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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.5 out of 5 stars 20,533 ratings

Audie Award Finalist, Biography/Memoir, 2014

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 point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and 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 York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

I am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

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Product details

Listening Length 9 hours and 55 minutes
Author Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb - contributor
Narrator Archie Panjabi
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 08, 2013
Publisher Hachette Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B00F9G4WEK
Best Sellers Rank

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4.5 out of 5 stars
20,533 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this memoir to be a compelling and eye-opening account of Malala Yousafzai's life, describing it as a beautifully written memoir that provides an insightful look into Pakistani culture and the power of education. The book features Malala's fierce determination to stand up for her beliefs, and customers appreciate the emotional connection throughout the narrative. They praise the writing style as articulate and easy to understand, while also noting how Malala's story serves as an example for all girls and women.

1,916 customers mention "Readability"1,861 positive55 negative

Customers find the book very interesting and moving, describing it as a compelling story that is both inspiring and thought-provoking.

"Great book! Most of the book actually details the history of the area of Pakistan that she is from...." Read more

"...This is a great book and one that should be read by students in the United States...." Read more

"...This is her life". It is such an inspiring, eye-opening read...." Read more

"Bought this book for school. Came fast and undamaged. Great read. Would recommend." Read more

747 customers mention "Informative"722 positive25 negative

Customers find the book informative and insightful, providing interesting details about life and culture, with one customer noting it offers a fascinating window into Pakistan.

"This is a well written must read, for all ages. Insightful, informative, inspiring, and heart -wrenchingly poignant...." Read more

"An incredible story of bravery and determination. My belief in the need to educate the women of the world was intensified...." Read more

"...I know that many find it moving, inspirational, and educational...." Read more

"Malala's book "I Am Malala" was surprisingly informative, intelligent, and readable and gave me a lot of insight into the society and life..." Read more

583 customers mention "Writing quality"433 positive150 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as a beautifully written memoir that is easy to understand and articulate.

"...It's well written and as always, the details give you a different perspective than the top-line media hype...." Read more

"...Well written, a tribute to her co-writer I'd say. A political expose alongside a description of every day life for the young woman. A great read." Read more

"Still a good book but hard to read." Read more

"...But, if you're looking for an easy read and a lighthearted subject, this would not be the book for you...." Read more

505 customers mention "Courage"505 positive0 negative

Customers praise Malala's bravery, describing her as brave beyond belief and a very courageous young lady with fierce determination.

"...But Malala won my heart as a mature girl who is intelligent and brave...." Read more

"...She seems to be a strong, sincere Muslim teenager whose heart longs to champion women’s rights in Pakistan...." Read more

"...I wanted my grandkids to be impressed with this brave girl and her opposition to the unavailability to education for girls in her country and others..." Read more

"...and told from the experience of this incredibly brave and courageous young woman." Read more

433 customers mention "Inspiration"433 positive0 negative

Customers find Malala to be a remarkable young woman with exceptional values, describing her as a wise and inspiring individual.

"...What a brave bunch. Malala is an amazing young woman whose ordeal made news around the world...." Read more

"...She is an amazing young lady. I'm sure we will see more of her in the future...." Read more

"Malala is a courageous, intelligent, and amazing girl, but if you saw the interview with John Stewart, I'm not sure you also need to read this book...." Read more

"Malala is a very courageous young lady and wise beyond her years...." Read more

278 customers mention "Heartfelt story"278 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's story heartfelt and sincere, with an emotional connection throughout, highlighting the determination of the human spirit.

"...It was interesting, and sad, to learn the history of the rise of the radical Islamic terrorism that would lead to the events of 9/11 and after that..." Read more

"...Succinctly put: buy this book. It will be a humbling, yet inspirational title for your collection, one that you can proudly display on your shelf...." Read more

"...a stand in a world that needs such voices of love, inclusion, and compassion. What a marvelous human being she is." Read more

"...She speaks of her country and home with such passion and love that you too begin to love it and can't understand why the images and news portrayed..." Read more

103 customers mention "Eye-catching"103 positive0 negative

Customers find the book eye-catching, praising its in-depth look at Malala's story and the beauty of Swat Valley, while appreciating the pictures in the back of the book.

