing indeed that a Talib gunman fired three bullets, intending to kill one young girl--and that, unbelievably, he failed. I find it very hard to argue with the idea that Malala was, in fact, spared for a reason.

The parts I enjoyed most about this autobiography were the beginning and end, where Malala speaks about her home, the Swat Valley, and everything that she loved and was proud about there: from her amazing father who, unlike most Pashtuns, celebrated when his wife gave birth to a daughter, to her best friend Moniba, with whom she giggled and played with, and who was also her rival for top of the class at at Kahshul School.

When Malala described an ordinary day in her old life, fighting with her younger brothers, listening to the village women who would gather at her mother's in the afternoon, I was absolutely charmed. It seemed that there was no ghostwriter and that I could hear Malala's voice speaking the words aloud as clearly as I had heard her speak on videos about her mission to help all girls, everywhere, get an education. I was fascinated to read that Malala was named after the brave Malalai of Maiwand, the greatest heroine of Afghanistan, and startled and concerned to read about the Pashtunwali code, by which all Pashtuns live, which deals with honor, but which demands revenge in kind for any attack or killing and can lead to never-ending blood-feuds easily.

When it came to the terrifying attack and all that happened in its aftermath, I was glued to the book, reading page after page with breath-snatching speed. There was so much that I had never even imagined: the suffering of her parents after the shooting, the story of how they worried about ever seeing their daughter again once Malala was airlifted to England. I think that any reader from ten years on up could read and be just as captivated as I was. Although many parts of this story brought tears to my eyes I couldn't stop reading, and although I knew that Malala would make it I was white-knuckled while I learned about the details of her medical treatment.

The only part that seemed to bog down was the middle of the book, where Malala describes many political events in her homeland. In these it seemed that Malala’s voice was obscured and I rather quickly got lost in the details of which leader promised what and how this or that man became corrupt and never came through on their promises.

Even if you just skim through this part, the book is most definitely worth reading. I came to love Malala even more dearly than I could have imagined, and to admire and even envy the bond she had with her father, the man who was determined to open a school in which girls could be educated. I couldn't help but feel great affection for all Malala's family, her people, and everything in the beautiful valley she misses as she lives in exile.

I was hoping that Malala would win the Nobel Peace prize this year, not out of pity for someone who was a survivor of a hideous attack, but simply because I believe she has had an amazing effect on the world. She has brought together people from all over the globe in a way that I believe will have profound implications for the key to a better life for women in countries where it is currently against the law for girls to have a true education. I also thought that it would be stunning if the Nobel committee acknowledged that a teenager—a teenage girl—could have had so great a role in making people of different cultures understand each other.

But Malala has plenty of time, and I have no doubt that she will distinguish herself again and again with her moving speeches, her gentle, stubborn nature, and her unique view of life in years to come. I hope that there will be more books by Malala in the future about why education is so important for girls around the world.
Finally, I would like to say “Wah wah” to Malala about the entire autobiography. She says that this is what one says when a particular line or stanza of a poem pleases you, and is a bit like “Bravo.” Wah wah and Bravissima to Malala.
...more

flag 86 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2013 Aasem Bakhshi rated it liked it

Shelves: english-literature, biography, subcontinent, owned

I would ask all those Pakistanis who are making the book controversial through over-sensationalized and misplaced critiques:

1. Please remove the lenses of bigotry and prejudice and read the book in a casual way. Its not a great book so comparisons with Anne Frank's diary are perhaps out of proportion. However, I would hate to speculate that it might be considered a great classic if Pakistan continues on its usual disastrous course and experience a people's tragedy comparable to holocaust. This I would ask all those Pakistanis who are making the book controversial through over-sensationalized and misplaced critiques:

1. Please remove the lenses of bigotry and prejudice and read the book in a casual way. Its not a great book so comparisons with Anne Frank's diary are perhaps out of proportion. However, I would hate to speculate that it might be considered a great classic if Pakistan continues on its usual disastrous course and experience a people's tragedy comparable to holocaust. This in my humble yet optimistic view is impossible, God willing.

