Review of A Dream For Peace

Twanano Mageza · Post by **Twanano Mageza** » 22 Nov 2022, 01:30

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

5 out of 5 stars

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A Dream For Peace was written by a man who lived a life full of purpose and complete dedication to bringing peace to the world he occupied. Dr. Ghoulem Berrah's life in Algeria began in a politically charged era when the French government was in full control. The nature of this relationship between French citizens and Algerian citizens created a tension that shaped his identity politics. It was this ideology that carried him into adulthood and a life of politics. In this exhaustive book, we get to see the man peel his years forming life in different countries, his exploration as a scientist, and we also see his evolution as a lover of romance. He met many luminaries that included people such as Yasser Arafat, Nelson Mandela, and F. W. de Klerk, and he spoke fondly about most of them, but he also revealed some interesting encounters with others. A Dream For Peace has that and much, much more.

The word "incredible" comes very close to perfectly describing this memoir. There are probably other words that fit better, but I cannot think of one better than that at the moment. It's incredible how the author got to experience everything he details in his story. It reads like the story of ten different people or someone who lived ten different lifetimes. It's incredibly told, and it has a tone of honesty about it. The author didn't gloss himself over or paint everything and everyone else with a perfect brush. He shares the highs and lows of life, and shares some of his mistakes, especially when it comes to romance. Dr. Ghoulem Berrah married three women, and he puts himself as the main blame for his failed two marriages. That's admirable. That's honest and relatable. That's part of what makes a great memoir.

I was intimidated by the book's length. I hate reading one thing for too long, and this memoir was quite lengthy, but the amount of information crammed inside of it justified the length to a certain extent. I can admit that I became jaded and exhausted at some point, and I had to put the book down and read something else to refresh. But that's nothing too negative because it mostly depends on the mood or personality of the reader.

There isn't much to critique here. I just wish that the memoir was divided into different parts that focused on different phases of the author's life to make it easier to tell a more focused story. His time in Paris as a student deserved its own book. The time he spent in America could also yield enough material to form another book. His years beside President Houphoët-Boigny of Côte d'Ivoire could have made for an interesting story on its own. I rate this memoir 5 out of 5 stars. It's simply incredible.

The memoir is political in nature, therefore I think it would probably satisfy those readers with an appetite for political memoirs. It's not a book that has humour or lighthearted themes. It goes much further than that. The reader must not mind reading materials that are heavy or serious in nature.

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A Dream For Peace
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