"...Beautiful." Read more

"...I applaud this beautiful and courageous young lady. I hope that we can make more of a difference in the children's lives...." Read more

"Malala tells about her experiences in Pakistan. Overall it is very eye opening...." Read more

"Very inspiring... and eye opening to the lives of those in Pakistan, especially with the Taliban and corrupted government...." Read more

87 customers mention "Inspiration level"81 positive6 negative

Customers find the book inspiring, with one customer noting how it helped shape Malala into a remarkable young woman, while others appreciate how it teaches peace.

"Malala is so inspirational, brave, and intelligent. She has a maturity and understanding of politics and religious conflicts that was very eye-..." Read more

"...The Quran teaches patience, cleanliness, peace and maximum respect to women and children...." Read more

"Excellent way to gain a unique, personal perspective on a culture and a set of events that is difficult to grasp from afar...." Read more

"...The school was doing well, and my father was building an impressive reception area with an arched entrance in the boys’ high school...." Read more

#1 favorite book
5 out of 5 stars
#1 favorite book
This book was easy to read and very inspirational. It is my all time favorite book. Malala is an amazing young woman.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2013
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    IF you are only going to read one book this year, make it THIS book. There is no book more worthy being sold today. Author Christina Lamb does an extraordinary job bringing Malala, her story, and her family to life. In fact, I predict that you will be greatly inspired by Malala, a girl of tremendous bravery. At the same time, you will be awed by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai. I know that I am.

    I recognize that there are great men living among us, but sometimes it take an epic event for their presence to be known outside their limited geography. Rarely do men take the lead in fighting for women’s rights. But in this book you will read about a man who has been fighting for women’s rights for his entire life. That man’s name is Ziauddin Yousafzai. Ziauddin is the Pakistani father of the very famous Malala Yousafzai, the heroine of this book. Malala is the courageous young woman who stood up for the education of girls in Pakistan. As a result, Malala was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban.

    Malala is an exceptionally brave young woman. But, her father was more brave. There could have been no Malala without Ziauddin, a man of astounding courage who has fought for his entire life for the education of all children in Pakistan, boys and girls. When Malala was born, no one in the family was happy because she was a baby girl. But Ziauddin stunned all by not only being happy about his daughter’s birth, but was extremely vocal about his pride to be the father of a daughter. He insisted that his daughter be included in the family tree, much to the horror of other family members. (Sadly, in most of the Muslim world, when daughters are born, everyone goes quiet with grief. When sons are born, celebrations go on for days.)

    And so from the beginning of her life, Ziauddin’s daughter was lavished with love, attention, and books. From the moment she reached the age of understanding, she knew that her father “had her back” and he would fight to the death to ensure that she, a mere girl in other’s eyes, would be treated equally with her two brothers. And so Malala grew into her teenage years feeling confident that she had the right to speak her mind, to study, to learn, and to have and pursue dreams. Ziauddin had taught his daughter how to struggle against injustice. And Malala learned how powerful a person can be who speaks out against injustice. Every child born deserves such a life. Malala's confidence in breathtaking in a country where most women are afraid to speak their mind about anything, at least outside the four walls of their homes.

    When reading this book, I adored Malala, and I marveled at Ziauddin. He grew up at a time when women’s feelings were not even considered, yet he respected women, and was proud to express his respect for females, insisting that his school be open to girls, too.

    Ziauddin is not only passionate and confident with his beliefs, but he is exceptionally wise about many aspects of life. Here are just a few tidbits in the book shared by Malala: “My father also loved to write poetry, sometimes about love, but often on controversial themes such as honor killings and women’s rights.”

    When a Mullah in their village started a campaign against Ziauddin’s school, open to girls and boys, Ziauddin was not afraid to fight back, telling others, ’Nim Mullah khatrai iman’ or, “A Mullah who is not fully learned is a danger to faith.” (After living in the Muslim world for many years, I KNOW that it takes extraordinary courage for anyone to speak out against a Mullah. Even powerful kings and dictators chose their words with care when addressing or discussing a Mullah!)

    When a doctor’s clinic was closed by the Taliban, the doctor approached Ziauddin for advice after the Taliban later offered to reopen the hospital. Ziauddin advised his friend, “Don’t accept good things from bad people.” He didn’t believe that a hospital protected by the Taliban was a good thing. He was right, and not afraid to speak out against the brutal Taliban.

