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My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women
A landmark collection: the first anthology of short fiction by Afghan women that are "powerful, profound, and deeply moving" (Elif Shafak, author of The Island of Missing Trees, a Reese's Book Club pick)
"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream."
Eighteen Afghan women living in, speaking about, and writing from the country itself tell stories that are powerful and illuminating, unique and universal - stories of family, work, childhood, friendship, war, gender identity, and cultural traditions.
A woman's fortitude saves her village from disaster. A teenager explores their identity in a moment of quiet. A tormented girl tries to find love through a horrific act. A headmaster makes his way to work, treading the fine line between life and death.
These and more original, vital, and unexpected stories hail from extraordinary voices rooted in Afghanistan's two main linguistic groups (Pashto and Dari), and were developed over two years through the writer development program Untold's Write Aghanistan Project. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird comes at a pivotal moment in Afghanistan's history, when these voices must be heard.
With an Introduction by [to come] and Afterword by Lucy Hannah, Founder and Director of Untold
"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream."
Eighteen Afghan women living in, speaking about, and writing from the country itself tell stories that are powerful and illuminating, unique and universal - stories of family, work, childhood, friendship, war, gender identity, and cultural traditions.
A woman's fortitude saves her village from disaster. A teenager explores their identity in a moment of quiet. A tormented girl tries to find love through a horrific act. A headmaster makes his way to work, treading the fine line between life and death.
These and more original, vital, and unexpected stories hail from extraordinary voices rooted in Afghanistan's two main linguistic groups (Pashto and Dari), and were developed over two years through the writer development program Untold's Write Aghanistan Project. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird comes at a pivotal moment in Afghanistan's history, when these voices must be heard.
With an Introduction by [to come] and Afterword by Lucy Hannah, Founder and Director of Untold
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2022
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October 19, 2022
Happy Publication Day! (U.S. - October 18, 2022)
“One of the many joys of reading is that the literature of a world far from our own has the potential to alter how we see ourselves.”
- Lucy Hannah, Founder of Untold Narratives (from the Afterword of My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird)
My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is an anthology of eighteen stories written by women writers based in Afghanistan (some of whom have managed to leave in light of recent upheaval). In simple prose, they tell us stories inspired by the daily lives (some based on real-life events) of those living in Afghanistan. The stories are set in various periods varying from the 1980s to the present day and feature men and women in their homeland as they brave the trials and tribulations of war, political upheaval, poverty, oppressive societal norms, misogyny, discrimination and much more.
In the story “I Don’t Have The Flying Wings” by Batool Haidari (translated from the Pashto by Parwana Fayyaz), a young boy, struggles with his gender identity and is punished when he is discovered trying to be himself when alone at home.
“I wanted to be seen; I was hidden from everyone else, but I wanted to be seen, myself for myself.”
In “D is for Daud” by Anahita Gharib Nawaz (translated from the Dari by Zubair Popalzai), a school teacher risks everything to help a young boy whose sister is being abused by her husband.
“When I see her, I understand why women are called siah sar. She represents the true sense of the word: one who is destined for darkness.”
In “My Pillow’s Journey of Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Kilometres” by Farangis Elyassi, (translated from the Dari by Dr. Zubair Popalzai), a woman who manages to escape her war-torn homeland and move to America, attributes her sleeplessness to her favorite pillow she has left behind and vows to carry it back with her on her next visit.
“I have finally accepted that my peaceful sleep was not bound to my pillow: my sleep was bound to the warm embrace of my country, it was bound to visiting my beloved mother, it was bound to the chatter I shared with my sisters, to the friendship and silliness I shared with my brother, to the laughter I enjoyed with my friends. My peaceful sleep was because of the small service I used to do for my country, because of my streets, because of a sense of freedom one can feel only in one’s own country.”
“The Red Boots”, by Naeema Ghani, (translated from the Pashto by Shekiba Habib and Zarghuna Kargar), revolves around a young girl whose happiness knows no bounds when her father buys her a second-hand pair of red boots, even though they are too small for her feet.
"It doesn’t matter what colour your boots are–they could be red or black or blue. Or maybe for you it’s a dress or a notepad or an umbrella that you chose. The important thing is that you chose. And I chose a pair of boots."
In “Blossom” by Zainab Akhlaqi, (translated from the Dari by Dr. Negeen Kargar), A father who opposed his daughter’s education in favor of her getting married relents after his daughter adamantly decides to go back to school after it is bombed and many of her friends have perished.
“We don’t know how long any of us has. Go, my child, and live the way you want to live.”
In “Ajah” by Fatema Khavari (translated from the Dari by Dr. Zubair Popalzai), a woman motivates the other women in the village to band together to dig ditches to save their village from flooding.
“They till the land; they raise your children. They lift buckets of water from the well every day. How difficult is digging a tiny channel when we women come together?”
In the other stories we meet a single mother who braves explosions to go to work every day, a recently widowed mother who decides to fight being forced into marrying her brother-in-law, a young girl is sent to a wedding as a suicide bomber, a woman takes drastic measures when her husband takes a second wife because of all her eight children are daughters, a group of women who value their self-respect prefer to quit a much-needed job after one of them is harassed by their male manager and a man who returns home after years of captivity only to find that his family has moved on.
