Review of A Dream For Peace
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Adele Roberts
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- Latest Review: A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
Review of A Dream For Peace
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Dream For Peace" by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah.]
A Dream for Peace by His Excellency Dr. Ghoulem Berrah is a well-written memoir of his rich political career as an African diplomat in the years following the Second World War. This was the period when many African countries were casting off the yokes of colonialism and crafting constitutions as newly independent nations.
In his book, Dr. Berrah gives us a front-row seat of a colorful life, starting with his early years as a freedom fighter in the Algerian revolution of 1954 and ending with the decades of service as special advisor to the president of Ivory Coast. His sharp mind, shaped and inspired by multi-national mentors and harrowing experiences, was quickly recognized among political activists. Interrupting his university studies in France, he took up arms with the resistance in Morocco to help liberate Algeria. During this time he also served as an itinerant medic in rural villages, yet was arrested by violent leaders for speaking up against unjust treatment of the soldiers. Nevertheless, opportunities abounded for education and travel, including a Fulbright scholarship to study in the US. His research at the University of Indiana culminated in a breakthrough in DNA inhibition synthesis, which was published in the Journal of Bacteriology of 1961. It was while teaching at Yale School of Medicine that he felt compelled to return to Africa.
Ghoulem Berrah was an even-tempered and patient leader. He was acknowledged for “finding his way around the bureaucrats” and often the only one around the negotiating table with a long-term vision. Hard-working and devoted, he was able to think on his feet. (Once, to prevent Fidel Castro’s speech from insulting members in the audience, he cut off the microphone feed to their headsets for that part of the speech. “A technical glitch” was blamed, and no one noticed anything peculiar. Peaceful dialogues continued.) His flawless conviction for “straight and impartial diplomacy” was demonstrated time and again. Into the bargain came Berrah’s interfaith and interracial marriage, which placed him in a unique position for his life work in Arab and African contexts.
Reading this book was a significant educational milestone for me. I am also a child of Africa - one of the reasons I was interested in Berrah’s story. What I was not expecting, was a peek behind the scenes of a particularly consequential period of the political history of northern Africa. Meeting President Houphouët-Boigny in these pages was like the sun shining through after a rainstorm. His unflinching commitment to peace through dialogue is legendary. Because of their close relationship, which spanned decades, the memoir is as much a tribute to this remarkable man as it is an account of their shared dream and work for peace. When he mentions his own extraordinary accomplishments, Berrah does so in a sincerely humble manner, always acknowledging his “gifts from the Almighty.” I find that refreshing. The photos dispersed in the appropriate sections of the story were delightful.
My only challenge was getting through all 629 pages in my allotted time. But one has to marvel that the wealth of his experiences fit into one volume.
It is easy to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The writing is excellent. The few errors I noticed did not in the least affect a pleasurable read.
I recommend A Dream for Peace to anyone interested in northern Africa’s political history of the previous century. If you’ve never heard of the Ivorian miracle, this is for you. Prepare to be inspired.
******
A Dream For Peace
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
A Dream for Peace by His Excellency Dr. Ghoulem Berrah is a well-written memoir of his rich political career as an African diplomat in the years following the Second World War. This was the period when many African countries were casting off the yokes of colonialism and crafting constitutions as newly independent nations.
In his book, Dr. Berrah gives us a front-row seat of a colorful life, starting with his early years as a freedom fighter in the Algerian revolution of 1954 and ending with the decades of service as special advisor to the president of Ivory Coast. His sharp mind, shaped and inspired by multi-national mentors and harrowing experiences, was quickly recognized among political activists. Interrupting his university studies in France, he took up arms with the resistance in Morocco to help liberate Algeria. During this time he also served as an itinerant medic in rural villages, yet was arrested by violent leaders for speaking up against unjust treatment of the soldiers. Nevertheless, opportunities abounded for education and travel, including a Fulbright scholarship to study in the US. His research at the University of Indiana culminated in a breakthrough in DNA inhibition synthesis, which was published in the Journal of Bacteriology of 1961. It was while teaching at Yale School of Medicine that he felt compelled to return to Africa.
Ghoulem Berrah was an even-tempered and patient leader. He was acknowledged for “finding his way around the bureaucrats” and often the only one around the negotiating table with a long-term vision. Hard-working and devoted, he was able to think on his feet. (Once, to prevent Fidel Castro’s speech from insulting members in the audience, he cut off the microphone feed to their headsets for that part of the speech. “A technical glitch” was blamed, and no one noticed anything peculiar. Peaceful dialogues continued.) His flawless conviction for “straight and impartial diplomacy” was demonstrated time and again. Into the bargain came Berrah’s interfaith and interracial marriage, which placed him in a unique position for his life work in Arab and African contexts.
Reading this book was a significant educational milestone for me. I am also a child of Africa - one of the reasons I was interested in Berrah’s story. What I was not expecting, was a peek behind the scenes of a particularly consequential period of the political history of northern Africa. Meeting President Houphouët-Boigny in these pages was like the sun shining through after a rainstorm. His unflinching commitment to peace through dialogue is legendary. Because of their close relationship, which spanned decades, the memoir is as much a tribute to this remarkable man as it is an account of their shared dream and work for peace. When he mentions his own extraordinary accomplishments, Berrah does so in a sincerely humble manner, always acknowledging his “gifts from the Almighty.” I find that refreshing. The photos dispersed in the appropriate sections of the story were delightful.
My only challenge was getting through all 629 pages in my allotted time. But one has to marvel that the wealth of his experiences fit into one volume.
It is easy to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The writing is excellent. The few errors I noticed did not in the least affect a pleasurable read.
I recommend A Dream for Peace to anyone interested in northern Africa’s political history of the previous century. If you’ve never heard of the Ivorian miracle, this is for you. Prepare to be inspired.
******
A Dream For Peace
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
