A well written account of a remarkable girl and her family. Malala and her family have been through so many heart rendering circumstances, its good to know life is better for all concerned. What a courageous girl Malala has been and still is. I really enjoyed reading this book.

I haven’t read Malala’s book yet, partly as I think I might find it too upsetting despite knowing what a remarkable young lady she is. So I came to read her father's book with a little trepidation in case that was also going to be upsetting. But quite the opposite – he does not dwell on the dark side of life with the Taliban or the shooting and aftermath but on his life, his upbringing and his family.

Ziauddin Yousafza tells us about his background, his marriage and his children but mostly he tells of his moral principles and family values. His writing is very clear and readable. He is an educator who was running a school for many years before the family fled Pakistan in 2012 after Malala’s shooting. He constantly emphasises how important education is for all and his commitment to providing that is admirable. I would have loved to know more about what happened with his school after he left and how life in the school and that community is now in 2018.

Ziauddin is the perfect example of someone who does not preach or force opinions on others but simply lives his life in accordance with his values and beliefs. I love the stories in the book where members of his family are treating their womenfolk as inferior and expecting them to hide their faces and/or bodies but then some change their thinking after they see Ziauddin respect the women in his life without imposing restrictions on their clothing, education or lifestyle.

I hope to read more from Ziauddin and will also be reading Malala’s book soon. They are the most incredible family and I wish them all well as I am sure it cannot have been easy being Ziauddin’s wife or Malala’s two brothers who haven’t enjoyed the limelight and have had tougher lives in many ways than Malala and her father who are busy touring and speaking. One day maybe we will hear the voice of Malala’s mother in a book. She is obviously an incredible person too as she fought hard to have children educated at her husband’s school even when their parents could not afford the fees. I am sure there is much more she could tell us too.

Ziauddin is a very remarkable person and if it wasn’t for him on so many levels the world would not be benefiting from all the immense good that his daughter is doing to make it a better place in the face of extreme adversity.

Please do read this book and encourage your young people to do so. It is completely inspirational, even more so when you consider the culture they were living in where speaking out against those in power could have such terrible consequences.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think everyone has probably heard of Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person ever for win a Nobel Peace Prize. I read her book 'Malala' a few years ago and found her to be very inspirational. This book is by her dad. Her dad is so obviously proud of his daughter and all she has achieved, rightfully so. He talks about the struggles he and his family have faced. A fascinating and inspiring read.

For me there are not the words to express the absolute brilliance of the book and this man.. Ziauddin, Malala''s father, explains how his beliefs and attitudes spur him to change the social norms of his country and his upbringing. He is an inspirational man who seeks see a world where women and men are treated as equals... Now this is usual in Western culture, but in Pakistan this goes against beliefs and traditions that have reigned for centuries. The most amazing part of Ziauddin''s story for me is that initially he does not pound the streels campaigning but, but looks to his own house, treats his wife with respect and equality, and bringing up his children eith these values, he also let's his visitors see this and the joy it brings him.. But more than that he starts a school giving girls an education, not just those that can pay but also those that can't. . I must also add his wife is totally inspirational too.
This book is beautifully written, it is warm, passionate, poetic and an absolute joy to read, akin to food for the soul.. I read this in 3 days, I recommend anyone read it... it is wonderful.

Love of Family.
Have recently finished reading the book “I Am Malala” which I highly recommend, I was delighted to have the opportunity to read about the man who instilled a love of learning, who inspired and supported his daughter, in a culture when women are second class citizens. In many ways he is even more inspirational than his daughter, he had to realise that there were inequalities in the society he lived in and to choose to change his views, whereas Malala was brought up by her parents to believe that education was her right. Malala’s book reflects her interest in politics but I found Ziauddin’s book to be an easier read, though inevitably there were overlaps in the story. The overriding impression left by this book is that of his love and pride in his wife and all three of his children.
This book is written in American English and my advanced copy did have editing issues which hopefully will be resolved prior to publication eg. sentences where all the words ran into each other and Malala’s foreword bounced constantly from past to present tense. Having said that, I still feel this was a 5* read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was totally inspired by Malala and her story when I read I am Malala, so I was utterly thrilled to see that another book had come out about her fathers fight for equality for his daughter, a proud father fighting for his daughter to have equal rights in a country where girls are denied simple things like a decent education, where girls & women are treated like second class citizens, Ziaduinn wants more for his daughter and other girls like his daughter.
A truly inspirational and beautifully written book. Malala may have dealt with great traumas in her life, but the love and support from her very determined family she will succeed.

This is a fascinating book, giving insight into a lifestyle I had no idea about it. As a woman who is fortunate enough to only have to deal with first world problems the way of life in 20th century Pakistan was a shock to say the  least. Although never close to the top of my class I loved school and the idea that I would have been unable to attend until I wanted to leave would have been unimaginable.

Ziauddin Yousafzai is rightly proud of his family and it is apparent throughout that he would sacrifice anything for them and the way of life he believes is essential if they are to have successful futures. Where he and consequently his daughter, Malala, differ from the masses is that they were prepared to do something about it.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this novel thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review and recommend it not only as an insight into the story of Malala's life from a different perspective but also into life in a region where inequality is an acceptable way of life in the 20th century and how one man has fought for decades to change it.