The authors and translators (most of the stories were originally written in Pashto or Dari) have done a magnificent job of painting a deeply intimate picture of what life looks like in a land that is so different from our own. These stories do not delve into detail about the politics or leadership in Afghanistan but tell us about the people in their own voices. Much time and effort went into this endeavor – from collecting these stories, coordinating with the authors and translators and dealing with security concerns (which is why details about the authors have not been provided and while some authors have used their real names , others have published their stories under pen names). It is impossible to read this book and not be affected by it – I was in turn saddened, enraged and incredibly moved by these stories and needed to take breaks in between. This is the kind of book that makes you pause and reflect and appreciate the freedoms and privileges we enjoy and, more often than not take for granted. This book should be read, shared and talked about because these voices need to be heard. I must applaud the efforts of Untold Narratives CIC whose Write Afghanistan project made it possible for these authors to share their stories with the world.
“Afghanistan has never been heard or understood. Who are these people? And what do they want? How did they endure forty-two years of war? To find the answers, we must talk about these questions. And we would like to share our words with you. Make our words familiar to you.” –(from the Afterword; written by an author who has contributed to this collection.)
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this powerful and thought-provoking collection of stories. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released(U.S) on October 18, 2022.
“One of the many joys of reading is that the literature of a world far from our own has the potential to alter how we see ourselves.”
- Lucy Hannah, Founder of Untold Narratives (from the Afterword of My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird)
My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is an anthology of eighteen stories written by women writers based in Afghanistan (some of whom have managed to leave in light of recent upheaval). In simple prose, they tell us stories inspired by the daily lives (some based on real-life events) of those living in Afghanistan. The stories are set in various periods varying from the 1980s to the present day and feature men and women in their homeland as they brave the trials and tribulations of war, political upheaval, poverty, oppressive societal norms, misogyny, discrimination and much more.
In the story “I Don’t Have The Flying Wings” by Batool Haidari (translated from the Pashto by Parwana Fayyaz), a young boy, struggles with his gender identity and is punished when he is discovered trying to be himself when alone at home.
“I wanted to be seen; I was hidden from everyone else, but I wanted to be seen, myself for myself.”
In “D is for Daud” by Anahita Gharib Nawaz (translated from the Dari by Zubair Popalzai), a school teacher risks everything to help a young boy whose sister is being abused by her husband.
“When I see her, I understand why women are called siah sar. She represents the true sense of the word: one who is destined for darkness.”
In “My Pillow’s Journey of Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Kilometres” by Farangis Elyassi, (translated from the Dari by Dr. Zubair Popalzai), a woman who manages to escape her war-torn homeland and move to America, attributes her sleeplessness to her favorite pillow she has left behind and vows to carry it back with her on her next visit.
“I have finally accepted that my peaceful sleep was not bound to my pillow: my sleep was bound to the warm embrace of my country, it was bound to visiting my beloved mother, it was bound to the chatter I shared with my sisters, to the friendship and silliness I shared with my brother, to the laughter I enjoyed with my friends. My peaceful sleep was because of the small service I used to do for my country, because of my streets, because of a sense of freedom one can feel only in one’s own country.”
“The Red Boots”, by Naeema Ghani, (translated from the Pashto by Shekiba Habib and Zarghuna Kargar), revolves around a young girl whose happiness knows no bounds when her father buys her a second-hand pair of red boots, even though they are too small for her feet.
"It doesn’t matter what colour your boots are–they could be red or black or blue. Or maybe for you it’s a dress or a notepad or an umbrella that you chose. The important thing is that you chose. And I chose a pair of boots."
In “Blossom” by Zainab Akhlaqi, (translated from the Dari by Dr. Negeen Kargar), A father who opposed his daughter’s education in favor of her getting married relents after his daughter adamantly decides to go back to school after it is bombed and many of her friends have perished.
“We don’t know how long any of us has. Go, my child, and live the way you want to live.”
In “Ajah” by Fatema Khavari (translated from the Dari by Dr. Zubair Popalzai), a woman motivates the other women in the village to band together to dig ditches to save their village from flooding.
“They till the land; they raise your children. They lift buckets of water from the well every day. How difficult is digging a tiny channel when we women come together?”
In the other stories we meet a single mother who braves explosions to go to work every day, a recently widowed mother who decides to fight being forced into marrying her brother-in-law, a young girl is sent to a wedding as a suicide bomber, a woman takes drastic measures when her husband takes a second wife because of all her eight children are daughters, a group of women who value their self-respect prefer to quit a much-needed job after one of them is harassed by their male manager and a man who returns home after years of captivity only to find that his family has moved on.
The authors and translators (most of the stories were originally written in Pashto or Dari) have done a magnificent job of painting a deeply intimate picture of what life looks like in a land that is so different from our own. These stories do not delve into detail about the politics or leadership in Afghanistan but tell us about the people in their own voices. Much time and effort went into this endeavor – from collecting these stories, coordinating with the authors and translators and dealing with security concerns (which is why details about the authors have not been provided and while some authors have used their real names , others have published their stories under pen names). It is impossible to read this book and not be affected by it – I was in turn saddened, enraged and incredibly moved by these stories and needed to take breaks in between. This is the kind of book that makes you pause and reflect and appreciate the freedoms and privileges we enjoy and, more often than not take for granted. This book should be read, shared and talked about because these voices need to be heard. I must applaud the efforts of Untold Narratives CIC whose Write Afghanistan project made it possible for these authors to share their stories with the world.
