Fresh Air Best Of: Malala Yousafzai / Oscar Isaac
Apr 25, 2026
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate, reflects on her childhood, the 2012 attack, recovery, and studying at Oxford. Oscar Isaac, Guatemalan- and Cuban-descended actor and musician, talks about Beef, Frankenstein, working with Guillermo del Toro, and his music with family. Maureen Corrigan, literature professor and critic, recommends three spring novels.
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Eleven Year Olds Can Choose Risk For Education
- Malala volunteered at 11 to write a BBC journal under a pseudonym despite risks when the Taliban banned girls' education.
- She feared a life without education more than personal danger, so she accepted the risk to keep hope for girls' futures alive.
On The School Bus The Taliban Shot Her
- Malala recounts the 2012 assassination attempt on her school bus where a gunman asked who she was and shot her in the head.
- Her friends describe holding her as she bled; recovery required multiple surgeries including a titanium skull plate.
Trauma Can Resurface Years Later
- PTSD surfaced years later at Oxford after Malala tried marijuana and experienced flashbacks and panic attacks.
- That triggered therapy, revealing trauma can re-emerge unexpectedly well after the original event.
