In Search of Identity by Anwar Sadat
This was Egyptian President Sadat's autobiography, written in 1978. In it, he detailed his thoughts, how he rose to power, and why he did the things he did. It was very interesting book, and I was constantly reminded of how there is always more than one side to any story. This book explained his perspective.
Mr. Sadat shared his frustrations with the alliance between Egypt and the Soviet Union, and how they seemed to dismiss the Egyptian people as a whole. He also wrote how he felt the Israelis were oppressing his country, and his respect for the United States. This was an autobiography though, so it was Mr. Sadat's perspective and political viewpoints.
One thing I really admired about what Mr. Sadat wrote was his constant struggle for peace - for his country and his people. He wrote throughout his book about his ideal of peace at all costs, and he gave great historic examples. It was easy for me to identify with his time in prison; it was during his tenure in what he calls Cell 54 that this man eventually found himself. He stated, "...knowledge and a man's spiritual life are intimately relaxed and influence one another - the more knowledge you acquire, the more mature your spiritual life and the higher the quality of your knowledge becomes. It is an incessant process… to transcend the confines of the self and release his feelings, thoughts and arises from the cell.” These words really resonate with me, and challenge me to continue to look for ways to refine my spirituality and knowledge, and to become a better human being. To me, this book was mainly about finding a true sense of self and how to follow your inner ideals, and not what the world is pressuring you to do.
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