2. It is not even a well-written work either; understandably so, since its from a young girl. Its just an ad lib commentary by a 16 year old girl which is most probably composed by Christina Lamb in readable English. Our so-called second grade media intellectuals who have issues with Lamb's reputation, well Yousufzai is not synonymous with Lamb. At least try to add a minimum possible of degree of objectivity in your criticism.

3. When you quote, please do so with the purpose of discussion and critique rather than ridicule. Please learn to read and understand the texts. They are meaningless and misleading without a context. Those who are calling it interpretation of her father's ideas, well what if I may ask is wrong with that? All 16-year olds think their fathers are cool. We, as fathers and mothers, have right to impart our version of goodness into our children. We may disagree with each others' views but disagreeing with other's interpretation of history, politics and social issues doesn't make one anti-Islam or anti-Pakistan.

4. It might be a very interesting work for western audience, specially when Lamb ostensibly lets Yousafzai speak (in my view Lamb has added historical and political bits to it where necessary for coherence of discourse), but have very little for Pakistani reader in terms of engagement with the text. However, what you must understand is that you are reading a very brave girl who can stand eye-to-eye with adversity and horrors in conditions where most of us would end up compromising with our liberty or would simply run away. She is a brave girl, mentored and taught life by an audacious father. We must be proud of her and listen her carefully since we have a young hero towards whom we can point our children to look-up to.

Lastly, lets try to read the same book the author has intended to write; please don't end up reading the book which you intend to criticize, apriori ...more

flag 78 likes · Like · see review

Jun 24, 2015 Whitney Atkinson rated it liked it

3.5 stars

Malala is one of my idols and i've had my eye on this book for a very long time. I listened to this on audio, and the prologue of this is read by Malala herself. I cried three times just in that first half hour listening to her talk about her story.
For the first third of this book, I was convinced that I would be giving it five stars. I love what Malala stands for and I think we got such a vibrant description of her life and I loved that we got to know sort of "a day in the life of Mal ...more

flag 71 likes · Like · see review

Mar 28, 2016 Carmen rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Anyone

Shelves: non-fiction, traditionally-published

This book was better than I thought it would be. To be honest, teenagers aren't usually good writers. I read Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board and wasn't very impressed, even though I think what happened to Bethany Hamilton was interesting.

Same thing here. Was this just going to be a case of "important/interesting subject matter, crappy writing?" I didn't know. I went into this rather hesitantly, with low expectations.

However, I was pleasantly sur This book was better than I thought it would be. To be honest, teenagers aren't usually good writers. I read Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board and wasn't very impressed, even though I think what happened to Bethany Hamilton was interesting.

Same thing here. Was this just going to be a case of "important/interesting subject matter, crappy writing?" I didn't know. I went into this rather hesitantly, with low expectations.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. There is a supporting author on this, one Christina Lamb - who is one of Britain's leading foreign correspondents. Who knows how much of this book is Lamb and how much of it is Yousafzai, but who cares? I found it very informative, educational, and interesting.

It's not very emotional or rant-y or sappy - and that is going to upset some people. A friend of mine IRL who just finished this said it was 'boring.' He wanted more feelings and emotions from Yousafzai. I, however, was very pleased. I learned a lot about Pakistan, what it is like living under Taliban rule, and what life is like in the Middle East in general.

DO read this book if you are looking for an educational, easy-to-read, straight-talking look at life in the Middle East during turbulent times.

DO NOT read this book if you want weeping, sobbing, gnashing of teeth, or other emotional outbursts on the part of Yousafzai. Her ambition is to be a politician - and it shows. This is very much a politician's book. Even-keeled and conscious of saying the right thing and presenting the right face. I didn't mind this, but I could see how it would bother some people.

One plus is that the book has photos - I always enjoy non-fiction books more if they include photographs of the people involved. You can see many pictures of Yousafzai growing up, all her family members, the bus she was shot in, her in the hospital, etc. etc. I thought this added a lot to the book.

