Afghanistan Girls

After being commissioned into the US Air Force, MJ Hegar was selected for pilot training by the Air National Guard, finished at the top of her class, then served three tours in Afghanistan flying combat search and rescue missions, culminating in a harrowing rescue attempt that would earn MJ the Purple Heart as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Device. But it was on American soil that Hegar would embark on her greatest challenge - to eliminate the military's Ground Combat Exclusion Policy.

An investigative journalist uncovers a hidden custom in Afghanistan that will transform your understanding of what it means to grow up as a girl. “An astonishingly clear picture of this resourceful, if imperfect, solution to the problem of girlhood in a society where women have few rights...

“An exhilarating debut novel” (R.O. Kwon, The New York Times Book Review) about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of self-discovery—a portrait of the artist as a young woman set in a Berlin that can’t escape its history A girl can get in almost anywhere, even if she can’t...

A Thousand Miles to Freedom is a gripping, deeply human true story of one young Afghan girl’s impossible journey across mountains, borders, sea and war zones in pursuit of the freedom she was told she could never have. She was born into a world shaped by conflict, tradition, and the constant threat of violence, she grew up determined to carve a path beyond the limits placed on Afghan girls. From surviving abusive cultural norms to becoming a nurse through sheer resilience, her life is marked by extraordinary courage. But when she is forced into an intolerable arranged marriage, she makes ...

In the heart of war-torn Afghanistan, where cultural traditions and oppressive religious norms dictate every aspect of a woman’s life, Zynab emerges as an extraordinary force of defiance and hope. Born into a modest village and bound by her mother's dying wish to care for her blind brother, Jamal, Zynab’s world shifts when she witnesses the devastating consequences of women being denied access to proper medical care due to their refusal to see male doctors. Determined to change this grim reality, Zynab dreams of becoming a doctor and opening a clinic in her village where women can seek ...

Fans of the bestselling Peak will be thrilled with this gripping, high-stakes climbing adventure. The International Peace Ascent is the brainchild of billionaire Sebastian Plank: Recruit a global team of young climbers and film an inspiring, world-uniting documentary. The adventure begins when...

Farah Ahmedi recounts her heartbreaking journey from war-torn Kabul to America in her New York Times bestselling inspirational memoir. Farah Ahmedi's "poignant tale of survival" (Chicago Tribune) chronicles her journey from war to peace. Equal parts tragedy and hope, determination and daring...

As an Afghan girl, Zarifa Adiba has big, unfathomable dreams. Her family is poor, her country mired in conflict. Walking to school in Kabul, Zarifa has to navigate suicide bombers. But Zarifa perseveres, nurturing her passion for music despite its “sinful” nature under Taliban law. At sixteen she gains admission to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, and at eighteen she becomes the lead violist, co-conductor, and spokesperson for Zohra, the first all-female orchestra in the Muslim world.

Named a “Best Book of the Year” by New York Post “Farida Khalaf’s story is harrowing but crucial—especially when it comes to understanding what ISIS actually is and does.” —Glamour “As gripping as it is appalling…a compelling testament to the suffering of ordinary people caught...

The untold story of generations of Middle Eastern freedom fighters—horsewomen who safeguarded an ancient breed of Caspian horse—and their efforts to defend their homelands from the Taliban and others seeking to destroy them. "A breathtaking book that revisits nearly one hundred years of...

A searing, deeply personal memoir of a tenacious Afghan girl who educated herself behind closed doors and fought her way to a new life. Sola Mahfouz was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1996, the year the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs...

In this stunning sequel to The Breadwinner Trilogy, Parvana, now 15-years-old, is found in a bombed-out school and held as a suspected terrorist by American troops in Afghanistan. The girl does not respond to questions in any language and remains silent, even when she is threatened, harassed...

Perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia, Thanhha Lai, and Rebecca Stead, internationally bestselling author Nadia Hashimi s first novel for young readers is a coming-of-age journey set in modern-day Afghanistan that explores life as a bacha posh a preteen girl dressed as a boy. Obayda s...

When the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, Zahra Joya disguised herself as a boy simply to attend school. After the US-led invasion, her world transformed. Education, opportunity, and freedom flourished. Like many Afghans, Zahra dared to believe in a future. She became a journalist...

"Have you seen my cousin...alive?" Rejected by the Navy SEALs, Mitchum is content to be his small town's unofficial private eye, until his beloved 14-year-old cousin is abducted. Now he'll call on every lethal skill to track her down--but nothing is what it seems.... BookShots LIGHTNING-FAST...

An eye-opening, heart-rending tale of love, honor and betrayal from NBC foreign news correspodent Atia Abawi Fatima is a Hazara girl, raised to be obedient and dutiful. Samiullah is a Pashtun boy raised to defend the traditions of his tribe. They were not meant to fall in love. But they do. And...

Ever have the feeling you're being watched? A smart, unsettling, unputdownable literary thriller from the award-winning, critically acclaimed writer Lina and Cain are doing their best to stay afloat. Money has been tight since Cain returned from active duty, and starting a family is proving...

A kid filled with rage, suspended from the football team for unsportsmanlike conduct, and his father, newly home from the war in Afghanistan, reckon with the injuries they’ve caused to others and themselves in this unflinching middle grade novel in verse about love and forgiveness. Hazard’s...