Robert Hillman

Najaf Mazari

The Rug-maker of Mazar-e-Sharif is a memoir of Najaf Mazari, an Afghani refugee who travelled to Australia, was detained in Woomera detention centre, went through various trials to gain permanent residency in Australia and eventually opened a rug shop in Prahran, Melbourne, which he still operates today. Najafs story is written by Robert Hillman.

The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif

This enchanting novel of interwoven legends burns with both gentle intelligence and human warmth This extraordinary book, derived from the long oral tradition of storytelling in Afghanistan, presents a mesmerizing portrait of a people who triumph with intelligence and humor over the oppressions of political dictators and an unforgiving landscape. A musician conjures stones to rise in the air and teaches his art to a mute child. Master Poisoner, Ghoroob of Mashad, has so perfected his craft that it is considered an honor to die from his meals. These are stories of magic and wonder in which ordinary people endure astonishing extremes in a world of bloodshed and brotherhood, miracles and catastrophes. With lyrical wit and profound simplicity, The Honey Thief reveals an Afghanistan of greater richness and humanity than is conveyed in newspaper headlines; an Afghanistan not of failure and despair, but of resilience and fulfillment.

Fiction

The Honey Thief

From the authors of the bestseller The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif comes their latest book, The Honey Thief. A superb collection of spellbinding tales from Afghanistan that portray a vivid landscape of hardship and brotherhood, catastrophes and miracles. These tales of peasants, poisoners and kings leap into life to reveal the rich storytelling traditions of Afghanistan. The beekeeper said to the boy: "Abbas, I have a question for you. The question is this: can a bee catch a cold?"Abbas smiled. "Can a bee catch a cold? No. It is impossible, Sir.""It is not impossible. A bee can catch a cold.""How do you know?""I have seen a bee sneezing.""No!" said Abbas. Then before he could stop himself, he said, "God will punish you for telling lies!"Ahmad Hussein laughed. He was teasing Abbas, but when a boy was as full of sorrow as this one, perhaps teasing could help. The mystery and wonder of Afghanistan comes to life in these tales of men who converse with bees and bears; of horseshoe bats in flights that blot out the sun, and of blackbirds that bring golden apples to earth from heaven. The sorrow of this extraordinary land is here too in the story of Abdul Kaliq, the king-killer, who ends his life on a scaffold in Kabul, and of Majid the Madman who turns to music for solace when his children die of plague. Other tales tell of an aged wolf who proves to a shepherd boy that he is the most intelligent creature on earth; of Proud Nadia, courted with a copy of Huckleberry Finn; and of the master poisoner Nightfall, who creates a cookbook of enchantments. Whether the tale is of wolves or wizards, The Honey Thief conveys in writing of surprising tenderness what it is like to grow up in a land of bloodshed and brotherhood, of miracles and catastrophes. "I have seen a bee sneezing," said Ahmad Hussein. "When I said, 'God bless you!' the bee said to me, 'You say, 'God bless you', Ahmad Hussein, and yet look where you have placed our house! You have placed it where the cold wind comes across the field!' It was true. I had placed his house where the cold wind troubled him. So now I am more careful. Now I place the beehives away from the cold, and away from the afternoon sun." About the AuthorNajaf Mazari fled upheaval in Afghanistan in 2001 and made his way to Australia, where he now lives with wife, Hakeema, and his daughter, Maria. He is a successful businessman with a shop in Melbourne's antique precinct, selling traditional Afghan rugs. He is deeply involved in creating a better climate for asylum-seekers in Australia and in charity activities that provide medical and educational assistance to some of the poorest villages in Afghanistan. Each year, Najaf sponsors an Afghan Evening of traditional song, dance and cuisine that highlights the achievements of Afghans in Australia. In 2008 Najaf co-authored the extraordinarily successful book, The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif, which eloquently tells the story of his journey as a refugee from Afghanistan to Australia. He followed that up in 2011 with another Robert Hillman collaboration, The Honey Thief, an exquisite collection of stories in the tradition of Afghan folktales.

Najaf Mazari

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