With the ongoing atrocities on the Gaza Strip, and the devastation of the Malaysian Airlines crash in Ukraine, the news is rife with terrible tales of conflict. But these modern wars have also brought with them some of the bravest, illuminating, and uplifting biographical works of recent times, showing the human cost of war, and bringing with them home thanks to the courage and tenacity of the writers. Here are just five of the best biographies, autobiographies and non-fiction works that showcase the triumph of the human spirit in even the darkest of times.
Teenager Malala made international headlines when she was shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls' education in her native Pakistan. Fortunately, Malala survived the attack, and continues to be one of the most vocal supporters of women's rights in the Middle East. Malala writes with a fierce intelligence, determination and wisdom beyond her years, and it is her eloquence in conveying her message that is perhaps the strongest example of why her campaign is necessary. With such a remarkable story in only her teenage years, one can only anticipate what change Malala and girls like her can bring to the Middle East.
Maziar Bahari is an Iranian-born journalist, who emigrated to Canada to pursue his studies before working in London. Returning to his birth country in 2009 to cover Iran's presidential election for Newsweek, Bahari soon found himself facing the horrors of incarceration in Iran's most notorious prison under false charges of espionage. Enduring extreme violence, forced confessions, and the ever looming threat of execution, Bahari recalls his father's own imprisonment in the 1950s, along with his sister's in the 1980s. These experiences bring Bahari strength, a beautifully illustrated ray of hope in the horror he finds himself in. Bahari was eventually released four months later, after a campaign supported by Hilary Clinton, after which he wrote this incredible story. Then They Came For Me will also soon see a film adaptation, directed by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart.
ABC White House Correspondent Martha Raddatz has written what has been touted by many as the "Black Hawk Down" of the Iraq War. Her subject is a brutal forty-eight hour firefight, during which soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division were subjected to a surprise attack during a routine patrol in Sadr City. What sets Raddatz book apart from the many, many others on the Iraq conflict is that much of her focus is on how the battle affected the families of the soldiers back home in Fort Hood, Texas. With eight soldiers dead and 70 wounded, it is a story of a community pulling together in hope and in grief, written with stunning and heartfelt poignancy by Raddatz. Utterly rivetting and affecting, Raddatz expertly shows the human cost of war.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi spent 15 of a sentenced 21 years under house arrest due to fighting for a restoration of democracy in her country. An incredibly inspirational woman, Suu Kyi intends to run for the presidency of Myanmar in 2015, not ever wavering from her goal. Letters from Burma collects fifty-two pieces written by Suu Kyi for a Japanese newspaper at the start of her house arrest in 1989. Suu Kyi writes of hope and optimism, painting beautiful portraits of festivals and customs, Burma's beautiful nature and scenery, and an incredible pilgrimage to the Buddhist abbot of Thamanya. Her vision never wavering, Suu Kyi campaigns for health care and education, and for a representative government that recognises the impact of their decisions on the lives of their people, while condemning the horrors inflicted on children and prisoners in the region. Suu Kyi is a passionate, inspirational voice for change, and Letters from Burma is a stunning portrait of an incredible woman.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the fourteenth person to hold such a title, chosen by Holy leaders at the mere age of two following the death of the thirteenth man to hold the position. His remarkable story shows him not only mastering Tibetan Buddhism, but the ever-present threat of Chinese Communism and its brutal realities for the Tibetan people. As one of the world's most prominent advocates for peace, the Dalai Lama writes his story with incredible wisdom and honesty. His Holiness wrote his book in English, to ensure that his meaning was not lost in translation, which makes for a writing style that is not exactly flowing, but this only serves to make the reader slow down and absorb his words ever more carefully. His words contain a lack of self-interest, and a gentle humour that brings with it one of the most effective calls for peace.