Fawzia Koofi

Nadene Ghouri

The nineteenth daughter of a local village leader in rural Afghanistan, Fawzia Koofi was left to die in the sun after birth by her mother. But she survived, and perseverance in the face of extreme hardship has defined her life ever since. Despite the abuse of her family, the exploitative Russian and Taliban regimes, the murders of her father, brother, and husband, and numerous attempts on her life, she rose to become the first Afghani woman Parliament speaker. Here, she shares her amazing story, punctuated by a series of poignant letters she wrote to her two daughters before each political trip—letters describing the future and freedoms she dreamed of for them and for all the women of Afghanistan. Koofi's New York Times bestseller, The Favored Daughter, movingly captures the political and cultural moment in Afghanistan, a country caught between the hope of progress and the bitter truth of history.

One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future

The Favored Daughter

Natacha Tormey

Natacha Tormey was born into the infamous religious cult known as The Children of God. Abused, exploited, and brainwashed by 'The Family', Natacha's childhood was stolen. Born to French hippy parents attracted to the religious movement by the unusual mix of evangelical Christianity, free love and rejection of the mainstream, from an early age Natacha was brainwashed to believe she had a special destiny - that she was part of an elite children's army bestowed with superpowers that would one day save the world from the Anti-Christ. Torn away from their parents, Natacha and her siblings were beaten on a daily basis and forced to sing and dance for entertainment in prisons and malls. Natacha never expected to live to adulthood. At the age of 18 Natacha escaped, but quickly found herself hurtling through a world she had no understanding of. Alone, and grappling to come to terms with an unbelievable sense of betrayal, she was stuck in a kind of limbo - confused and unable to feel part of either way of life. Natacha is one of the lucky ones; not all of her family survived the battle to shed the shame and pain of their past. To date over 40 ex-Children of God members of Natacha's generation have committed suicide. All Natacha ever wanted was to feel normal, but escaping the cult was only the beginning. Shocking, moving, but ultimately inspiring, this is Natacha's full story; it is both a personal tale of trauma and recovery, and an expos' of the secret world of abuse hidden behind commune walls.

My Life in a Religious Sex Cult and My Struggle for Survival on the Outside

Born Into the Children of God

Gulwali Passarlay

The boy who fled Afghanistan and endured a terrifying journey in the hands of people smugglers is now a young man intent on changing the world. His story is a deeply harrowing and incredibly inspiring tale of our times. 'To risk my life had to mean something. Otherwise what was it all for?' Gulwali Passarlay was sent away from Afghanistan at the age of twelve, after his father was killed in a gun battle with the US Army. Smuggled into Iran, Gulwali began a twelvemonth odyssey across Europe, spending time in prisons, suffering hunger, making a terrifying journey across the Mediterranean in a tiny boat, and enduring a desolate month in the camp at Calais. Somehow he survived, and made it to Britain, no longer an innocent child but still a young boy alone. In Britain he was fostered, sent to a good school, won a place at a top university, and was chosen to carry the Olympic torch in 2012. Gulwali wants to tell his story - to bring to life the plight of the thousands of men, women and children who are making this perilous journey every day. One boy's experience is the central story of our times. This memoir celebrates the triumph of courage and determination over adversity.

An Afghan Refugee Boy’s Journey of Escape to A New Life in Britain

The Lightless Sky

În 2006, după ce tatăl şi bunicul lui au fost ucişi de armata americană, Gulwali Passarlay a fost trimis de mama sa departe de Afganistan. Avea 12 ani. A pornit într-o călătorie lungă şi anevoioasă, în cursul căreia a fost închis, a suferit de foame şi a fost victima cruzimii şi a violenţei. A fost cât pe ce să-şi piardă viaţa în adâncurile Mării Mediterane, a îndurat brutalitatea celor care ar fi trebuit să aibă grijă de copii şi a stat o lună într-un lagăr din Calais. A reuşit în cele din urmă să ajungă în Marea Britanie, unde a fost înscris la şcoală, fiind admis apoi la una dintre universităţile de elită. Asemenea lui, mii de oameni îşi riscă viaţa încercând să fugă din zonele de conflict. Mulţi mor în cursul călătoriei; unii sunt trimişi înapoi, urmând să fie închişi sau omorâţi; puţini sunt cei ce supravieţuiesc şi ajung în ţări care le oferă o nouă şansă. Gulwali povesteşte despre hotărârea şi curajul care triumfă împotriva tuturor adversităţilor.

Nadene Ghouri

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