Yousafzai is very Muslim and is a very religious person - but she is also a great advocate for girls and women's education. It's important nowadays to separate the ideas of "Muslim" and "psychotic terrorist/religious extremist" in our minds, especially in the U.S. of A. and other countries in which it seems a strong anti-Muslim sentiment is growing. Reading this book will put a human face on Islam even if it does nothing else for you.

Tl;dr - I really enjoyed this - if only because I felt like I learned a lot from it. Yousafzai paints a vivid picture of what living in the Middle East in the 2000s is really like. Of course, I already knew what had happened to her and how her story would end... everyone knows her story. So there were no surprises for me here. This has been on my reading list for a long time and I'm glad to have finally read it. ...more

flag 65 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2014 Ali Khan rated it did not like it

Being resident of the area, Valley of Swat, where she lived (basically she is from the adjoining District Shangla whence her father came to Swat and established private school), I find the authenticity of the most of events described and actions claimed hard to believe (as do almost all the residents).
First there is the question of Local Talibans forcing girls from going to schools. That is not true. I was, as everyone else, a regular listener of the Taliban's daily half an hour or so long FM ra Being resident of the area, Valley of Swat, where she lived (basically she is from the adjoining District Shangla whence her father came to Swat and established private school), I find the authenticity of the most of events described and actions claimed hard to believe (as do almost all the residents).
First there is the question of Local Talibans forcing girls from going to schools. That is not true. I was, as everyone else, a regular listener of the Taliban's daily half an hour or so long FM radio broadcast and they only verbally 'forced' girls to wear proper veils when going to school, which was hardly an enforcement as the local culture is already extremely conscious of the 'veil' (Mala herself wears a scarf). However, to my knowledge they 'encouraged' girls to leave 'western' schools but they 'claimed' that after installing an Islamic government here in the area, they would set up proper 'exemplary' girls schools. In fact, in the local tribal society it is unthinkable to 'force' a woman or girl from doing or not doing something as it is tantamount to man-handling them, which is, frankly speaking, a sure way to get killed or beaten not only by relatives (distant or near) of the woman/girl but anyone who is nearby. Anyone here can testify to fact that on various occasions many 'individual' talibans were mercilessly beaten up by locals when they spoke to shopping women reproachfully. Additionally, the Talibans were locals (later they were joined by savages from central Asian region and Afghanistan but they kept to themselves) and they never held absolute power here.. As opposed to the official stance, the people of Swat never left their homes when Talibans were in control, as a matter of fact, they were 'forced' to leave when army started the operation by the army.

Secondly, Talibans were never in control of the city where Malala resided for so long as to impose their alleged rule. They entered the city in early May ( I was there buying DVDs with friends) by then the impending military operation had already caused educational institutions to close indefinitely. A week or ten days after the 'invasion' of the city (they, despite the hype, actually numbered not more than two or two and a half dozen who 'occupied' few private buildings and hotels) army entered the city. In any case, people started to leave the city after Taliban 'invasion' for fear of artillery and aerial bombardment by the army. Therefore, it highly unlikely that there were any female students still going to schools. This 'timing' problems also exist in her 'diary', dated January & February, which records the 'incidents' on her way to school. Valley Swat is officially a 'Winter Zone' and all educational institutions are closed for winter vacation on the 25th of December to 1st of March.

Thirdly, no one is aware of anyone raising their voice for the general cause of girls education at any point during the uprising in any way or on any forum (since there was nothing as such called for). However, I personally am aware of two occasions where a relative(s), affiliated with the Talibans, tried to stop daughters or sisters of close relatives from going to school and were physically forced to abstain from any such acts in the future.

I personally do not wish to malign anyone's reputation, especially not that of the adorable yet unfortunate Malala whose courage and personality I admire. However, as the history is been written, I would disapprove of any one who may, innocently, inadvertently or deliberately, represent truth in a distorted form. We were unfortunate enough to have had Talibans forced upon us, let us not be burdened with half-truths and tarnished representation.
I am not alone in these perception, everyone share them here. That was the reason that the students of prime Girls College in the city here refused their college to be named after Mala.. In fact, the allegedly' repressed young girls vociferously protested out the college any such decision that forced the army and official authorities to relent.

