Review of A Dream For Peace

[Tarie07]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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A Dream for Peace is a memoir and autobiography of Dr. Ghoulem Berrah. Dr. Berrah was born in an Algeria that was under French colonial rule. He grew up to be an intelligent young man who not only yearned for his country's freedom but was also willing to work for the freedom. Due to his intelligence, he got fully funded scholarships and he went to France to study medicine. That is when he met some of his friends and brothers in struggle who would share the journey of freedom fighting with him. These friends were from different African countries like Tunisia and Morocco. Like the life of any freedom fighter in history, Dr. Berrah's journey was not an easy one. He at times got arrested and got harassed by the police but he never quit on the cause. The most heartbreaking time for him must have been when his loving mother died, but he kept faith and kept fighting for his people.

Dr. Berrah also got the opportunity to go to the United States to further his studies. There he stayed for a long time. After many years he returned to Africa. He got the prestigious role of being the counselor to the president of Cote d'Ivoire. He played a major role in global politics and the freedom of colonised African countries.

I loved how selfless Dr. Berrah was. Most people would have just taken the opportunity to study away from their oppressed country and never looked back, but he never forgot where he came from. He knew being a freedom fighter could have cost him his life but he was willing to sacrifice himself and die trying to save his people. His mother, Lalla, was quite the inspirational and supportive figure in the author’s life. She was a single mother who pushed her son to be better and made sure he always put school first. Her story is a representation of all the single mothers out there who go out of their way to keep their families going. I loved her resilience and how she always put her children's needs ahead of her own.

Coming from an African country whose history talks about white colonial rule made reading this book a must. The author's journey clearly elaborates on the struggles that came with living in a colonised country. Imagine being taught a foreign language and growing up with your country's history regarded as usless and unworthy of being taught. Children grew up without knowing their own heritage. However, being born a fighter, Dr. Berrah could clearly think for himself and would never allow his country's heritage to end up forgotten by all. It is because of great men like him the world is a better place. I also loved how Dr. Berrah's fight for freedom was not limited to freeing Algeria only, but he assisted as much as he could in other African countries. He used his knowledge in medicine to help freedom fighters in Morocco and he advised the President of Cote d'Ivoure. I also loved how different religions could coexist and fight for the same cause.

A Dream for Peace was exceptionally edited resulting in the absence of errors. The author’s writing style was flowing so well that I could visualize every event. Even though some city names were difficult to pronounce, the most confusing terms of organizations were well explained. Using French words that were translated to English allowed me to learn a little bit of French. The vocabulary was not too difficult to comprehend. It is quite a lengthy read, but every page is worth every second spent on it. I loved everything about this book. That is why I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend this book to lovers of historical memoirs. It is also a good read for those who would like to learn about African history and the journeys taken by freedom fighters to liberate their people. There are no scenes of graphic violence hence it is suitable to all age groups. There is also no explicit content. There are different religions in the book hence it is suitable for readers of all religious beliefs.

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A Dream For Peace
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[AlphariusRE]

Dr Berrah is a hugely inspirational figure, and reason his biography would, I'm sure teach me a lot of things. Thanks for this review.

[Mildred Echesa]

I too read this and appreciated so much about it. Dr. Berrah was indeed a great man

[Berry_]

I have never really read an autobiography and this seems like the perfect place to start. Great review. Keep up the great work.

[Tarie07]

Dr Berrah is a hugely inspirational figure, and reason his biography would, I'm sure teach me a lot of things. Thanks for this review.

He inspired me on another level. Thanks for commenting.

[Tarie07]

I too read this and appreciated so much about it. Dr. Berrah was indeed a great man

Thanks for commenting.

[Tarie07]

I have never really read an autobiography and this seems like the perfect place to start. Great review. Keep up the great work.

I'm sure this book won't disappoint. Thanks for the kind comment.