“Afghanistan has never been heard or understood. Who are these people? And what do they want? How did they endure forty-two years of war? To find the answers, we must talk about these questions. And we would like to share our words with you. Make our words familiar to you.” –(from the Afterword; written by an author who has contributed to this collection.)
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this powerful and thought-provoking collection of stories. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released(U.S) on October 18, 2022.
August 4, 2023
In a Nutshell: A brilliant OwnVoices anthology, narrating stories about the ordinary citizens' lives in Afghanistan. Each story is written by a female Afghan author.
There's no denying that life in Afghanistan has changed over the last decades. Hit by one political catastrophe after another, most Afghanistan commoners are now stuck on the base tier of Maslow's needs-hierarchy theory, focusing more on survival than on anything else. And as is the norm in such situations, it's women and girls who are hit the hardest.
This collection of twenty-three stories, written by eighteen Afghan women, shows us an inside view of ordinary life in Afghanistan. The stories were originally written in Dari and Pashto, the two official languages. They've been translated to English by local Afghan translators, and hence have a touch of simplicity as well as authenticity to their tone.
Not all the stories have a typical plot progression. Some are more like an episode, offering a little glimpse into a day or week of the central character. The tales highlight a daily life that isn't routine, where one doesn't know how one will survive against the natural elements or political elements or military elements or patriarchal elements. A few of the stories, though fictional, are based on real-life incidents, and these are the most hard-hitting.
While each story is written by a female writer, the main protagonist isn't always a woman. But no matter who the lead character, every story is underlined by a sense of loss, worrying over the what-is and wondering about the what-if. Can we expect happy endings in such a collection? Not really. But a couple of the stories do offer hopeful endings, which is the best we can expect given the circumstances.
It's worth noting that these stories were written before the Taliban returned to power. So no matter what atrocities and struggles are mentioned in this anthology, things are even worse now. For safety reasons, there's no personal information about the writers, a few of whom have chosen to write under pen names. This makes the title even more ironic and poignant, as their pens truly are the wings through which these writers have soared in their thoughts.
The stories have been divided across four untitled sections, but I simply could not figure out the basis of the compartmentalisation. Not that it matters much on the macro level, but I prefer understanding the editorial choices in an anthology.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the twenty-three stories, ten stories reached or crossed the 4-star mark, and most of the rest were clustered around the 3-star rating. Here are my favourites, with 4.5 stars and above:
🌷 Dogs Are Not to Blame - Masouma Kawsari – Such a sensitive story written from a male pov! - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🌷 The Late Shift - Sharifa Pasun – When routine life is not routine anymore, what do you do? You make the best of it. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🌷 The Most Beautiful Lips in the World - Elahe Hosseini – I truly didn’t see the direction this story took. The turn in the narrative left me shocked. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌷 My Pillow’s Journey of Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred, and Seventy-six Kilometers - Farangis Elyassi – Never thought a story about a pillow would be so poignant. Loved the whole experience. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌷 Ajah - Fatema Khavari – Almost like a fable, highlighting the power of determination - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Strongly recommended to anyone looking for a powerful OwnVoices work, giving voice to women who are rarely given a voice.
3.85 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
There's no denying that life in Afghanistan has changed over the last decades. Hit by one political catastrophe after another, most Afghanistan commoners are now stuck on the base tier of Maslow's needs-hierarchy theory, focusing more on survival than on anything else. And as is the norm in such situations, it's women and girls who are hit the hardest.
This collection of twenty-three stories, written by eighteen Afghan women, shows us an inside view of ordinary life in Afghanistan. The stories were originally written in Dari and Pashto, the two official languages. They've been translated to English by local Afghan translators, and hence have a touch of simplicity as well as authenticity to their tone.
Not all the stories have a typical plot progression. Some are more like an episode, offering a little glimpse into a day or week of the central character. The tales highlight a daily life that isn't routine, where one doesn't know how one will survive against the natural elements or political elements or military elements or patriarchal elements. A few of the stories, though fictional, are based on real-life incidents, and these are the most hard-hitting.
While each story is written by a female writer, the main protagonist isn't always a woman. But no matter who the lead character, every story is underlined by a sense of loss, worrying over the what-is and wondering about the what-if. Can we expect happy endings in such a collection? Not really. But a couple of the stories do offer hopeful endings, which is the best we can expect given the circumstances.
It's worth noting that these stories were written before the Taliban returned to power. So no matter what atrocities and struggles are mentioned in this anthology, things are even worse now. For safety reasons, there's no personal information about the writers, a few of whom have chosen to write under pen names. This makes the title even more ironic and poignant, as their pens truly are the wings through which these writers have soared in their thoughts.