I am led to understand that there is a 'Malala Fund' with millions of dollars with the aim to spread girls education in my area.. May I respectfully ask when would a dollar from that money be spent here for the cause? ...more

flag 63 likes · Like · see review

Dec 04, 2013 Muhammad Syed rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: Can not say

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Honestly this proved yet another attempt by this girl to cash in on fame and . All the time she kept on praising her dad, disparaged and belittled her country of orgin which I have serious doubts after reading this literature.

If she was so annoyed with Swat being a part of Pakistan why does not she openly say that I am not a daughter of Pakistan rather daughter of swat. She has further cemented the mistake West has made over the years. You see each area in Pakistan has its regional customs in ad ...more

flag 56 likes · Like · see review

Dec 04, 2015 Cait (Paper Fury) rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, 3-star, adult, read-2015

So I knew of Malala before this...but I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT HER REALLY. And I was so curious! So I thought I'd just eat the book up and for once actually understand why everyone praises and loves Malala. And I totally get it now: gawsh, this girl is INSPIRING. (And sort of intimidating??? She's like 17 and has won countless prizes and is a public speaker and politician and survived a shooting and woowowowowow. I feel like a potato.)

I always find it really hard to review memoirs because...I don't ...more

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2013 Sasha rated it really liked it

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price. When she was shot in the head at point blank range while riding the bus home from school, few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in Northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New Yor ...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

Dec 19, 2013 Vikas Lather rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, non-fiction, political-science

Malala is the symbol of enlightenment in modern age. It is very strange to have an inspiration younger than I'm :)
I feel extreme shame for fanatic regimes for banning this book. It is very sad that homicidal and illiterate people continue to dictate what adult minds should write,read and speak

flag 39 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2016 Supratim Bose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, memoir

I was caught in a dilemma as to what rating should I give this book. I vacillated between 4 and 5 but the message contained in the book made me give it a 5 star rating.

Needless to say this book chronicles the dreams, hardships and dangers faced by Malala - but it is much more than that - it also chronicles the hardships and dangers faced by the people of Swat and the people of entire Pakistan as well as.

The book begins about the day when the Talibans shot Malala and then goes on a flashback. We ...more

flag 38 likes · Like · see review

Jun 03, 2015 Elyse rated it really liked it

Unless you've been living in a cave the past couple of years-- the name Malala Yousafzsi -- rings a bell with you.... The young heroine who first survived under chilling conditions - taken over by Taliban extremists... and how her entire family stayed afloat.

Malala is a stand for education. A stand for women and especially female children getting an education. Sincerely passionate about educational injustice --- taking a shot in the head for it----she became the youngest person ever to be nomin ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Feb 09, 2016 Inge rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

What an incredible, inspiring woman.

flag 34 likes · Like · see review

Aug 16, 2016 Jean rated it really liked it

Recommended to Jean by: Angela M

Shelves: non-fiction, auto-and-biography, religion-and-beliefs

A few days prior to her 18th birthday, Malala Yousafzai has returned to Oslo, to attend the Oslo Education Summit, insisting that all children worldwide have a right to education. Her defiant slogan claims, "Books not Bullets!"

Malala claims, "I measure the world in hope, not doubt" and "Pens and books are the weapons that defeat terrorism". Last year in Oslo, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with another child rights activist, Kailash Satyarthi. They were honoured "for their stru ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2015 Thomas rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, biography-or-memoir

3.5 stars

Malala Yousafzai inspires me so much. Her human rights advocacy for education and for women has transformed into an international movement; her courage to keep fighting after getting shot exemplifies her heroism. Her voice has reached so many and has influenced history. She has impacted the world by speaking out, and she writes about her father's support as well, adding back story to her honest desire to make a difference in the realm of Pakistani politics and female education.

