Ten great books on human rights | Amnesty International UK

11 Books to Read for Human Rights Day That Take a Good, Hard Look at Justice and Equality

My top 10 fiction books on human rights

How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Cómo una niña defendió la educación y cambió el mundo

The narrative focuses on a young Pakistani girl who bravely opposed the oppressive Taliban regime and their prohibition of female education. Despite being attacked and severely wounded by the Taliban, she survives and becomes a globally recognized advocate for human rights and education. She shares her life experiences growing up in the verdant Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan, as part of the Yousafzai tribe of the Pashtun people who value hospitality and honor. Her family includes her progressive, educated father who founded the Khushal School, her devout mother, and her two younger brothers. In a society that traditionally undervalues girls, she is celebrated by her father and named after a brave heroine from folklore.

She provides a detailed insight into her parents' history, their tribal background, and the events leading up to the establishment of the Khushal School. She shares about the societal and cultural changes in Pakistan under various military regimes. She also offers an account of a family trip to Shangla, an impoverished region where women's lives were extremely restricted. Her narrative includes her schoolmates and childhood lessons learned on the importance of generosity, honesty, and humility. As a result of geopolitical events and subsequent power shifts, religious leaders gain prominence in the region, leading to intense confrontations over religious interpretations and the education of girls.

With the rise of the Taliban, life under their rule becomes increasingly restrictive and violent. Despite the order to prohibit girls from attending school, she continues her studies and publicly criticizes the oppressive situation. As the fight between the Taliban and the army intensifies, her family, along with millions of other Pashtuns, are forced to evacuate. Upon their return, they find their home and school still standing amidst the destruction. Despite natural disasters causing further destruction, they remain resilient. As tensions heighten between Pakistan and the U.S., she gains national and international recognition for her activism. Despite threats from the Taliban, she remains in Swat. The narrative culminates with a brutal attack on her by the Taliban in 2012. Her recovery, supported by the international community, takes place in England where her family is relocated. She continues her education and advocacy work with unwavering determination, hoping one day to return to her beloved Pakistan.

I Am Malala

Yo soy Malala

Winston Smith, a minor functionary for the government, lives in a dystopian society where the ruling Party, led by Big Brother, scrutinizes every aspect of people's lives, even their thoughts, through omnipresent surveillance technology. The Party orchestrates a linguistic purge, introducing Newspeak, a language designed to obliterate any words or ideas that could provoke opposition to its rule. Winston, growing increasingly dissatisfied with the Party's oppressive control, procures a forbidden diary to record his subversive thoughts. He also becomes intrigued by O’Brien, a high-ranking Party official whom he suspects to be part of the legendary Brotherhood, an underground organization bent on toppling the Party.

Working at the Ministry of Truth, Winston manipulates past records to align with the Party's current narrative. His fear of detection intensifies when he notices a female colleague, Julia, observing him closely. Despite the Party's historical revisionism, Winston can vaguely remember a past that contradicts the official narrative. Meanwhile, he explores impoverished areas, where the proletariat, or 'proles', live relatively unmonitored lives. His relationship with Julia evolves from paranoia to romance after receiving a love note from her. They clandestinely meet in a rented room in the prole district, where Winston’s contempt for the Party intensifies, while he also awaits a potential meeting with O'Brien.

Their anticipated meeting with O’Brien takes place in his lavish apartment, where he lives a life of privilege as part of the Inner Party. O’Brien admits his own hatred for the Party and confirms his participation in the Brotherhood, subsequently initiating Winston and Julia. O'Brien provides Winston with a forbidden book containing the Brotherhood's ideology. However, their rebellion comes to a sudden halt as they are arrested by the Thought Police; O'Brien is revealed to be a loyal Party member and their landlord, Mr. Charrington, a Thought Police agent. Imprisoned and tortured in the ironically named Ministry of Love, Winston endures psychological manipulation aimed to eradicate his rebellious thoughts. Ultimately, his resistance crumbles in Room 101, where he is tormented with his greatest fear, rats, and betrays Julia. Broken, Winston is released; he encounters Julia but feels nothing. In the end, Winston has fully succumbed to the Party's indoctrination, even proclaiming love for Big Brother.