The stories have been divided across four untitled sections, but I simply could not figure out the basis of the compartmentalisation. Not that it matters much on the macro level, but I prefer understanding the editorial choices in an anthology.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the twenty-three stories, ten stories reached or crossed the 4-star mark, and most of the rest were clustered around the 3-star rating. Here are my favourites, with 4.5 stars and above:
🌷 Dogs Are Not to Blame - Masouma Kawsari – Such a sensitive story written from a male pov! - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🌷 The Late Shift - Sharifa Pasun – When routine life is not routine anymore, what do you do? You make the best of it. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🌷 The Most Beautiful Lips in the World - Elahe Hosseini – I truly didn’t see the direction this story took. The turn in the narrative left me shocked. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌷 My Pillow’s Journey of Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred, and Seventy-six Kilometers - Farangis Elyassi – Never thought a story about a pillow would be so poignant. Loved the whole experience. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌷 Ajah - Fatema Khavari – Almost like a fable, highlighting the power of determination - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Strongly recommended to anyone looking for a powerful OwnVoices work, giving voice to women who are rarely given a voice.
3.85 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
June 11, 2023
https://instagram.com/p/CoZ7D8_rRoS/
An extraordinary project. My Pen is the Wing of a Bird is a completely haunting collection of stories by Afghan women, who detail the bleak and harrowing world that they live in, as well as the world that they wish it to be. However, as the introduction states, these are so much more than just stories. These are hopes, dreams, regrets, resentments, loves, and defiances. These are the very sparks of freedom, for there is no truer liberation that the voice within ourselves taking flight, there is no sweeter victory than our stories taking root, being remembered, cherished, and passed on. This collection is essential, it is the coldest, hardest truth, and yet it rings with such hope and perseverance. This is something that everyone should not only read, but act on. Stunning in every way.
An extraordinary project. My Pen is the Wing of a Bird is a completely haunting collection of stories by Afghan women, who detail the bleak and harrowing world that they live in, as well as the world that they wish it to be. However, as the introduction states, these are so much more than just stories. These are hopes, dreams, regrets, resentments, loves, and defiances. These are the very sparks of freedom, for there is no truer liberation that the voice within ourselves taking flight, there is no sweeter victory than our stories taking root, being remembered, cherished, and passed on. This collection is essential, it is the coldest, hardest truth, and yet it rings with such hope and perseverance. This is something that everyone should not only read, but act on. Stunning in every way.
June 14, 2022
Definitely Not my Concept of Life
Wanna know about Life in Afghanistan?
Hmmmm… let me see…
The other day, X went to a wedding where a suicide bomber, with an apparently clear schedule, decided to drop by…
(Inspired by a real event)
Y, who happens to be a famous news reporter, arrived from work complaining about being stalked by a rocket: “I had just got up off a chair and hadn’t even reached the newsroom door when a rocket landed and its shrapnel hit that same chair. It was a matter of seconds. I got up and, when I looked back, the chair had been destroyed.”
(Inspired by a real war)
And, as expected, there are also plenty of those obnoxious episodes specifically reserved to afghan women…
(Inspired by real discrimination)
…………….
P.S.: Before reading this book, do yourself a favor and buy a punching bag. You’re gonna need something to kick and punch after reading some of these stories!
Wanna know about Life in Afghanistan?
Hmmmm… let me see…
The other day, X went to a wedding where a suicide bomber, with an apparently clear schedule, decided to drop by…
(Inspired by a real event)
Y, who happens to be a famous news reporter, arrived from work complaining about being stalked by a rocket: “I had just got up off a chair and hadn’t even reached the newsroom door when a rocket landed and its shrapnel hit that same chair. It was a matter of seconds. I got up and, when I looked back, the chair had been destroyed.”
(Inspired by a real war)
And, as expected, there are also plenty of those obnoxious episodes specifically reserved to afghan women…
(Inspired by real discrimination)
…………….
P.S.: Before reading this book, do yourself a favor and buy a punching bag. You’re gonna need something to kick and punch after reading some of these stories!
March 4, 2022
If you want that will make you re-evaluate your life then this is it. The amount of reflecting I’ve done since finishing this book in insane, I know I am lucky enough to live a privileged life, but I really didn’t know just how bad some people’s lives could be. One of these women wrote her story in the middle of a damn war that was going on, I know this is headline news at the moment with what’s going on in Europe and the Middle East but I’ve never truly realized just how comfy and safe my life is compared to so many people in this world.
This is one hell of a powerful book and I want to slap people round the face with it to make them read it. This is a life changing book, it makes you re-think so many things, re-evaluate what’s really important in life, we may all share the same planet, but we do not share the same lives in any way. My story and life are so very different from all of these women in every single way. I haven’t been this moved and motivated by a book in a very very long time. What an absolutely beautifully heartbreaking read this way.
Thank you to Quercus for giving these amazing women a platform in which to showcase their creativity and their voices. Let their voices forever ring out loud and true.
This is one hell of a powerful book and I want to slap people round the face with it to make them read it. This is a life changing book, it makes you re-think so many things, re-evaluate what’s really important in life, we may all share the same planet, but we do not share the same lives in any way. My story and life are so very different from all of these women in every single way. I haven’t been this moved and motivated by a book in a very very long time. What an absolutely beautifully heartbreaking read this way.
Thank you to Quercus for giving these amazing women a platform in which to showcase their creativity and their voices. Let their voices forever ring out loud and true.
