Review of A Dream For Peace

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 23 Aug 2022, 16:55

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

4 out of 4 stars

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A Dream for Peace is a 632-page memoir by the exceptional Dr. Ghoulem Berrah. This book records all his political activities, education, activism, and personal life.

His interest in activism was born out of the need to liberate his country, Algeria, from French rule. French colonizers did not allow native Algerians to relax and enjoy the peace of their home and environment. Although Dr. Berrah was a medical student, he still nursed the desire to see an independent Algeria. His activism activities started when he got to the university, and he remained steadfast from then on. He was not just dedicated to the good of Algeria but Africa in general. His activist activities extended to Morocco, Cote d'Ivoire, and other places. He met and worked with important and famous people.

Although a Muslim, Dr. Ghoulem Berrah respected the Christian faith without prejudice. He even married a Catholic. His free spirit toward everyone, irrespective of religion or race, is commendable. He is an educationist and a revolutionary. Even with a language barrier, he persevered in his studies and made a notable discovery in science. I admire his fight for a liberated Algeria. His arrest and prison time did not stop him.

One of the things I loved about this book was the information and knowledge I gained from reading it. There were so many things I learned. One is about the effect of China's population control from the citizens' point of view. According to the author, "The Chinese government had instituted a law banning couples from having more than one child. Hence, those who did not use contraceptives found themselves aborting baby girls until a boy was born. " At that point, I felt a lot of pity for these people. Going through several abortions couldn't be easy. However, good things come at a cost. China was already overpopulated; without the ban, life would have been worse for them.

I love the detailed approach in which the author describes things. For example, when he wanted to explain the dressing pattern of women in his town, one could almost see the clothes physically. Yes, his explanatory power was that good. On the other hand, this book was long, and I thought I would get tired of his ordeals. However, that was not the case. The author actually has an interesting, action-filled, and productive life. He is such a selfless man and a hero. For the above reasons, I am rating A Dream for Peace 4 out of 4 stars. The only negative aspect of this book is that it is a long read. It was, however, worth every bit of my time and did not affect my rating at all. I also found a few minor errors that did not affect the rating either.

One will find many historical events in this book, along with many heroes. Because of this, I will recommend this book to history lovers, lovers of politics, and activists. The life of Dr. Berrah is one worthy of study and emulation. Muslim readers would appreciate this book too. The author himself is a Muslim, and he made reference to his religious culture in the book. Therefore, I feel that Muslim readers will relate more to it.

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A Dream For Peace
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Christabel Egbeama · Post by **Christabel Egbeama** » 30 Aug 2022, 00:47

This book was a great read. Dr. Ghoulem is an inspiration to readers of different ages. One of the attributes of Dr. Ghoulem was his willingness to create, and his selflessness. This is a great review!

Ozioma Miriam · Post by **Ozioma Miriam** » 30 Aug 2022, 01:22

I had a problem with how long this book was. But in all, it was interesting and inspiring. Nice review.

Jelly_J · Post by **Jelly_J** » 30 Aug 2022, 02:13

A medical doctor who doubles as an freedom fighter and activist is a rare feat to witness. The life of Dr Ghoulem is truly inspiring.

Isaac Oh · Post by **Isaac Oh** » 30 Aug 2022, 06:57

I like how this book showed that peace can be attained without violence. It was inspiring and showed hardwork and its benefits.

Margi zuu202 · Post by **Margi zuu202** » 30 Aug 2022, 07:02

The mostly surpring ambassador memoir first edition that is the french edition was published in 2018 , while the Algerian edition was published in December same year I will recommend it

Ifesi · Post by **Ifesi** » 30 Aug 2022, 07:09

Lengthy but inspiring. Achievements are wonderful thing. Amazing work you did here. I guess it was his way of explaining things in details that made the book lengthy.

Post by **Shillah Andeso** » 30 Aug 2022, 07:16

I also love how humble and a good writer Dr. Ghoulem is. The book is interesting irrespective of its length. I would read it again any time. Nice review.

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 08:59

Christabel Egbeama wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 00:47 This book was a great read. Dr. Ghoulem is an inspiration to readers of different ages. One of the attributes of Dr. Ghoulem was his willingness to create, and his selflessness. This is a great review!

He was a true inspiration. I'm impressed that one person could have such great impact in one lifetime.

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:02

Ozioma Miriam wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 01:22 I had a problem with how long this book was. But in all, it was interesting and inspiring. Nice review.

The book was lengthy for sure, but I couldn't see any alternative. There was so much about his achievements to talk about and all the experiences he had. I don't think there could have been a way to make it shorter.

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:04

James Goodman wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 06:57 I like how this book showed that peace can be attained without violence. It was inspiring and showed hardwork and its benefits.

The book was a true inspiration. Thank you for your comment.

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:06

Margi zuu202 wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 07:02 The mostly surpring ambassador memoir first edition that is the french edition was published in 2018 , while the Algerian edition was published in December same year I will recommend it

Thank you so much for your recommendation. Are the contents of the edition different from this edition?

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:09

Ifesi wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 07:09 Lengthy but inspiring. Achievements are wonderful thing. Amazing work you did here. I guess it was his way of explaining things in details that made the book lengthy.

Yes, that's right. Also, his activist activities were numerous. There is no way the book couldn't have been lengthy if it contains all those activities.

Victoria Ukamaka · Post by **Victoria Ukamaka** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:11

Shillah Andeso wrote: ↑30 Aug 2022, 07:16 I also love how humble and a good writer Dr. Ghoulem is. The book is interesting irrespective of its length. I would read it again any time. Nice review.

His humility was second to none. I especially like how nice he is to people irrespective of their religion. He is a good man.

wmeki510 · Post by **wmeki510** » 30 Aug 2022, 09:23

A Dream for Peace is a great book that is both educative and inspiring. Dr Berrah's life of activism for a liberated Algeria and the pains and sacrifices he made show that wishes should be followed with clear-cut actions. Highly recommended.