Saying al ...more

flag 30 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2013 Ariel Marie marked it as to-read

I just think she is one of the coolest people.

flag 29 likes · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2015 Joey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: autobiographies

“I don't want to be thought of as the "girl who was shot by the Taliban" but the "girl who fought for education." This is the cause to which I want to devote my life.”
― Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

The day Malala was in the news headlines catching the attention of the world , I remembered myself back on my younger years when I was still so idealistic, wanted to make a big difference by helping survive the dying Mother Earth and ed “I don't want to be thought of as the "girl who was shot by the Taliban" but the "girl who fought for education." This is the cause to which I want to devote my life.”
― Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

The day Malala was in the news headlines catching the attention of the world , I remembered myself back on my younger years when I was still so idealistic, wanted to make a big difference by helping survive the dying Mother Earth and educate the youth as well. Malala invigorated that desire. Then, I kept track of her personal life . I watched her on CBS news and even her speeches and TV guest appearances on Youtube. I will not forget her speech at the U.N where she expressed her desire to continue her fight for girls' right to education. In fact,her closing statement marked in my memory, “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” Her speech made me cry and clap many times as though I belonged to the audience in the chamber surrounding her in awe.Then in 2013, her autobiography was launched . However, I was so frustrated that I was not able to buy it yet because of its exorbitant price. After a few years, I’ve got my own copy and read it with gusto. In the end, I fathomed Malala more. I was moved to the bone and shattered at my reading chair.

I revere Malala not only because she was shot by Taliban for speaking up for the right of girls but also because she was very young , at the age of 16 , to get silenced. I may sound ignorant of the current and affairs around the world, but who can imagine that a young girl like her living in one of the tumultuous lands on earth was able to stand up to a group who could have almost killed her? I have known some admiring people who have been staunch for their causes, but so far Malala is one of the most incredible persons I have known in my generation.

Reading this book sounds like the author is an old adult who has grown up a lot , for she is too mature to speak of the miserable situations in the world. She is so smart that she understands her rights. However, you may realize that the author turns out to be as young as your niece or cousin - Malala is also an ordinary girl like the other girls playing outdoor games, fond of watching romantic movies and dramas, interested in reading books . Think of her as a young lady, but take her seriously. She really means business.

Aside from the fact that she has the courage of her own convictions, there are the other sides of Malala that made me grin from ear to ear. She likes studying a lot. She is always eager to learn the things she has not understood yet. That is why she is academically competitive but intellectually humble. In fact, she likes History and Physics. The cute thing is she is a big fan of Twilight and other books about vampires. Also, she likes journalistic writing and is a nature lover as well. But the most important thing I have learned from her is to stand up for your rights.

Before, I wanted to be an environmentalist. I wanted to help the famous Filipino environmentalist, Chin-Chin Gutierez, on her advocacy of surviving the Mother Earth. I started in little ways. However, I lost interest and courage to do so when everything in our society turns out to be so powerful that I could be run over. Nevertheless, when I read Malala's story, since then, I said I want to do it again. I hope I can do it again, for life on this earth is so infinitesimal.

“Life isn't just about taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide.”
― Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban ...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2013 Alexandra rated it it was amazing

I had actually discovered this book on the nightstand of my father and had not expected much from it as our tastes in literature are very different. I am, however, able to say that I was happily surprised with I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. I Am Malala is the fearless and terrifying biography of a Pashtun girl living in Swat, Pakistan. At the age of fifteen Malala was shot in the head on her school bus by the Taliban because she believed in education for women. The writing in this novel illust I had actually discovered this book on the nightstand of my father and had not expected much from it as our tastes in literature are very different. I am, however, able to say that I was happily surprised with I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. I Am Malala is the fearless and terrifying biography of a Pashtun girl living in Swat, Pakistan. At the age of fifteen Malala was shot in the head on her school bus by the Taliban because she believed in education for women. The writing in this novel illustrates the qualities of her country and how deep her love goes for a nation that couldn't provide what she wanted for everyone. She tells the history of Pakistan and the role women played in it. Written in her novel she said, "I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children." Malala speaks throughout the book about the need for every girl to have an education just as she had. Now she is an outspoken sixteen year old campaigning for women's rights as she retells the difficult events, leading up to and after, of her being shot on October the 9th, 2012. Malala lost her hearing and had a nerve cut in the left side of her face but she did not lose her love and her hope. Instead of vengeance she only wishes for peace.