December 18, 2022
My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women is a project of Untold, which "works together with writers marginalised by community or conflict, to develop and amplify their work.... Untold supports these writers to develop their writing; share their stories with wider communities in their own languages and reach new global audiences in translation." (Quotation is from their home page: http://untold-stories.org/about/ )
Work on this anthology began before the US withdrawl and the retaking of the country by the Taliban. Six of the eighteen writers featured in this collection have since found ways to leave the country, but all these pieces were originally written in Afghanistan and are reflections of these women's experiences in their homeland. These pieces were originally written in Pashto and Dari, the official languages of Afghanistan. Untold's role in producing the anthology has been to support women who want to write and to provide translations of their work to make it accessible to an international audience.
These stories make for deeply sobering reading and depict the options—or the lack of options—available to Afdghani women. Some of the work is based on folk tales or depicts the period before the current return to Taliban government, which makes for an interesting variety of perspectives, but the bulk of it comes across as tales of contemporary, day-to-day life. Entering this world challenges the reader and demands a response beyond "I'm so lucky that's not me." These stories demand that we not just provide long-distance witness to these women's lives, but that we we consider concrete actions that might provide meaningful change and find ways to use the power we have, even if at times we feel powerless. That's a tall order, but an essential one.
By contributing to My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird, these writers remind us of the global challenges faced by women—and that any struggle for human rights needs to be based in lived experiences, not outsiders' ideas about "how things are" or "what needs to be done."
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Work on this anthology began before the US withdrawl and the retaking of the country by the Taliban. Six of the eighteen writers featured in this collection have since found ways to leave the country, but all these pieces were originally written in Afghanistan and are reflections of these women's experiences in their homeland. These pieces were originally written in Pashto and Dari, the official languages of Afghanistan. Untold's role in producing the anthology has been to support women who want to write and to provide translations of their work to make it accessible to an international audience.
These stories make for deeply sobering reading and depict the options—or the lack of options—available to Afdghani women. Some of the work is based on folk tales or depicts the period before the current return to Taliban government, which makes for an interesting variety of perspectives, but the bulk of it comes across as tales of contemporary, day-to-day life. Entering this world challenges the reader and demands a response beyond "I'm so lucky that's not me." These stories demand that we not just provide long-distance witness to these women's lives, but that we we consider concrete actions that might provide meaningful change and find ways to use the power we have, even if at times we feel powerless. That's a tall order, but an essential one.
By contributing to My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird, these writers remind us of the global challenges faced by women—and that any struggle for human rights needs to be based in lived experiences, not outsiders' ideas about "how things are" or "what needs to be done."
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
March 13, 2022
Short Stories set in AFGHANISTAN
The stories “...take us into the small but ever so significant minutiae of daily life”. Through tiny observations we, as readers, can identify with the plight of so many women in Afghanistan, whose daily lives are like our own, yet so significantly different in many – and oftentimes – terrible ways. These stories, sometimes just through their simplicity, cause the reader to reflect and even recoil; but this is real life for so many.
There are various translators to credit for bringing these authors’ tales to a whole new readership, making the voice of Afghan women accessible. The authors originally wrote their stories in one of two languages – Pashto and Dari. Various aspects of culture and daily living conditions meld together in each narrative. The stories are of family, betrayal, friendship and love, many set against a back drop of real life events.
Highlighted sometimes are culturally specific aspects – the anxiety around producing baby daughters when sons are revered and desired; the ramifications of husbands taking multiple wives with the blessing of society; and women just trying to go about daily life, amidst mortar attacks whilst trying to hold down a job or continue with education.
Running through several stories is a sense of loneliness, how a war situation adds another dimension to endemic volatility under Taliban rule, it really affects individuals. How solace can be found in pets and animal connections, and how disappearing into imagination is a relief from the world around.
There are visceral scenes and descriptions that are rich in the sights, sounds and smells of the country… the clay walls that emanate a specific feel, and the rich fragrances of cooking and herbs waft off the page.
We know that many nations have got involved in the country over the years and now – after many of these stories had actually been penned – the country was left summarily in late Summer 2021 to its own devices. Women once again have been forced to remain absent from mainstream life, stripped of their hard won rights, which is such a depressingly regressive step for so many.
At the end of this collection, in the Afterword by Lucy Hannah, it is explicit that these stories for now cannot be published in Afghanistan, it is too dangerous. Stories help make sense of the world and so the authors featured here continue to write. Some are still in Afghanistan, others have managed to flee. Afghanistan, says Hannah, has never been heard or understood, so giving women the opportunity to bring their stories into a wider world continues to be essential.
The stories “...take us into the small but ever so significant minutiae of daily life”. Through tiny observations we, as readers, can identify with the plight of so many women in Afghanistan, whose daily lives are like our own, yet so significantly different in many – and oftentimes – terrible ways. These stories, sometimes just through their simplicity, cause the reader to reflect and even recoil; but this is real life for so many.
There are various translators to credit for bringing these authors’ tales to a whole new readership, making the voice of Afghan women accessible. The authors originally wrote their stories in one of two languages – Pashto and Dari. Various aspects of culture and daily living conditions meld together in each narrative. The stories are of family, betrayal, friendship and love, many set against a back drop of real life events.
Highlighted sometimes are culturally specific aspects – the anxiety around producing baby daughters when sons are revered and desired; the ramifications of husbands taking multiple wives with the blessing of society; and women just trying to go about daily life, amidst mortar attacks whilst trying to hold down a job or continue with education.
