West of Kabul, East of New York

By: Tamim Ansary

Narrated by: Tamim Ansary

The day after the World Trade Center was destroyed, Tamim Ansary sent an anguished e-mail to 20 friends, discussing the attack from his perspective as an Afghan American. The message reached millions.

Born to an Afghan father and American mother, Ansary grew up in the intimate world of Afghan family life but emigrated to San Francisco thinking he'd left Afghan culture behind forever. At the height of the Iranian Revolution, however, he took a harrowing journey through the Islamic world, and in the years that followed, he struggled to unite his divided self and to find a place in his imagination where his Afghan and American identities might meet. Here, in his own words, is one man's passionate personal journey through two cultures in conflict.

©2002 Tamim Ansary (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Urbane, accessible, compulsively readable." (Los Angeles Times)
"Stirring....A raw and poignant book...moving." (Santa Fe Mexican)
"The author's profound, complicated homesickness burns across every page." (Esquire)

A must listen

Well written, extremely insightful commentary woven throughout a compelling story. Will be recommending this book to many friends.

I wish everyone would read this.

Ansary vividly describes the traditional Afghanistan before complex events destroyed it, as well as contemporary history. I was moved in many ways. The chapter in which he talks about the ways that our memories keep a person “alive” and how we may come to know someone even more deeply after their death moved me to buy a copy of the book so I can share that.

So good

Being in the military it was nice to hear of this man’s love of Afg. One foot in each world. Fascinating really.

Incredibly nuanced and moving

This book is a must read. The incredible soul of this wonderful author comes straight through. It is a lesson in history. A lesson in family. The tragedy of time passing and choices made. Destiny Disrupted from the author is also another masterpiece. What a genuine, profound, honest and sensitive writing. And thinking. Beautiful beautiful beautiful!

Still timely with important insights.

I always prefer a book when it is narrated by the author - I spent two years in Kabul at the end of the 50s as a small child. Ansary paints a picture that fills in the gaps of my memory, and I am grateful to him. He also explains simply and clearly the realities of Afghan history and the roots of its troubled history. One thing Americans don’t seem able to grasp is that democracy doesn’t work everywhere.
We shall see what happens now. I tremble for the women and children of that amazing land.