Review by sssns -- A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah

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[Following is a volunteer review of "A Dream For Peace" by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Growing up as a Muslim in a French colony, Ghoulem Berrah witnesses the struggles of his people. He, therefore, hopes for freedom and independence. As a student, he is brilliant and diligent, which earns him numerous awards and recognition. He believes good education empowers the people. His dream for independence gives him the determination to balance his academics with his freedom-fighting activities. He becomes a scientist but eventually decides to be a diplomat. From a freedom-fighting student activist, he becomes an advocate of peaceful dialogue. His career allows him to meet influential personalities and be a part of important world events. In his retirement, he continues his humanitarian cause. Up to this day, his passion for promoting peace lives on in this memoir, A Dream for Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah.

Dr. Berrah shares his story using the first-person narrative. Instead of focusing on his self, he describes the setting and gives context. He shows his observation of the situation and his interaction with the people. It helps the readers understand the conditions that affect his actions, emotions, and thoughts. His accounts on culture, events, and places are like reading a history book and a travel guide. He vividly illustrates the different architecture, costumes, and food. His involvement with world affairs weaves a network of personalities and political groups. However, they are numerous, and I sometimes feel lost with all the names. It is what I dislike in the book. The footnotes and endnotes are helpful to jog the memory, especially with the acronyms. The photos also add context.

His advocacy for peaceful dialogues and interfaith practices is relevant and timely. It applies to world affairs and also on a personal level. Among the advocacies, the interfaith concept has the most impact on me. It makes me wonder about an environment where mutual respect and deep understanding exists. Thru his interactions and relationships with his colleagues, community, and family, Dr. Berrah shows that it is possible. He gains a deeper understanding of conflicting ideas or parties by finding what they share in common. The interfaith advocacy is what I like best in the book.

Despite his influential status, his concerns are relatable. He deals with in-laws, keeps a marriage, and ponders on having children like any family guy. Other relatable topics on a global level are regarding third-world countries. Some of the issues are the exploitation of natural resources, technology transfer, and brain drain.

His character transformation is evident. From a freedom fighter who believes in arms struggle, he becomes an advocate of peaceful dialogue. Also, he learns that spending time with a loved one and doing things together is essential in a relationship.

An excerpt from his address to an Episcopal congregation after the incident on September 11, 2011, is memorable. It is a reminder of the foundation of Dr. Berrah’s interfaith advocacy: mutual respect and deep understanding. The thought-provoking quote below is from page 572 of the Kindle Edition.

“In the final analysis, I circled back to the catastrophic occurrence and reminded everyone that every single Muslim had been victimized twice: first, by the scourge of a terrorist act, and secondly, by the twisted perception that all Muslims are terrorists.”

The narrative is easy to follow because the language is straightforward. It is free from profanity, erotic content, violence, and offensive material for any religious group. This book is for an audience of 16 years old and above. I recommend this to readers keen on African history, politics, and society. It is also an insightful resource for topics like colonies, third-world countries, and Israeli-Palestinian concerns. Likewise, it is for anyone interested in interfaith concepts.

Dr. Berrah leaves his legacy and encapsulates it in this memoir. The message of the book, together with the delivery, merits a full mark. But, I have to drop a star. There are issues in punctuations, grammar, and spelling. A few tweaks in editing may address them. That said, I gladly give 3 out of 4 stars.

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A Dream For Peace
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