    When the Taliban first came to their valley (SWAT) many people welcomed them with open arms, much to Ziauddin’s dismay, for he knew they were wolves in sheep’s clothing. Later after the Taliban completely took over and began to murder many people, everyone was forced to flee. When they returned to their village, they found a letter from a Pakistani soldier condemning the villagers for allowing the Taliban to gain control Swat. Ziauddin told his daughter, “This is typical. We people of Swat were first seduced by the Taliban, then killed by them and now blamed for them. Seduced, killed and blamed.” In fact, Ziauddin was being generous. He was never seduced. In fact, he fought against the Taliban from the first day until the last.

    When Ziauddin received death threats from the Taliban, he refused to give up his activities to educate children or to stop warning his friends against cooperating with the Taliban. Even after his friends were shot in the face by the Taliban, he kept on course. Everyone believed that Ziauddin would be next.

    But it was his bold and courageous daughter who was shot.

    After the attempted murder of Malala, we learn from Malala that her father "…argued that all he had ever wanted was to create a school in which children could learn….” “My only ambition,” Ziauddin said, is to educate my children and my nation as much as I am able. But when half of your leaders tell lies and the other half negotiating with the Taliban, there is nowhere to go. One has to speak out.”

    Although Ziauddin was unusually courageous, he was often frustrated, once saying, “I have a school, but I am neither a khan nor a political leader. I have no platform. I am only one small man.”

    I beg to differ: Ziauddin, you are NOT a small man. You are a lion of a man, the greatest of men, one of the most courageous men I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about — a man unafraid to go against entrenched ideas and prejudices fully embraced by your society.

    When Mala’s mother continued to believe that women should not go out of the house, and should not speak to any man not of her family, Ziauddin told his wife: “Pekai, purdah is not only in the veil, purdah is in the heart.”

    Ziauddin kept a famous poem (written by Martin Niemoller, who lived in Nazi Germany) in his pocket:

    First they came for the communists,

    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

    Then they came for the socialists,

    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.

    Then they came for the trade unionists,

    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

    Then they came for the Jews,

    and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Jew.

    Then they came for the Catholics,

    and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Catholic.

    Then they came for me,

    and there was no one left to speak for me.

    I have discovered that it is very difficult to bring positive kind of change to our world. And, as hard as women might fight against abuses, we cannot bring this kind of massive social change until men stand by our side. If only every thinking men would come forward like Ziauddin Yousafzai to fight for women’s rights. If only every man would live as Ziauddin Yousafzi has lived, soon we could defeat the abuses man inflicts upon women.

    Ziauddin Yousafzi is a modest man, calling himself a “small man,” but in fact he is one of the greatest men ever to walk this earth. I am sure that his daughter Malala will agree with me. Because of her father, she embraces the world with a strong spirit and great intelligence.

    Malala is receiving the praise and support that se deserves. Let's not forget her father, the man who made a girl named Malala possible. We should all nominate Ziauddin Yousafzi for next year’s Nobel peace prize, and for the TIMES man of the year. We need to hold him up as the kind of hero young boys should emulate. We need many more men like Malala's father.

    Ziauddin Yousafzi is a real man.
    26 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Taliban should've contacted Barbara Streisand before they decided to "utterly fail" in their attempt to kill a young schoolgirl. In their hatred and bigoted world view, their tunnel vision resulted in drawing more attention to the battle cry of a truly brave young woman rather than her dying in ignominy. How does this relate to Barbara Streisand? Many years ago she sued several news and tabloid companies for displaying pictures of her home along the shores of California. Rather than giving her the privacy she wanted, it drew more and more attention to it as people scrambled to see what her fuss was about. So too did the Taliban when they failed in their mission to silence Malala that horrible day in the Swat Valley; rather than eliminate someone who they believed besmirched her family's honor, they turned her battle cry into the voices of millions who suddenly became aware of what was happening in their little valley.

    Malala may have been struck down, but she arose stronger than before. In a perverse way you could almost say that the Taliban, through their ignorant hatred, empowered Malala more than ever. Her book, "I Am Malala", is indicative of their "success". Now living in Birmingham, England, Malala has recovered from her horrible wound and is now nominated for a Nobel Prize. She is attending school and has traveled the world, most recently giving a speech at Harvard University, spreading her message of the importance of educating girls and women, regardless of their faith. Her strength is clear in not only her actions, but in the words she uses to tell her story.

    Her Journey

    "I Am Malala" begins with Malala reminiscing about her homeland, Pakistan, and her love of her country. As the pictures show in the description of the book's content, the Swat Valley is a beautiful place, as she describes it, with "high snow-topped mountains, green waving fields and fresh blue rivers". Soon, however, the pastoral beauty of her home is replaced by the horror of what happened to her on October 9, 2012. A year ago yesterday, a shot heard around the world was fired at Malala from point-blank range at her head. The Taliban, in their belief that women should not be educated, sought to silence Malala for her unforgivable crime of speaking out against that belief.

    Malala Yousafzai knew the risks, and yet she persevered and stood her ground. Her father opened the school where she studied and raised her to revere knowledge. Her pride in the school, her family, and her education lead to her suffering from near-fatal wounds, and in a completely unforeseen manner Malala was given the ability to bring attention to not only her plight, but to draw the world's attention to the Taliban's repulsive "rule" in her homeland.

    Malala's writing is punctuated with beautiful descriptions of her homeland, her amazement at the modern conveniences of England, and her heartbreak at knowing that she cannot sit next to her friend, Moniba, and joke in class as she had before the Taliban's gunman changed her life forever. From the moment that I picked up "I Am Malala", I was hooked; the narrative is written so eloquently that you will find yourself eagerly devouring each page to learn about how she was able to endure her injuries, to her first impressions of Birmingham, how she feels about her new school in England, and finally how international fame has helped her to work toward her ultimate goal: eliminating the fear that girls in the Swat Valley have when they travel to and from school. Never at any point did I lose interest in her words. It is my belief that anyone who picks up this book will feel the same way.

    Final Say

    "I Am Malala", quite simply, should be required reading for every high school student in the world. Too often do we who were blessed to grow up in a country with guaranteed educations for all children, regardless of gender or race or even religious beliefs, fail to realize just how much of a privilege that right truly is. This book helped to humble me quite substantially; I realize that I did take for granted my right to an education, and I never really saw that graduating from high school and the chance to go to college is much more special than most realize. Prior to the horrible injury that was inflicted upon her, Malala was speaking out to educate the girls of Pakistan and the world, knowing that she was in danger the whole time. Her chances of going to college may have been diminished because of her place of birth, but she was determined to learn as much as she could. Now that she is in a free country she is able to anticipate not just a primary education, but the dream of attending college and obtaining a degree.

    Succinctly put: buy this book. It will be a humbling, yet inspirational title for your collection, one that you can proudly display on your shelf. I guarantee that you will be drawn in, and maybe learn something to boot!
    43 people found this helpful
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  • In_full_bloom 🌷🌼🌺💐🌸🌹
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lecture poignante
    Reviewed in France on July 1, 2021
    Récit très émouvant d'une adolescente courageuse qui souhaite que tous les enfants accèdent à l'éducation et que les femmes aient des droits. Née au mauvais endroit, au mauvais moment, on ne peut être qu'admiratif de son parcours et de sa famille, ouverte d'esprit et farouche opposante au régime des talibans. Ses prises de positions lui vaudront une tentative d'assassinat à la sortie de son école par des membres du Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Je conseille cet ouvrage, réelle prise de conscience sur ce que peut être la vie ailleurs, nous qui passons notre temps à nous plaindre, cela remet les pendules à l'heure. Anglais niveau intermédiaire.
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  • Mr A M Q
    5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible girl
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2013
    An incredible brave, intelligent and strong willed girl, hard to believe she is only 16, talks about her past in her home town of Swat Valley. An interesting read about how life is like in that part of Pakistan, life under Taliban rule, the endless corruption in all areas of their government and an incredible story about her father. Malala wouldn't be the girl she is today (minus the shooting) without the help of her father and she conveys this a lot in her book. She talks about the freedom of thought and expression he allowed Malala to have even though his first born was a daughter (a girl being born in a Pakistani family is sometimes looked at as 'unlucky' by others whereas when a son is born in to a family there is a big fanfare, congratulations and gifts). It was interesting to read, towards the latter of the book, about the shooting, the conditions of the hospital and the two Doctors from Birmingham who were 2 of many that helped save Malala's life.

