"Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country - this is my dream. Education for every boy and girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish. I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not."
-Malala Yousafzai in I am Malala, p.313.
If you watch the news I'm sure that you've heard about Malala Yousafazai, the teenager who was shot in the head by the Taliban because she stood up for education. This amazing memoir is about love, hope, faith, and great courage in the face of incredible adversity that most of us cannot even fathom. The subtitle of this book is "The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" Malala did not just "take a stand" on one single day - she had been at it for quite some time, often giving a speech on the radio or working alongside her father who also was an advocate for education for all people. You see, growing up in Pakistan was not easy for a girl like Malala, because she loved to read and was curious about almost every subject. It's hard to believe that in the 21st century there are still places where girls are treated very different than their male counterparts. Not only were schools for girls often closed when the Taliban controlled Pakistan, they were not allowed to do some of the things that boys did. Women were not allowed to go out without a male relative beside them, and they had to cover their head at all times.All females were encouraged to wear a burka, but Malala refused. However, she always covered her head as you see on her book cover.
Malala's family was very poor, but before her father married her mother he was able to get an education. He became a teacher and started several schools. He placed a very high value on education and yet he experienced many setbacks in his work. Sometimes he didn't have enough money for the rent on the school, or the school was flooded, or he couldn't pay his teachers. But he pressed on, never giving up, because he wanted ALL children to get an education. Even when things became very dangerous in his country, he pressed on. He spoke out for education and became well-known as an education advocate, putting his own life at risk many times. At one point he changed his route to school because he feared that he would be followed and perhaps shot. It's hard to imagine how this family and so many others suffered so much during war time.
One day in 2012 when Malala was 15 years old, she rode on the school van with other girls when two young men stopped the bus and walked forward with weapons. They asked, "Who is Malala?" and right after that, three shots were fired, one of which hit Malala in the head. Two other girls were hurt but not seriously. Malala was taken to several different hospitals where she was treated for the wound. The bullet entered her forehead and went into her shoulder. It left her somewhat paralyzed or weakened on one side of her body, but a surgery to repair some nerves helped her get her smile back. For quite some time no one knew if she would survive, yet she did and she lives in Birmingham, England with her parents and two brothers to this day. She doesn't know if they will ever be able to go back to Swat, her village, but she is thankful for a safe place to live. She misses her friends and family back in Pakistan, and she hopes to see them again someday.
Next month I plan to attend my first book club meeting at the North Durham Public Library. If the group is interested in the same kinds of books that I find interesting, I hope to continue on with the group. The first book that was chosen is The Nest, a book that I'm not familiar with, but it sounds good so I look forward to reading it soon. I'm also going to start listening to another book by Alexander McCall Smith. It's one of his books that is set in Africa. He's the author of the Ladies' Detective Agency books and the two books that I've read that are set in Scotland. I'm sure I'm going to enjoy the book as I travel to Alabama and Kentucky next week I'm also listening to "Basic Italian" in the car, so after the trip maybe I'll be able to say a few phrases in Italian! No, I don't have any plans to go to Italy but if I ever do, I want to be ready.
Today while my car was getting an oil change I went for a walk on Watts Street, one of my favorite streets in Durham. There are so many old houses to admire, and the flowers and shady sidewalks are so pretty. When I was walking I saw a little park, and right in front of it was one of those "Little Free Libraries." So cute - and it was full of books. Hats off to whoever started these mini-libraries. I also saw a cute little rabbit that allowed me to take his/her picture.
Yes, school is out for me so I have a break from teaching ESL, and I'm trying to make the best of my time. So far I have cleaned out the shed, something that I dreaded but now it's done and the work wasn't too difficult. I have other areas that I want to clean out as well, but I'm going to try to pace myself on those projects. I'll write again in about 10 days or so or whenever I finish another book. Leave me your thoughts and suggestions, and THANKS FOR READING MY POSTS!
-Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
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