I Am Malala

More often than not, I read fiction. I like to read to get lost in a good story. There are so many good books out there that I'm a firm believer in not reading books you are absolutely struggling to get through. If you choose a book that just doesn't draw you in (unless it's necessary for school/work), move on after giving it a valiant effort. Nonfiction reads are generally slower moving for me. However, that doesn't mean that they can't be enjoyable. I Am Malala is one of those books.

Okay, maybe enjoyable isn't the right word for this book. Since it is her biography and I knew the outcome, I was reading wondering when she was going to be shot. I wonder if the uncertainty I felt about her future is even a fraction of how her and her family felt.

Here's what struck me most about Malala: how self-aware and selfless she was at such a young age. Yes, she had some common girlhood experiences, but she also had a childhood full of turmoil and uncertainty. I'm really glad my book club chose this book. It gave me new insight into those being displaced and it opened my understanding a bit more about Malala's life and culture.

Let's talk about logistics for a second. There are a couple versions of this book. One is the Young Readers Edition and the other is for adults. I use the Overdrive app to access my library's ebooks. I didn't know the difference and requested both covers. I ended up receiving the Young Readers first and was halfway through before I realized there was a difference. Since I had a deadline for the club, I went online to figure out if I needed to jump ship and start over with the adult version. What I found was an explanation that the Young Readers was written more from Malala's perspective. Because of that there was a gap in her timeline surrounding the shooting. The adult version talks more about the medical and political decisions surrounding her care. Since I was interested in Malala's story and not necessarily in the politics of it, I kept on with the Young Readers Edition. It might read a bit easier than the adult copy and it might have a bit less gruesome details. (Though Malala does talk about the killings in her hometown at the hands of the Taliban.)

I would encourage you to read this. Read this if you want a true understanding of what's happening in the world. Read this if you don't want to know and want to go on being a racist jerk because you need it more than anyone. Read it if you want to feel inspired to help people. Fictional books are fun and I love them, but sometimes we need to learn and grow. Reading about the experiences of others helps to do that.