What should people read now to better understand Afghanistan and the Afghan people?
They should read history books. They should be read by those who really know Afghanistan and know it very well. Many people have relied on my books to see what Afghanistan is, and that’s okay, but I never intended my books to represent Afghan life. I hope that people will go deeper and read history books and thus learn more about Afghanistan.
But the demand for your books has skyrocketed. Do you want people to know who is picking one of them for the first time?
These are stories. This is the view of a man who has essentially been in exile since 1980. But I have a vision, and I have a deep attachment and a deep emotional connection with the people there, with the land, with the culture, with the history. and heritage.
There is more to Afghanistan. It is a beautiful country with a beautiful, polite, kind, welcoming, hospitable and charming people. Everyone who’s been to Afghanistan says, “I’ve been to many places in the world, but I’ve never been to a place like Afghanistan.”