Malala's story is both heartbreaking and entirely inspiring for not just girls but everyone. Her writing is filled with courage and an undeniable love that you cannot help but feel. While reading this book I became aware of my particular feelings toward the mistreatment of women and the unfairness of it all. Many of the topics Yousafzai mentioned in this biography were ones that shocked me and stole my breath. This girl, only a two years older than me, had already managed to stand up for something she believes so greatly in, despite the risks, and succeed in telling her miraculous story. It continually blows my mind that a girl my age had the courage to stand up for something when the odds against her were heavily stacked. In the book Malala talks of change and she actually has reasons, evidence, and solutions unlike so many others of our time.

I would very highly recommend this book to those that are young and old. People who particularly are interested in women's rights, history, or inspirational memoirs would enjoy this book. This book is not like those that I had read before but regardless it is most definitely in my top ten books of all time. This is a must read for everyone– boy, girl, young, old, everyone. It provides you with a grateful feeling for everything around you and after you are done reading you are still completely absorbed and infatuated with the storyline. I Am Malala is a piece of literature for all; this is by far the most inspirational and thought provoking novel I have read. ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Oct 20, 2013 Elizabeth rated it liked it

This is an excellent and important true story, but I found it very difficult to read. Not because of the subject matter, but because it read like a first draft. At times it was very disjointed and hard to follow. I want to give Malala five stars, but I am rating her book, not her. Better editing would have improved this book tremendously. It seemed rushed to press.

I enjoyed Malala's descriptions of life in her beautiful, beloved Swat. I learned a lot about the incredible battle she is fighting ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2016 Birchsilver rated it liked it

Okaaaay... not what I expected.

What I expected:

Life before the Taliban
A blow-blow account of Malala's life under the Taliban
Inside stories of stuff
Malala's thoughts
Some inspirational quotes
Full details of her meetings with famous people
Details of the attack
What life is like in Birmingham for her now
Some of her family's views/opinions/thoughts

What I got:

Long descriptions of political people that made me confused and the book boring
Wars and stuff from centuries ago that I'm not sure had much to do ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2016 Selene rated it really liked it

4.5 Stars

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2013 Tino rated it really liked it

Cried my way through!!! Initially I felt there was too much politics in the story for it ot be the authentic account of a teenage girl - after a while i realised the personal is always political and in a Taliban controlled country there is no option but to be alive to the politics of your situation even at a youg age. In the end, I have a deep admiration not only for Malala but for her parents. They come accross as deeply convicted people - they stand for something and have jumped body and soul ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2016 Darcy Leech rated it it was amazing

As a female educator, I highly value Malala's message. This is an inspirational story with approachable writing and a message every young woman should hear. I used part of this story in my Intensive Reading class with students who were behind grade level in reading. It motivated them. It inspired them. They related to Malala's conquest through difficulty and were inspired by her drive to use education as an answer. If you are a mom, encourage your daughter to read this. If you are a teacher, use ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2013 Rosaria marked it as to-read

This extremely brave, young girl needs all of our support as she continues to face the cowardly threats that the Taliban is issuing against her life. I am proud to say that my two sons, who are both a few years younger than Malala, see this young lady as a hero and role model. Education is for all - girls and boys. Each one of us has so much potential to contribute in a postive way to our local and global communities. It is so heartbreaking to see this young woman continues to be in danger for s ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Oct 11, 2014 Zanna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: feminism, muslim-societies, memoir

To all the girls who have faced injustice and been silenced. Together we will be heard.

Some months ago Media Diversified's editors described Malala Yousafzai as the bravest girl in the world. That accolade will always be pinned to her chest in my mind after reading this, in which I learned that the most courageous do not know they are brave.

