NEW YORK, April 17—Atria Books announced today that it has acquired a new memoir from Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author of I Am Malala. The book will be a revealing journey of self-discovery—a breathtaking story of recovery and search for identity, a candid exploration of her coming-of-age in the public spotlight, and an intimate look at her life today.

Yousafzai’s memoir will also be published as an audiobook, read by the author. A young readers and a picture book adaptation of the memoir will be published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/Salaam Reads.

“The last few years of my life have been marked by extraordinary transformation, and all the anguish and joy that accompanies growth,” said Yousafzai. “This is my most personal book yet and I hope that readers will find recognition, reassurance, and insight in my story. I am beyond delighted to take the next step in my journey with the incredible team at Atria Books.”

“It is an absolute honor and privilege to help bring Malala’s message of hope and resilience to the world alongside the team at Atria,” said Kate Napolitano, Executive Editor, Atria Books. “This memoir is a profound commentary on mental health, a surprising peek into the mind of one of our preeminent activists, and a clarion call for readers everywhere to honor their pasts in order to better their futures.”

Malala Yousafzai began her activism at age 11 when she anonymously blogged about life under the Taliban in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, particularly the ban on girls’ education. Over the next few years, she advocated publicly, giving speeches and interviews, and attracting media attention and awards.

At age 15, she was shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out. After months of surgery and rehabilitation in the United Kingdom, she founded Malala Fund to continue her campaign to see all girls in school. A year later, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her work for education and equality. Malala graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in 2020.

She is the best-selling author of three books and President of Extracurricular Productions.

Kate Napolitano, Executive Editor at Atria Books, acquired North American, audio, and serial rights from Albert Lee and Meredith Miller at UTA. UK rights sold to Jenny Lord at Orion/Weidenfeld & Nicolson. The young reader’s adaptation of the memoir will be published by Deeba Zargarpur, Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Salaam Reads.

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About Atria Books: Atria Books is an imprint of Simon and Schuster. For more information, visit our website at https://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/atria

About Simon & Schuster: Simon & Schuster, a Paramount company, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital, and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Avid Reader Press, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com 

CONTACT:

Lisa Sciambra, VP, Director of Publicity, Atria Books
212-698-7649
Lisa.Sciambra@simonandschuster.com