Running through several stories is a sense of loneliness, how a war situation adds another dimension to endemic volatility under Taliban rule, it really affects individuals. How solace can be found in pets and animal connections, and how disappearing into imagination is a relief from the world around.
There are visceral scenes and descriptions that are rich in the sights, sounds and smells of the country… the clay walls that emanate a specific feel, and the rich fragrances of cooking and herbs waft off the page.
We know that many nations have got involved in the country over the years and now – after many of these stories had actually been penned – the country was left summarily in late Summer 2021 to its own devices. Women once again have been forced to remain absent from mainstream life, stripped of their hard won rights, which is such a depressingly regressive step for so many.
At the end of this collection, in the Afterword by Lucy Hannah, it is explicit that these stories for now cannot be published in Afghanistan, it is too dangerous. Stories help make sense of the world and so the authors featured here continue to write. Some are still in Afghanistan, others have managed to flee. Afghanistan, says Hannah, has never been heard or understood, so giving women the opportunity to bring their stories into a wider world continues to be essential.
May 22, 2023
The rating of each short story:
Companion ⭐⭐⭐
Daughter number eight ⭐⭐⭐
Dogs are not to blame ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A common language ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The late shift ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The most beautiful lips in the world ⭐⭐
I don't have the flying wings ⭐⭐
Bad luck ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What are friends for? ⭐⭐⭐⭐
D for Daud ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Falling from the summit of dreams ⭐⭐⭐
An imprint on the wall ⭐⭐
The black crow of winter ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Silver ring ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sandals ⭐⭐⭐
The worms ⭐⭐
Khurshid Khanum, rise and shine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My pillow's journey of 11876 kms ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ajah ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The red boots ⭐⭐
Blossom ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Haska's decision ⭐⭐⭐
Please turn the air conditioning on, sir ⭐⭐⭐
Companion ⭐⭐⭐
Daughter number eight ⭐⭐⭐
Dogs are not to blame ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A common language ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The late shift ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The most beautiful lips in the world ⭐⭐
I don't have the flying wings ⭐⭐
Bad luck ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What are friends for? ⭐⭐⭐⭐
D for Daud ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Falling from the summit of dreams ⭐⭐⭐
An imprint on the wall ⭐⭐
The black crow of winter ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Silver ring ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sandals ⭐⭐⭐
The worms ⭐⭐
Khurshid Khanum, rise and shine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My pillow's journey of 11876 kms ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ajah ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The red boots ⭐⭐
Blossom ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Haska's decision ⭐⭐⭐
Please turn the air conditioning on, sir ⭐⭐⭐
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October 30, 2023Afganistano moterų balsai.
Skausmingos, tragiškos, kai kurios viltingos istorijos apie kasdienį, pagrinde moterų, (ne)(iš)gyvenimą. Nnemažai jų remiasi tikrais įvykiais.
Skaitydama tuos trumpučius, gal ir ne super literatūrinius "/, bet tikrai širdį draskančius apsakymus vis pagalvojau - damn, aš visiškai nebeseku žinių apie tai kas dabar dedasi Afganistane. Greičiausiai, tiesiog bijau tų žinių.
Beje, visos aštuoniolika istorijų parašytos iki talibano atėjimo į valdžią 2021- jų rugpjūtį. Dešimt autorių emigravo, aštuonios liko.
Skausmingos, tragiškos, kai kurios viltingos istorijos apie kasdienį, pagrinde moterų, (ne)(iš)gyvenimą. Nnemažai jų remiasi tikrais įvykiais.
Skaitydama tuos trumpučius, gal ir ne super literatūrinius "/, bet tikrai širdį draskančius apsakymus vis pagalvojau - damn, aš visiškai nebeseku žinių apie tai kas dabar dedasi Afganistane. Greičiausiai, tiesiog bijau tų žinių.
Beje, visos aštuoniolika istorijų parašytos iki talibano atėjimo į valdžią 2021- jų rugpjūtį. Dešimt autorių emigravo, aštuonios liko.
March 18, 2022
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CWs: death, violence
This anthology sets out to make the voices of Afghan women heard, and it absolutely accomplishes that. The short stories in this book are all very different from each other in tone, concept and also quality. No doubt everyone reading this will have a different set of favourites. But all of them show different facets of what life is like in Afghanistan. Some of the stories deal with violence, while others take more of a "slice of life" approach. They're all important and illuminating, and I hope more people pick this book up.
The afterword is very enlightening about the circumstances surrounding the writing and compilation of this book, and I highly recommend reading that as well.
CWs: death, violence
This anthology sets out to make the voices of Afghan women heard, and it absolutely accomplishes that. The short stories in this book are all very different from each other in tone, concept and also quality. No doubt everyone reading this will have a different set of favourites. But all of them show different facets of what life is like in Afghanistan. Some of the stories deal with violence, while others take more of a "slice of life" approach. They're all important and illuminating, and I hope more people pick this book up.
The afterword is very enlightening about the circumstances surrounding the writing and compilation of this book, and I highly recommend reading that as well.
July 19, 2022
I'm so unbelievably grateful that this collection was brought to my attention. (Thank you, Jack Edwards.)