Folks will read this, perhaps, to discover what made Malala; what familial context and historical moment was capable of producing her. Her account of her bi To all the girls who have faced injustice and been silenced. Together we will be heard.

Some months ago Media Diversified's editors described Malala Yousafzai as the bravest girl in the world. That accolade will always be pinned to her chest in my mind after reading this, in which I learned that the most courageous do not know they are brave.

Folks will read this, perhaps, to discover what made Malala; what familial context and historical moment was capable of producing her. Her account of her birth, her welcome into the world by her father, is in heartbreaking contrast to the reception of most girls who share her background. She was made to feel special, and she became someone with the self-confidence to stand up for her rights, to aspire to be a politician even in the shadow of the murder of her icon Benazir Bhutto, to title her story 'I am'.

Nevertheless, what is extraordinary about Malala seems dwarfed by what is not. Her story is universal on the one hand, in that she is like young learning-lovers everywhere - bright school girls preoccupied with competing to come top of the class, falling out with besties and getting into mild mischief, and particular in the sense of local context; her life as a Pashtun in Swat and as a young Muslim. In many ways, Malala fits comfortably into the time and place of her birth. She loves her valley, described as the most beautiful place in the world, and is at home in her cultural and religious traditions, sharing her father's convictions on the need to develop gender equality and rights.

The machinations of the Taliban and related groups, the Pakistani state and the USA are all discussed here with clarity; the book has apparently been written for maximum accessibility. I was grateful for the political background, but what I really loved, what emerged glittering, astonishing, bright as the sun, was the image of an ordinary life completely unfamiliar to me. I have no idea, I never hear, how Pashtun teenagers live, how teenagers everywhere beyond the walls of Euro-N America live, except rarely, selectively, through the tinted and shape-shifting lenses of literature.

There are a few disquieting moments here when Malala mentions the use of skin-lightening creams, which she and her friends have used uncritically. However, she is forthright about faults and mistakes - her tendency to get into jealous arguments, and a time when she stole from a friend, showing self-awareness and maturity.

Yesterday I heard that Malala had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. I saw her on TV, her sunny face smiling yet serious, framed by her bright hijab as she opened a Birmingham library (now, we in the UK are graced by her presence, though in her book she makes clear her wish and deeply felt longing to return), as she waved to cameras, the politician in training. I look at her with love, with an ache in my chest, the passion of a fan. ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Fiction Fanatics: September 2016 - I am Malala	1	4	Aug 30, 2016 04:06PM
Barnes & Nobles	1	1	Aug 25, 2016 04:41PM
HMSA Summer Reading: Spoilers: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban	2	13	Aug 24, 2016 06:59PM
HMSA Summer Reading: Book Review: I Am Malala	11	47	Aug 22, 2016 08:40PM
The 2016 Reading ...: World Lit Group Read (South Asia/India Subcontinent - Aug 2016) - I Am Malala	7	13	Aug 22, 2016 06:45AM
This Month's Book	1	1	Aug 02, 2016 07:37AM

Readers Also Enjoyed

Genres

Nonfiction

2,949 users

Biography

1,155 users

Autobiography > Memoir

956 users

Feminism

448 users

See top shelves…

About Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai is a 16 years student from Swat, Pakistan. She is studying in 8th class. She wrote a diary for BBC in early 2009 with a different name "Gul Makai", she wrote about the critical situation in Swat at that time. She later on became famous and worked for children rights in Swat, Pakistan.

She was nominated for a children award by an international organization in 2011. She appeared on ...more

More about Malala Yousafzai...

Books by Malala Yousafzai

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition)

What Works in Girls' Education: Evidence for the World's Best Investment

More…

Share This Book

+ Share on your website

Trivia About I Am Malala: The ...

5 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from I Am Malala Abrid...

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” — 667 likes

“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” — 292 likes

More quotes…

title link	preview: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
avg rating	preview: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban Goodreads rating: 4.02 (155023 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17851885-i-am-malala?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1375414895l/17851885.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17851885-i-am-malala?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai[/url]

See a Problem?

Preview — I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai