I Am MalalaI Am Malala
Score Modern
What it's about
When the Taliban took control of Pakistan's Swat Valley, a teenage girl, Malala Yousafzai, spoke out for girls' right to an education. On October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she was shot in the head on her school bus. She survived, and this is her story, from her childhood in Swat to her recovery and her work for education around the world.
Why it's worth reading
It spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and Malala went on to become the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It's an inspiring and clear-eyed memoir.
You'll love it if you liked
Educated: A Memoir
The Diary of a Young Girl
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy SoldierGood to know
A young readers' edition also exists. The early chapters on Swat's history help explain what follows.
By the numbers
- Readers82 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller68 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #80 of the 198 history books we rank
- #84 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #222 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #435 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is I Am Malala worth reading?
Yes. It spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and Malala went on to become the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It ranks #435 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is I Am Malala about?
When the Taliban took control of Pakistan's Swat Valley, a teenage girl, Malala Yousafzai, spoke out for girls' right to an education. On October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she was shot in the head on her school bus. She survived, and this is her story, from her childhood in Swat to her recovery and her work for education around the world.
How long does it take to read I Am Malala?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after I Am Malala?
If you liked it, try Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.