Review of A Dream For Peace

[OTrain Disene]

[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 by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah. Dr. Berrah was a multifaceted man who had a lot of experience. He was a man who wore many caps. Had you bumped into him by chance, you wouldn’t have known how to address him. He was a doctor, an ambassador, a peacemaker, a thinker, an adviser, and a husband. In between the covers of this book, he writes about his life as one of the most influential human beings not only in Algeria but in Africa and worldwide, too.

The book opens up with chapter one titled, “Birth to University.” In this chapter, the author tells the tale of his humbling beginnings. He wasn’t born to wealth, but his parents made sure that he was afforded to go to school. At school, he excelled so much that his teachers were fascinated by him. But it is not entirely about his young academic achievements. The chapter is also dedicated to his young life. He paints a vivid picture of the environment he grew up in. He mentions the political climate at the time in his area and country. He also talks about his friends, about what they liked to do as unassuming kids.

Chapter two is titled “Hardship and Prison.” Here the book dives into more sensitive and hard issues. He talks about the hardships he faced as a student at the university. It is safe to say that his political aspirations were birthed here. He and his fellow students stood up and organised strikes for the cause they solemnly believed in. He even lost accommodation at some point and had to move in with another student. It was all hard and challenging, but he persevered.

For the rest of the book, we learn more about the person that was Dr. Berrah. We go step by step on his life journey, of how he became so powerful in the country that he was born so poor. He went to America to study and got involved in serious activism across the world. From Morocco to the Middle East. He even had the ear of the President. How did he juggle all of these, with marriage on top of it? This book that is 507-pages long will tell you all and leave you impressed and even inspired.

I have recently taken a liking to read memoirs. Usually, I am a lover of fiction, and I shy away from memoirs because of the doubts I have about the genre as a whole. Most memoirists, I find to be propagandists, at least a soft version of them, because they always paint themselves as victims and in the right all the time. This memoir wasn’t the case. It set itself apart from the rest. Here, the author told his story of how it was with the good and the bad. I never sensed him omitting or sugar-coating anything.

I loved the stance he had about peace. He nearly came across as optimistic with his talk of peace. But later, I learned that he was more of a realist than that. He never oversimplified the struggle or the conflicts that were happening in most countries on the continent. People who are about peace and who are activists can take out a thing or two from this book.

It was well written. I was flowing from one sentence to another with excitement. If I could describe the feeling, I would say it was like walking riverside, taking everything in from the surroundings while the wind brushed past you with its serenity and moisture. That pretty much sums it up.

The provided pictures were much appreciated because they kind of painted the picture of the person he was back then. It was refreshing to see him as a young man to the man he was now, old and wise. They also worked as a breather for you if were tired from the texts. They were beautifully placed among the pages. They made sure to avoid putting them together in one space like you were looking at a magazine.

The only let-down I can say I have found in this book was the errors, although they were minor. The book exceeded my expectations and even changed the sentiments I held about memoirs. It proved to be a beautiful read.

That’s why I am happy to give it a perfect score of four out of four stars. I recommend it to people who love international politics and who are interested in learning about the history of Algeria. My favourite quote from the book is this one, “the willingness to use dialogue requires some self-control and mastery of instincts, as well as the inclination to compromise without sacrificing integrity.” (page 486).

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A Dream For Peace
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[Mildred Echesa]

This is a remarkable book that talks about Dr. Berrahs achievements. I agree with you on the fact that it exceeded your expectations because it too exceeded my expectations.

[Amy Luman]

Dr. Berrah is a great man. He has achieved many thing. I am captivated by the way that he and his friends at university were given to standup for what they believed in. I’m sorry that he ha struggles, but usually those are what make us strong, not the easy paths.

[honeybear_11001]

Seems like a wonderful book. I loved your summary of the book and I can't wait to read it. Thanks for the wonderful and detailed review.

[Cesyao]

A Dream for Peace is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of reconciliation.