Ziauddin Yousafzai is a proud father with a lot to be proud of – his daughter is the renowned activist and youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala. This memoir tells of a man brought up in a patriarchal society, where women’s role was to be subservient to men. Ziauddin talks of the awakening he experienced at a young age that made him realise that something was not right, that women should not be treated as lesser. He became a champion of women’s rights, not least those of his beloved wife and daughter, and of the importance of education for girls.
This is a heartfelt telling of his life’s story, with the many trials his family have faced – the attack on his daughter by the Taliban being the most heartrending. Ziauddin is passionate in his belief that anyone of us can change the world for the good and that even the smallest good deed is worth doing. This is an inspirational work and extremely moving. Ziauddin can teach us all a lot about love and equality.

“I knew what kind of father I was going to be if I was ever lucky enough to have a daughter. I was completely clear about it. I was going to be a father who believed in equality, and believed in a girl as she grows into a woman, and who raises her so that she believes in herself, so that in her life she can be as free as a bird.”

Malala is a household name and someone we all know to be a brave, remarkable and inspirational young woman. Her father Ziauddin, whose story is told here, is also a remarkable person and sadly (because his views should be the norm, not the exception) an unusual one.

Ziauddin’s voice comes through strongly and we hear about his own formative experiences, his beliefs, his life in Pakistan and later, after the Taliban attack on Malala, in the UK. As he comments “for me as a middle aged man from a patriarchal society in Pakistan, it has been a journey”. While acknowledging his role in Malala’s life though he never remotely seeks to take credit for her achievements. The love and respect he has for his wife Toor Pekai and children (Malala and her two brothers) always shines through.

I loved the anecdote near the beginning - the Oxford college principal and the cup of tea - which Ziauddin describes as his proudest moment to date.

An important, insightful and always very readable book from a man described by his daughter in a foreword as “the personification of love, compassion and humility”.

What an inspirational book - I am glad I've read it. I've of course heard of Malala, but am now interested to read her story in full too

Having read the book “I Am Malala” a few years ago and really enjoying it I was really looking forward to reading this one when I saw it on NetGalley. I’m really glad that I requested it on NetGalley now, as I found it a very interesting and enjoyable read.

I managed to finish this book in one day. I thought it was an easy read in terms of the language used, I didn’t have to concentrate too hard on what was written.

I found the story that Malala’s father told so moving and interesting that I couldn’t put the book down.  I enjoyed reading about and learning about the struggles the Yousafzai family went through and learning about their journey from Pakistan to Birmingham as well as reading about the fight for equality by both father and daughter.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you have already read “I Am Malala”. If you haven’t read the book then I personally don’t think it matters. But I would say read it as both books are interesting reads and thought provoking.

I would like to thank NetGally and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for my eARC in return for a honest and unbiased review.

I am so glad I have read this book.
We are all so aware of Malala Yousafzai and the impact she has had on raising the profile of education for girls. Here we meet the man behind Malala: the father who supported her, inspired her through his own beliefs and activism.. We grow to understand that his rejection of the patriarchy prevalent in Pakistan during her lifetime gave a solid foundation for Malala to voice her opinion that girls should have equal access to opportunities.
From his early days as a stammerer seeking to find his voice and the respect of his father, through his determination to marry his wife and his parenting of Malala and her two brothers, we see this loving and determined man both in his native Pakistan and in Birmingham, England, where his family made their home after Malala was shot. I liked the man I met on these pages.
I cannot say that the writing is perfect - like many autobiographies by non-writers (albeit co-written) there are repetitions and the occasional clumsy phrase, but this is not enough to bring my rating down from 5 stars.
Many thanks to Ebury Penguin Random House for the advance e-copy for review.

Telling the story of a girl called Malala from her father’s point of view.
A very moving story where his pride for his daughter shines through. He gave her the freedom to be the inspirational person that she is and even after the attack he still supported her and encouraged her to stand up for what she believed in.
This book is well written and gives an unique insight into the Yousafzai family and their journey in life from Pakistan to Birmingham and their fight for equality.

This is a short but emotional account of a father’s journey to become a feminist in anon-western patriarchy society. It’s about his journey to find a way for his daughter and his wife, and himself. It’s almost a guidebook for others in the same situation.
I have not read Malala’s book, but I know parts of the story. This book gave me an insight to who her family is and how she grew up with a feminist father.
It’s an interesting insight to a world I’ve heard of but don’t know much about. Pakistan is a very fascinating country and culture, but the patriarchy puts me off a bit. So, this book was great in providing me with an insight I probably wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. I am more interested in reading books set in Pakistan and explore their culture.
This book is essentially about family love. It starts of with Ziauddin growing up in a loving male-dominated family without questioning the difference in gender roles. It then goes on an explores his journey to become a feminist as a man and a father.
I recently read a book (Fight Like A Girl, review here) in which the author explains why we can’t have men fight for our rights. For the western world this is correct. But for the non-western world, in societies where patriarchy dominates, I feel this is a whole other discussion. Men needs to fight for the rights for their daughters and wife’s. They need to set an example for others and their sons. Doing this they will create an opening and a crack for the women to escape and get heard. Unless they fight for that opening, no women will get the opportunity to be heard. The work Ziauddin has done to let Malala get heard and to set an example for other fathers is amazing. But he constantly questions others, their iconic comments about why their daughters can’t be like Malala without giving them the opportunity or giving them a second glance.
There are two poetries in here as well written by the author which I found really moving, honest and powerful. It was emotional, and I did cry. I will definitely check you the authors poetry collections after this.
It’s a truly fascinating and conflicting and emotional book. Recommended
If you like non-fiction, memoir, feminism, or anything like that. This is for you 