I think everyone should read this. The West has a disgusting tendency to use Afghan women as their political pawns; often without letting Afghan women speak for themselves.
My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird gives Afghan women the opportunity to take control of their own narrative and to use their voices to advocate for themselves and their country. It is both harrowing and hopeful; full of despair and desperation, love and compassion. It will leave you with a lump in your throat and a heavy heart full of possibilities, much like the women pouring their hearts out in this collection. At times, it's uncomfortable. At times, it's comforting. But, most importantly, it's in Afghan women's own words.
I think everyone should read this. The West has a disgusting tendency to use Afghan women as their political pawns; often without letting Afghan women speak for themselves.
My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird gives Afghan women the opportunity to take control of their own narrative and to use their voices to advocate for themselves and their country. It is both harrowing and hopeful; full of despair and desperation, love and compassion. It will leave you with a lump in your throat and a heavy heart full of possibilities, much like the women pouring their hearts out in this collection. At times, it's uncomfortable. At times, it's comforting. But, most importantly, it's in Afghan women's own words.
October 15, 2022
These are heartbreaking stories - fiction - but based on actual occurrences. Eighteen Afghan women’s works written in their native Pashto or Dari language were translated for this deeply impactful anthology. Each story packs a punch and surprisingly so. Despite their brevity, the stories convey so much - about life, hardship, sacrifice, strength, endurance and triumph. Women and girls experience abuse and hardship daily with little to look forward to - life, and simply living is difficult. Despite all this, as well as writing in secret, these women writers have done a tremendous job. They have poured their creativity spirit forth in this collection of stories and all the authors are to be commended for their wonderful ability to tell their stories through amazing storytelling. The challenges overcome to bring these stories to us readers is truly amazing. The following stories were especially impactful: “Daughter Number Eight,” “I Don’t Have the Flying Wings,” “Bad Luck,” “D for Daud” (this was the most seering and my favorite), “Khurshid Khanum, Rise and Shine.” Many thanks to the authors, translators, publisher, all those who brought this book to fruition, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 27, 2025
It’s a remarkable opportunity to read a collection of short stories by 18 Afghan women which cannot safely be published in their own language and country. I’m really glad our library has this and I took the opportunity to pick it up.
I borrowed this in August for Women in Translation month and wasn’t up to reading it at the time, and was able to renew my hold and read it over a couple weeks and take my time with it. I definitely recommend it, though it’s not a light read.
I borrowed this in August for Women in Translation month and wasn’t up to reading it at the time, and was able to renew my hold and read it over a couple weeks and take my time with it. I definitely recommend it, though it’s not a light read.
April 6, 2023
A beautiful collection of stories by 18 Afghan Women. Many of the stories are heartbreaking, real and poignant. All are beautiful and important. A must read.
October 1, 2023
Like any book with various authors and many short stories, not all of them will necessarily be right for you. My Pen is the Wing of a Bird is no exception to this. Some of these shorts I blanked while reading and couldn't tell you a single thing about them. Others, however, were stunning works that I couldn't pull away from. A few (most) made me angry and frustrated, and a few of them left me sobbing. Others made me smile at the beauty portrayed. Each entry was a necessary voice, a powerful message, and clearly crafted and structured in an order that followed from one story to the next.
To give a special note to the following entries that took my breath away either, my literal breath from crying or due to the unexpected gasp caused by a twist that I did not see coming and was so grateful to have read it.
D for Daud by Anahita Gharib Nawaz is one story that triggered every emotion from heartbreak to love. This is a story I will never forget.
Blossom by Zainab Akhlaqi draws on the real-life bombing of the Sayed ul-Shuhada high school in Kabul
I Don’t Have the Flying Wings by Batool Haidari an entry I did not see coming
To give a special note to the following entries that took my breath away either, my literal breath from crying or due to the unexpected gasp caused by a twist that I did not see coming and was so grateful to have read it.
D for Daud by Anahita Gharib Nawaz is one story that triggered every emotion from heartbreak to love. This is a story I will never forget.
Blossom by Zainab Akhlaqi draws on the real-life bombing of the Sayed ul-Shuhada high school in Kabul
I Don’t Have the Flying Wings by Batool Haidari an entry I did not see coming
January 24, 2024
Afghan woman, particularly post-August 2021, are afforded few opportunities for their inner worlds to become externally realized. This written anthology captures lives largely lived at home, transcribing how much can be felt and experienced inside of one's own mind. "Crazy women," one character chides. "Are you roaming in your dream world again? Come back to the real world." This collection shows that dreams transcend, that daydreaming is both an escape and, when put to paper, a radical political cry showing that no matter how internal, women's lives matter.
November 19, 2022
Quality of the works are uneven, but their incredible courage and teamwork deserves more than 10 stars.
My Japanese review: https://youshofanclub.com/2022/11/19/...
My Japanese review: https://youshofanclub.com/2022/11/19/...
January 6, 2023
This collection of short stories should be required reading. It is so powerful and filled with hauntingly beautiful writing. There were a couple of moments where I had to stop reading just to process, which goes to show how potent some of these short stories can be.
