Publisher Description

'Zarifa will break your heart' Christina Lamb, author of Our Bodies, Their Battlefields and I Am MalalaZarifa Ghafari was two years old when the Taliban banned girls from schools, and she began her education in secret. She was seven when American airstrikes began. She was twenty-four when she became the youngest and one of the first female mayors of Maidan Wardak, Kabul. An extremist mob barred her from her office; her male staff walked out in protest; assassins tried to kill her six times. Through it all, Zarifa stood her ground. She ended corruption in the province, promoted peace, and tried to lift up women, despite constant fear for herself and her family. When the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, Ghafari had to flee. But even that couldn't stop her. Six months later, she returned, to continue her work empowering women.Zarifa is an astonishing memoir that offers an unparalleled perspective of the last two decades in Afghanistan from a citizen, daughter, woman and mayor. Written with honesty, pain, and ultimately, hope, Zarifa describes the work she did, the women she still tries to help as they live under Taliban rule, and her vision for how grassroots activism can change their lives and the lives of women everywhere.

Flap

A poignant and inspiring memoir by Afghanistan's youngest female mayor and devoted human rights activist. Zarifa Ghafari was three years old when the Taliban banned girls from schools, and she began her education in secret. She was seven when American airstrikes began. She was twenty-six when she became mayor - the only female mayor in the country - of Maidan Wardak, Kabul. An extremist mob barred her from her office; her male staff walked out in protest; assassins tried to kill her six times. Through it all, Zarifa stood her ground. She ended corruption in the province, promoted peace, and tried to lift up women, despite constant fear for herself and her family. When the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, Ghafari had to flee. But even that couldn't stop her. Six months later, she returned, to continue her work empowering women. Zarifa is an astonishing memoir that offers an unparalleled perspective of the last two decades in Afghanistan from a citizen, daughter, woman and mayor. Written with honesty, pain, and ultimately, hope, Zarifa describes the work she did, the women she still tries to help as they live under Taliban rule, and her vision for how grassroots activism can change their lives and the lives of women everywhere.

Author Biography

Zarifa Ghafari was mayor of Maidan Wardak, a province of Kabul, Afghanistan and escaped from the Taliban in August 2021 to seek refuge in Germany. Ghafari was included by the BBC as one of the '100 most inspiring and influential women in the world' in 2019, received the International Woman of Courage Award from the US State Department in 2020 and the Oxi Day Foundation Award for Courage in 2021. She runs a foundation for women in Afghanistan.Hannah Lucinda Smith is the author of Erdogan Rising: The Battle for the Soul of Turkey and The Times correspondent in Turkey, where she has covered conflicts, a coup attempt and the rise of controversial president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. She has reported from inside rebel-held Syria, on the front lines of the battle against Isis in Iraq, and joined migrants on their journey to Europe in 2015. She has also worked also for the BBC, the Atlantic and the Spectator, and was awarded a Pulitzer grant to write for Wired magazine.

Review

Anyone wanting to know the grim reality of being a woman in Afghanistan and trying to make a difference, could not find a more illuminating book. Zarifa will break your heart. * Christina Lamb, author of Our Bodies, Their Battlefields *
Incredible -- Francesca Brown * Stylist *
In this earnest and fiery memoir, an activist and politician from Afghanistan recounts how her country's instability marked her life * New York Times *
Frank and impassioned, Ghafari's narrative spotlights the power of activism... a remarkable story of perseverance and resilience * Publishers Weekly *
Candid, poignant and powerful ... This gripping book can be read at one go and surely is a must buy * Telegraph (India) *
This is a simply written and inspiring work that zips along with the pace of an adventure story. You can only be left in awestruck admiration at everything Zarifa has already achieved in her short life. Despite the current situation, you at least feel some hope that Afghanistan's trajectory will have been nudged towards a better tomorrow by her unceasing vision for a just and corruption-free homeland' -- Olivia Edward * Geographical Magazine *
[Ghafari] tells her inspiring life story with sincerity and passion, providing a nuanced and, at times, horrifying glimpse into Afghanistan's devastating history ... A searingly honest, profoundly courageous memoir of one fearless woman's fight for her homeland * Kirkus *
Zarifa's words, like her life, are an act of courage, weaving heartache with hope. They illuminate all the things we take for granted, especially the ordinary moments, the daily freedoms and most intimate of relationships. They illuminate the threads that connect our rights, freedoms, and happiness into an interconnected whole. * Shubhangi Swarup, Tata Prize winning author of Latitudes of Longing *
Zarifa Ghafari's story is one of strength in the face of adversity. She perfectly captures the tragic reversal of fortune over the past year in Afghanistan as the Taliban have once again risen to power. Everyone should read this inspirational and heart-wrenching account of life in Afghanistan for women. * Layla Moran, MP *

Long Description

' Zarifa will break your heart' Christina Lamb, author of Our Bodies, Their Battlefields and I Am Malala Zarifa Ghafari was three years old when the Taliban banned girls from schools, and she began her education in secret. She was seven when American airstrikes began. She was twenty-six when she became mayor of Maidan Wardak, Kabul. An extremist mob barred her from her office; her male staff walked out in protest; assassins tried to kill her six times. Through it all, Zarifa stood her ground. She ended corruption in the province, promoted peace, and tried to lift up women, despite constant fear for herself and her family. When the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, Ghafari had to flee. But even that couldn't stop her. Six months later, she returned, to continue her work empowering women. Zarifa is an astonishing memoir that offers an unparalleled perspective of the last two decades in Afghanistan from a citizen, daughter, woman and mayor. Written with honesty, pain, and ultimately, hope, Zarifa describes the work she did, the women she still tries to help as they live under Taliban rule, and her vision for how grassroots activism can change their lives and the lives of women everywhere.

Review Quote

Essential reading - Literary Review, on Erdogan RisingBrilliant - Peter Frankopan on Erdogan RisingEngagingly written and factually scrupulous portrait - Financial Times, on Erdogan RisingShe writes very well, with an engaging mix of personal anecdote, acute observation, interviews and well-informed research; there's no fat on this book and never a dull page - The Times, on Erdogan Rising

Promotional "Headline"

A poignant and inspiring memoir by Afghanistan's youngest female mayor and devoted human rights activist. As featured in the NETFLIX documentary IN HER HANDS.

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