Review of A Dream For Peace
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Samuel Onowhakpor
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Review of A Dream For Peace
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Dream For Peace" by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah.]
Following the end of World War II, colonial powers all over the world suffered fallouts that saw their hold on their colonies waver. Capitalizing on this opportunity, several subjugated colonies saw uprisings that jostled for the toppling of these imperial powers. Prime of age after being raised in a colonially repressed Algeria, Dr. Ghoulem Berrah, who has experienced firsthand being treated as a second-class citizen in his motherland and witnessed imperialism's insidious corrosion of the very fabric his society is woven from, aligns himself with other like-minded movements and decides to fight tooth and nail until his dream for an independent and peaceful Algeria is actualized.
Along the author's journey of life, with his broadened horizon and increased exposure, there is an evolution in his disposition towards peace. He veered from a belligerent and combative approach in his earlier years towards a pacific and diplomatic approach in his latter years. His dream for freedom in his country also evolved over the years to become a dream for peace and development in the world, particularly in the African continent.
This is a memoir that details the travails, conquests, and vicissitudes of this activist, freedom fighter, doctor, scientist, and diplomat, who in his quest to actualize his dream traveled many parts of the world and rubbed shoulders with foremost activists, political heavyweights, and heads of governments. Dr. Ghoulem Berrah was a foremost agitator for the decolonization of Algeria. He also actively engaged in brokering peace between disputing countries and contributed immensely to the field of science by becoming the first person to propose a hypothesis that laid the groundwork for the discovery of the “Reverse Transcriptase Enzyme”.
What I found the most fascinating about the author's life is that despite his excellence in his intellectual endeavors, he never lost sight of his vision for Africa. Fully accepted in the US, he could have simply decided to settle there and accrue more accolades under his belt, yet he left that haven for the pursuance of promoting peace and development in Africa. As a fellow African, it is refreshing to see the amount of passion that the author has towards Africa and her development, which drove him to perform feats that lesser men would have shrunk from. His character and ideals are worthy of emulation.
There was no point in the book that I even vaguely felt that information apart from state and confidential ones were withheld by the author. The memoir also captures the behind-the-scenes workings of notable events in Dr. Ghoulem's performance of his diplomatic duties, which I must say is an eye-opening experience. There is a distinct chronological progression in this book, so I wasn't left to grasp at straws for which timeline certain events underlined in this book played out.
I didn't feel any moment of emotional detachment or remoteness from the author in this memoir's narration. Anguish, love, passion, and the myriad of emotions that the author felt at different moments of his journey shone through the pages of this memoir. Also, the intrepidness to tell such a story in a manner that doesn't shirk from criticism is one that the author has in spades.
Though the author for the most part employed a solemnly informative writing style, it still managed to captivate my attention. The photos of key moments that shaped his life also give credence and more depth to this memoir. I found nothing about this book I disliked. For an exquisite description of an equally fascinating life, cogent themes, and other aforementioned reasons, I am rating this book 5 out of 5.
Devoid of expletives and sexual scenes, A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah is a material that I will recommend to anyone interested in learning about Africa's struggle for decolonization, the subtleties of diplomacy, and the experiences of a person who have seen all these and more. History enthusiasts looking to buff up their knowledge will also find many of the author's experiences quite insightful.
******
A Dream For Peace
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Following the end of World War II, colonial powers all over the world suffered fallouts that saw their hold on their colonies waver. Capitalizing on this opportunity, several subjugated colonies saw uprisings that jostled for the toppling of these imperial powers. Prime of age after being raised in a colonially repressed Algeria, Dr. Ghoulem Berrah, who has experienced firsthand being treated as a second-class citizen in his motherland and witnessed imperialism's insidious corrosion of the very fabric his society is woven from, aligns himself with other like-minded movements and decides to fight tooth and nail until his dream for an independent and peaceful Algeria is actualized.
Along the author's journey of life, with his broadened horizon and increased exposure, there is an evolution in his disposition towards peace. He veered from a belligerent and combative approach in his earlier years towards a pacific and diplomatic approach in his latter years. His dream for freedom in his country also evolved over the years to become a dream for peace and development in the world, particularly in the African continent.
This is a memoir that details the travails, conquests, and vicissitudes of this activist, freedom fighter, doctor, scientist, and diplomat, who in his quest to actualize his dream traveled many parts of the world and rubbed shoulders with foremost activists, political heavyweights, and heads of governments. Dr. Ghoulem Berrah was a foremost agitator for the decolonization of Algeria. He also actively engaged in brokering peace between disputing countries and contributed immensely to the field of science by becoming the first person to propose a hypothesis that laid the groundwork for the discovery of the “Reverse Transcriptase Enzyme”.
What I found the most fascinating about the author's life is that despite his excellence in his intellectual endeavors, he never lost sight of his vision for Africa. Fully accepted in the US, he could have simply decided to settle there and accrue more accolades under his belt, yet he left that haven for the pursuance of promoting peace and development in Africa. As a fellow African, it is refreshing to see the amount of passion that the author has towards Africa and her development, which drove him to perform feats that lesser men would have shrunk from. His character and ideals are worthy of emulation.
There was no point in the book that I even vaguely felt that information apart from state and confidential ones were withheld by the author. The memoir also captures the behind-the-scenes workings of notable events in Dr. Ghoulem's performance of his diplomatic duties, which I must say is an eye-opening experience. There is a distinct chronological progression in this book, so I wasn't left to grasp at straws for which timeline certain events underlined in this book played out.
I didn't feel any moment of emotional detachment or remoteness from the author in this memoir's narration. Anguish, love, passion, and the myriad of emotions that the author felt at different moments of his journey shone through the pages of this memoir. Also, the intrepidness to tell such a story in a manner that doesn't shirk from criticism is one that the author has in spades.
Though the author for the most part employed a solemnly informative writing style, it still managed to captivate my attention. The photos of key moments that shaped his life also give credence and more depth to this memoir. I found nothing about this book I disliked. For an exquisite description of an equally fascinating life, cogent themes, and other aforementioned reasons, I am rating this book 5 out of 5.
Devoid of expletives and sexual scenes, A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah is a material that I will recommend to anyone interested in learning about Africa's struggle for decolonization, the subtleties of diplomacy, and the experiences of a person who have seen all these and more. History enthusiasts looking to buff up their knowledge will also find many of the author's experiences quite insightful.
******
A Dream For Peace
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Seeker: A Sea Odyssey by Rita Pomade
