Nujeen: One Girl's Incredible Journey from War-Torn Syria in a Wheelchair

by Nujeen Mustafa, Christina Lamb

Overview

Prize-winning journalist and the co-author of smash New York Times bestseller I Am Malala, Christina Lamb, now tells the inspiring true story of another remarkable young hero: Nujeen Mustafa, a teenager born with cerebral palsy, whose harrowing journey from war-ravaged Syria to Germany in a wheelchair is a breathtaking tale of fortitude, grit, and hope that lends a face to the greatest humanitarian issue of our time, the Syrian refugee crisis.

For millions around the globe, sixteen-year-old Nujeen Mustafa embodies the best of the human spirit. Confined to a wheelchair because of her cerebral palsy and denied formal schooling in Syria because of her illness, Nujeen taught herself English by watching American soap operas. When her small town became the epicenter of the brutal fight between ISIS militants and US-backed Kurdish troops in 2014, she and her family were forced to flee.

Despite her physical limitations, Nujeen embarked on the arduous trek to safety and a new life. The grueling sixteen-month odyssey by foot, boat, and bus took her across Turkey and the Mediterranean to Greece, through Macedonia to Serbia and Hungary, and finally, to Germany. Yet, in spite of the tremendous physical hardship she endured, Nujeen's extraordinary optimism never wavered. Refusing to give in to despair or see herself as a passive victim, she kept her head high. As she told a BBC reporter, "You should fight to get what you want in this world."

Nujeen's positivity and resolve infuses this unforgettable story of one young woman determined to make a better life for herself. Told by acclaimed British foreign correspondent Christina Lamb, Nujeen is a unique and powerful memoir that gives voice to the Syrian refugee crisis, helping us to understand that the world must change—and offering the inspiration to make that change reality.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062567734
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/11/2016
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Born with cerebral palsy, 16-year-old Nujeen Mustafa has spent her life in a wheelchair. She had little formal education in Syria but taught herself English by watching US soap operas. In 2014 her home town of Kobane was at the centre of fierce fighting between Isis militants and US-backed Kurdish forces, forcing her family to flee first across the border into Turkey and then further into Europe, where they currently live, in Germany.

Christina Lamb is one of the world’s leading foreign correspondents. Author of Farewell Kabul and New York Times bestseller I Am Malala, she has reported on Pakistan and Afghanistan since 1987. Educated at Oxford and Harvard, she is the author of five books and has won a number of awards, including Britain’s Foreign Correspondent of the Year five times, as well as the Prix Bayeux-Calvados, Europe’s most prestigious award for war correspondents. She currently works for the Sunday Times and lives in London and Portugal with her husband and son.

Table of Contents

Prologue: The Crossing 1

Part 1 To Lose a Country

1 Foreigners in Our Own Land 11

2 The Walls of Aleppo 23

3 The Girl on TV 35

4 Days of Rage 45

5 A City Divided 59

6 A War of Our Own 75

7 Gone with the Wind 89

8 Forgive Me, Syria 101

Part 2 The Journey

9 Widen Your World 113

10 In Search of a People Smuggler 127

11 The Route of Death 139

12 Freedom like a Normal Person 149

13 Through the Beautiful Gate 161

14 Hungary, Open the Door! 173

15 The Hardest Day 187

16 The Sound of Music 203

17 Thank You, Mama Merkel 215

Part 3 A Normal Life

18 Foreigners in a Foreign Land 231

19 A Schoolgirl at Last 241

20 A Scary New Year 247

21 A Place Called Home 253

Appendix: My Journey 269

Acknowledgements 275

Index 277

Editorial Reviews

The story of Nujeen reminds the world that refugees, just like others, have aspirations and dreams for peace, education and a better society.” — Malala Yousafzai, author of I Am Malala and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

From the Publisher

The story of Nujeen reminds the world that refugees, just like others, have aspirations and dreams for peace, education and a better society.

Malala Yousafzai