Full Description
A heart-tugging true story of identity, friendship, and perseverance from a survivor of the war in Afghanistan and an American who is forever changed by what she hears.
When Cindy Miller met Lailoma Shahwali, who was altering her daughter's wedding dress, she expected their interactions would be brief. But in Lailoma she found not just a seamstress, but a survivor who opened up about her remarkable experience enduring Afghan war crimes, her husband's brutal murder in front of Lailoma and her young son, and her escape to the US and journey to a new life and the American dream.
A breathtaking account of triumph in the face of all odds, The Alterations Lady documents Lailoma's courageous pursuit of education as an Afghan girl, what she endured when extremists took over her beloved country and she was stripped of her rights, her relentless determination to protect her child, and much more. It is also an evocative reminder of the life-changing importance of remaining attuned to the continued struggles in Afghanistan today, and of how those in our day-to-day can inspire us to be better, fuller, and more empathetic humans if we simply take the time to listen.
Contents
Afghan Rulers
Preface
Chapter 1
Arizona, 2009
Kabul, 1996
Arizona, 2013
Qurisha
Afghanistan, 1950s and Early 1960s
Chapter 2
Kabul, 1970s
Baba Amin
Kaka Zaher
School Days
Arizona, 2013
Chapter 3
Kabul, 1979
Arizona, 2010
Kabul, 1979 to 1989
Chapter 4
An Afghan Friend, 1988
An American Friend, 2013
Three Engagements, Kabul, 1988
Tragedy, 1988
Chapter 5
Wedding Season, 1989 to 1990
Kabul, 1990 to 1991
Arizona, 2012
Ojeie, 1992
Chapter 6
Winter, 1992
Chapter 7
Ahmadwali, 1996
Taliban Takes Kabul, 1996
Night of Terror, 1996
Lunch in Scottsdale, 2014
An Escape Plan, 1996
The Climb
Chapter 8
Safety in Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan, 1999
Time to Travel, 2000
Chapter 9
Arizona, 2000
Navigating the Streets, 2000
Driving school, 2001
Good News from Pakistan, 2005
Making a Move, 2005
Chapter 10
To Pakistan and Back, 2001 to 2005
Afghanistan to Pakistan to Russia, 2000 to 2012
Chapter 11
Arizona, 2008
The Family in Afghanistan, Early 2000s
Sponsoring Naim, 2008
Ahmadwali, 2016
The Third-Best Day
Epilogue
Glossary
Acknowledgments