    It was a great read and certainly made me appreciate how easy we have it here when it comes to School's/College's and how we take that for granted. Its only when something is taken from you that you realise how much it means to you and this is what one of the things Malala talks about in her book. I finished this book within a couple of days. How life was in Pakistan under Taliban rule really gripped me that I couldn't put the book down.

    I am glad that she has appeared on numerous talk shows in America and spreading the message of education for all boys and girls as their basic rights in countries, such as Pakistan. I fully recommend this book to young adults/teenagers and maybe they'll realise that they have something incredible in this country where they might not have had this privilege in a third world country to achieve their full potential.
  • Lucinda
    5.0 out of 5 stars So much more that the story of a girl who was shot!
    Reviewed in Australia on February 17, 2018
    This was a well written piece that gave Malala's story of growing up in Pakistan and the slow incursion of the Taliban over many years trying to install a more fundamentalist view of Islam. I expected it to be just about the shooting, but it as so much more about her life and the turmoil in the area after years of political unrest. A beautiful and poignant read.
  • Karen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Se convirtió en mi libro favorito
    Reviewed in Mexico on December 21, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Excelente condiciones en la entrega, todo fue a tiempo y la impresión es muy buena.

    E
  • Suhail Zubaid
    5.0 out of 5 stars Review from a person who came from the same region as Malala did
    Reviewed in Canada on November 20, 2013
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    I grew up in the same region, in a much more advanced and developed district of KPK province just 60 kms south of Swat district and was able to relate to cultural and religious nuances and many of the events described in the book graphically. Furthermore, I liked the style of writing as it seemed to be clear, straight-forward, eye witness account that is a s honest as could come from a young person of a particular background (her father supports the nationalist, anti-military Awami National Party). When it comes to narrating fact beyond grasp of her age, she attributes them to her father, which she does a very often. However, she shares her feelings a number of times to bring an emotional touch.

    Nobody can, in their right minds, deny the facts contained in the book and as narrated by a young lady, although the views expressed from Awami National Party's point of view hurt many a people.

    Pakistan, and especially its military and intelligence service, has earned heaps of criticism recently in the West and in India in its role of aiding the Taliban, exporting terrorism, and radicalization of its own masses. This book is an excellent attempt to bring respect back to innocent Pakistani citizens by clarifying that they have suffered heavily at the hands of benevolent military dictatorships, corrupt dictatorial politicians, terrorists, western and Indian media, and even huge relentless natural disasters. Malala, therefore, has tried her best to bring Pakistan back on the map of respectful countries that need world's help.

    However, I have some concerns in that Malala and her beautiful mission of educating Pakistani girls will be hard to accept by the people she most wants to help.
    1. Due to her criticism of her own culture and showering accolades on western icons, she seems to have already been rejected by a majority of Pushtoons.
    2. It is co-authored by Christina Lamb, who is well reputed to have a dislike for Pakistan. This is a proven fact, Hence, most of the material will not be assimilated happily by Pakistanis.
    3. The way this book is written and the topics it touches and the way it touches it seem to prove to many critics that Malala has been used as a tool for marketing the product, i.e. it is a book written by Ziauddin Yusafzai in the guise of his daughter Malala Yusafzai, and via assistance of Christina Lamb.
    4. Malala has been very ungrateful to the military and many people who helped the family in times of their greatest need. Her views expressed on the Pakistan military are typical of Awami National Party that was resoundingly beaten in the 2013 elections by emerging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

    As far as I am concerned, I am totally bought in by the book and have resolved to generously donate to Malala Fund. However, I do have one honest submission to make. I am utterly astonished at the fact that a girl hailing from such a backward district of KPK, had better English at age 14 to 16 than anybody in the same age group had in my generation, although we got educated at the best schools from much more advanced districts of the same province. It goes to prove that Malala is truly a blessed child from Pakistan who ensured that she overcomes the adversities of the worst nature to accomplish her dream.