Review of A Dream For Peace

[Joule Mwendwa]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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A Dream for Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah follows an account of the political adventures of the author, characterized by pain, love, resilience, and loss. This memoir is one of the most exceptional ones I have read, with an excellent root in the struggle for Africa's independence and stability. Berrah is one of the founding fathers of Africa's leadership, and he narrates his journey in this book.

Despite being born in Algeria, the author, who's also a medical doctor, found himself as the advisor to President Houphouët of Côte d'Ivoire and more politically involved in a foreign country's affairs than his own. However, his dream, just like that of his friend, the president of Côte d'Ivoire, was to see a stable and prosperous Africa. As a result, he was actively involved in solving political problems around Africa and beyond, which earned him medals, as he narrates. Berrah's story relates to colonial Africa until Africa fully gained independence. Hardships African activists experienced, efforts of Africa's leaders to stabilize the continent, and the author's personal life, such as marriage and loss, are among the key aspects this memoir tackles.

I liked how Berrah delved into Africa's cultures and political roots, detailing the relationship between these aspects in his youth and today. Through this memoir, the present African generation is reminded of their grandparents' struggle for independence; thus, they should strive to advance the glory of their homeland and not sleep on their forefathers' efforts and kill their dreams. Furthermore, I enjoyed Ghoulem's revelation of some secret diplomatic letters he exchanged with other heads of state. What interests me more about those letters is their writing style, which dates back to the 19th century's ways of communication, when emails and other social media platforms weren't present. That makes readers know and appreciate the revolution of technology over the years. Additionally, I enjoyed the picture collection in this memoir because it made me feel physically present at events in Berrah's days, thus making the book more appealing.

The author's advice on peace for current and coming generations stood out most for me in this book. As an ambassador for peace, he gained more experience in problem-solving. He advises his audience on successful problem-solving methods while touching on what can sabotage the whole process and make a dispute last for decades, like that of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On top of that, I appreciate the author's detailed book. Occasionally, he elaborated more on certain points at the foot of his book's pages to ensure readers fully understood the contents of the memoir.

I did not encounter any negative aspects in this book. Likewise, I didn't dislike anything in it. This memoir was exceptionally well edited. Therefore, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend Ghoulem's A Dream for Peace to leaders and anyone who likes healthy politics.

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A Dream For Peace
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[Jê hii]

I don't really like books related to politics but I love this one in particular because it points towards the African history.
Nice review

[JuliusOnyango]

I was captivated by the book's detailed exploration of the political, social, and cultural aspects surrounding Algeria's struggle for liberation. However, I felt that the book was too long. This I nice review. Kudos!