Book SummaryI Am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of I Am Malala

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai was only 10 years old when the Taliban arrived in her hometown in Pakistan. As their attacks on women’s and girls’ freedoms rapidly escalated, Malala took action, speaking out in support of girls’ right to education and against militant fundamentalism—even as she and her family faced death threats. When Malala was 15, the Taliban shot and nearly killed her. She survived and continues her activism to this day. I Am Malala is her story, a New York Times best-seller.

In our guide, we’ll first examine the early influences that made Malala who she is, focusing on how her family—and, in particular, her father—was willing to defy tradition and fundamentalist religious views to raise her in an...

I Am Malala Summary Malala’s Family Valued Compassion, Gender Equality, and Education

How did a child born into poverty in a society that valued boys over girls and religious tradition over secular education become a Nobel-winning activist for girls’ education? In this section, we’ll examine the early influences that made Malala who she is, focusing on how her family was willing to defy tradition and fundamentalist religious views to raise her in an environment of compassion, gender equality, and secular education.

Malala Was Born Into Poverty in the Swat Valley of Pakistan

Malala was born in 1997 in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. Called the “Switzerland of the East,” it was a beautiful, mountainous region full of rivers and lakes. It attracted wealthy tourists from all over the world.

(Shortform note: Although Malala describes the Swat Valley of her childhood as a type of paradise, she points out later in the book that as the Taliban rose to power in the area, they destroyed many of Swat’s treasured landmarks. They blew up Buddhist statues that were thousands of years old. [Climate change has also taken a toll on the...

I Am Malala Summary Malala and Her Father Came of Age During the Taliban’s Rise to Power

While Malala’s identity was influenced by her family’s positive values, both she and her father were also shaped by the rise of the Taliban during their lifetimes. In this section, we’ll first discuss Malala’s perspective on the origins of the Taliban in the 1980s and 1990s. Then, we’ll examine the terrorist group’s increasing power in the Swat Valley after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Origins of the Taliban in Pakistan

Malala explains that during her and her family’s lifetimes, Pakistan has been ruled by a series of military dictators who maintained control in part by emphasizing the people’s religious duty to obey the government. In this section, we’ll examine how the actions of these dictators laid the groundwork for the rise of the Taliban. Next, we’ll look at why Malala’s own father almost joined the Taliban as a teenager.

Pakistani Dictators and the Creation of the Taliban

In 1977, when Malala's father was eight, there was a military coup in Pakistan and a general named Muhammad Zia ul-Haq seized control from the elected prime minister. General Zia tried to win the support of the Pakistani people by **campaigning to make Pakistan a strict Muslim country...

I Am Malala Summary Malala Campaigned for Girls’ Education and Against the Taliban

Surrounded by the Taliban’s increasing violence and attacks on women and girls, Malala did what she believed was right: She continued going to school despite the Taliban’s ban and, encouraged by her father, she spoke out in support of girls’ education.

In this section, we look at Malala’s campaign for girls’ education in the face of serious risks, including the Taliban’s bombings and closures of schools, the evacuation of the Swat Valley due to fighting between the army and the Taliban, and the continued death threats against Malala and her father. We’ll discuss Malala’s shooting at the hands of the Taliban. Finally, we’ll explore how she survived and continued her fight for girls’ education from her new home in England.

Malala Spoke Out in Support of Girls’ Education and Against the Taliban

Malala continued going to school despite the Taliban’s prohibition on girls’ education. She hid her book bag on the way there and back and didn’t wear her uniform to avoid detection by the Taliban.

The fighting continued in the Swat Valley in 2007 and 2008. Fazlullah started blowing up schools, usually after the night curfew when no one was in them. There were school bombings...

Shortform Exercise: Learn From Malala's Example

Malala fought for what she believed in despite great risk. But standing up for your beliefs isn’t always a matter of life and death. Consider how you can learn from Malala's example to stand up for your own beliefs and values.

Malala's love of learning and her belief that the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education was unjust inspired her to speak out. Is there anything in your life that you feel is unjust and want to change? List the issues or causes that are close to your heart.