1984

To Kill a Mockingbird, Book 1

Matar a un ruiseñor, Libro 1

In the quiet Alabama town of Maycomb, siblings Scout and Jem Finch enjoy a comfortable life despite the hardships of the Great Depression, thanks to their father Atticus Finch's standing as a respected lawyer. The siblings, along with their new friend Dill, become fascinated by their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. The children's curiosity propels them into a series of adventures, including finding gifts seemingly left by Boo in a tree knothole and a risky exploration of the Radley property which ends with Jem's pants being mysteriously mended and hung over the fence.

The serenity of their lives is disrupted when Atticus takes on the defense of Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of sexually assaulting a white woman. This decision sparks outrage among the town's white community, exposing Jem and Scout to racial prejudice and hostility. During the trial, Atticus presents compelling evidence proving Tom's innocence, including that the injuries suffered by the accuser were inflicted by her own father. Despite this, the all-white jury convicts Tom, who is later killed while attempting to escape prison. This deeply affects Jem, causing him to question the fairness of the justice system.

The aftermath of the trial brings further danger to the Finch family as the girl's father, Bob Ewell, seeks revenge on Atticus by trying to harm Jem and Scout. Their lives are saved by the unlikely hero, Boo Radley, who kills Ewell during the confrontation. The sheriff, to safeguard Boo, concludes that Ewell's death was accidental. Following the incident, Scout gains insight into Boo's secluded life and applies her father's wisdom of empathizing with others, affirming her belief in the inherent goodness of people despite her experiences with hatred and prejudice.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Matar a un ruiseñor

In the heart of Mississippi during the summer of 1962, a middle-aged African-American woman named Aibileen Clark works as a maid for a white family, caring for their child, Mae Mobley. The family's matriarch, Elizabeth Leefolt, is swayed by her friends into building a separate bathroom for Aibileen based on false notions of racial disease transmission, despite their limited finances. In the meantime, Aibileen's closest friend, Minny, loses her job as a maid due to false rumors spread by one of Elizabeth's friends, Hilly, who claimed Minny is a thief. Minny ultimately finds employment with Celia Foote, a woman married to Hilly's ex-lover, who is ostracized by the town's society. 

Recently graduated from college, Skeeter Phelan, a friend of Elizabeth's, is intrigued by Aibileen's life. After landing a job at the local newspaper, Skeeter seeks Aibileen's help in writing her column. In the process, she learns about Aibileen's son, Treelore, who was penning a book about the experiences of black people working for white families before his untimely death. This inspires Skeeter to delve into the life of maids, leading her to start interviewing Aibileen in secret for her book. Meanwhile, Minny’s employer, Celia, struggles to fit in with society and hides her multiple miscarriages. Despite Minny's warnings, Celia tries to befriend Hilly, leading to a disastrous public incident.

Skeeter’s manuscript garners the interest of Elaine Stein, a senior editor at Harper & Row, who encourages Skeeter to interview more maids. Initially hesitant, more maids agree to share their experiences after Hilly unjustly accuses her maid, Yule May, of petty theft. In an act of defiance, Skeeter publishes a piece in a newsletter that results in dozens of old toilets being dropped off in Hilly's front yard. The ensuing scandal ostracizes Skeeter from the community. As a protective measure for the maids who shared their stories, Minny convinces Skeeter to include a scandalous story involving Hilly in her book. After its publication, the book creates ripples in their community, leading to both positive and negative outcomes for those involved.

11 Best Human Rights Books of All Time

I Am Malala

How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

1984

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird, Book 1

The Help

Unbowed

A Memoir

The Moonlit Cage

A Novel

Taking a Stand

The Evolution of Human Rights

Mosquito

I Am Troy Davis

Fearless Fighter

An Autobiography

Disposable People

New Slavery in the Global Economy

Sources

What To Read Next

11 Best Human Rights Books of All Time

I Am Malala

How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

1984

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird, Book 1

The Help

Unbowed

A Memoir

The Moonlit Cage

A Novel

Taking a Stand

The Evolution of Human Rights

Mosquito

I Am Troy Davis

Fearless Fighter

An Autobiography

Disposable People

New Slavery in the Global Economy

Sources

What To Read Next

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