These stories are ones that stick with you for a long time. But a thing I experience with short story anthologies in general is that they change from new perspective to new perspective so quickly that I can sometimes struggle to maintain a connection with a character or event in each story. So I think reading a couple stories at a time is probably the way to go and I will definitely take more time with it when I come to rereading this.
I Don't Have the Flying Wings, My Pillow's Journey of Eleven Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Kilometers, Ajah, Blossom and Haska's Decision all stood out to me the most. Reading the epigraph made me excited to start the stories and clearly outlined the power of this book:
"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream."
These stories are ones that stick with you for a long time. But a thing I experience with short story anthologies in general is that they change from new perspective to new perspective so quickly that I can sometimes struggle to maintain a connection with a character or event in each story. So I think reading a couple stories at a time is probably the way to go and I will definitely take more time with it when I come to rereading this.
I Don't Have the Flying Wings, My Pillow's Journey of Eleven Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Kilometers, Ajah, Blossom and Haska's Decision all stood out to me the most. Reading the epigraph made me excited to start the stories and clearly outlined the power of this book:
"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream."
December 1, 2022
4.5 stars
Very powerful short story collection, composed of 18 short stories by all female Afghan authors. There are young women who yearn to go to school, widows who mourn their lost husbands and don't want to remarry, men who work as scribes for court complaints and barely make a living to get by, mothers who are separated by continents from their children, women who have been forced to immigrate to the United States and can never find the same comfort and happiness they left behind, and more.
The stories have very distinct voices and are well written. Some come to a satisfying conclusion, others are cut short what feels like too soon, but are done just right in a literary manner. There were some stories I connected with more than others, unsurprisingly, but there was only one story that I didn't really like or connect to; every other one had a little something that touched and moved me.
Highly recommend this collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
Very powerful short story collection, composed of 18 short stories by all female Afghan authors. There are young women who yearn to go to school, widows who mourn their lost husbands and don't want to remarry, men who work as scribes for court complaints and barely make a living to get by, mothers who are separated by continents from their children, women who have been forced to immigrate to the United States and can never find the same comfort and happiness they left behind, and more.
The stories have very distinct voices and are well written. Some come to a satisfying conclusion, others are cut short what feels like too soon, but are done just right in a literary manner. There were some stories I connected with more than others, unsurprisingly, but there was only one story that I didn't really like or connect to; every other one had a little something that touched and moved me.
Highly recommend this collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
May 21, 2023
This book is more than just a literary project....For most of these writers, even finding the space and peace of mind to write is a daily struggle. Literature is resilience, a release.
from the intro px
But there is much we don't recognize and don't want to....pxi
Walking through the ruined village, you may notice signs of resurrection. Flowers on a windowsill. A colorful rug hanging out to air. A sleepy cat.
Short stories lend themselves to fractured, pressured enviroments.
from the Afterwards p231
Reading this collection is like peering through the small windows of the homes as you pass. Their stories reveal, in all their meagre variety, a resilience that blooms behing the tattered curtains. Life carries on through these precious women who write of their lives with simplicity and candor.
Of course these stories are disturbing. These women are living untenable situations.
The fact of this book: that the stories were written down, that they were gathered and translated and eventually published together in this splendid volume is a monumental acheivement.
Much credit and accolades to the Untold project, specifically Untold Write Afghanistan and Lyse Doucet
If a person never reads a book, how can he change? p198
from the story Blossom by Zainab Akhali
from the intro px
But there is much we don't recognize and don't want to....pxi
Walking through the ruined village, you may notice signs of resurrection. Flowers on a windowsill. A colorful rug hanging out to air. A sleepy cat.
Short stories lend themselves to fractured, pressured enviroments.
from the Afterwards p231
Reading this collection is like peering through the small windows of the homes as you pass. Their stories reveal, in all their meagre variety, a resilience that blooms behing the tattered curtains. Life carries on through these precious women who write of their lives with simplicity and candor.
Of course these stories are disturbing. These women are living untenable situations.
The fact of this book: that the stories were written down, that they were gathered and translated and eventually published together in this splendid volume is a monumental acheivement.
Much credit and accolades to the Untold project, specifically Untold Write Afghanistan and Lyse Doucet
If a person never reads a book, how can he change? p198
from the story Blossom by Zainab Akhali
April 12, 2025
This book is a collection of stories by different Afghan women, written originally in either Dari or Pashto and translated into English. The stories are fictional but draw on real experiences and are often harrowing tales of the hardship people face. The book contains 23 stories which are all quite short yet each is absorbing and complete. A large range of characters and experiences are explored and it is fantastic to hear the voices of so many Afghan women. Unfortunately the situation in Afghanistan at the time of writing means the authors names have been omitted. The afterword mentions the hope for future editions being able to share more. I would certainly be keen to read more stories and, when it is safe to do so, more information on the writers.
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May 28, 2025Odd for 18 authors to write with such stylistic similarity
March 12, 2023
Very enjoyable and interesting read on topics linked to a country i shamefully know little about
December 14, 2025
Very powerful and important stories.
My heart already broke after the first one, but was healed again with the hope in the last couple of stories.
My heart already broke after the first one, but was healed again with the hope in the last couple of stories.
February 18, 2023
"Thank god, I said to myself, that the sun is not someone's property, otherwise I'd have to pay rent for that as well."
My third Shelterbox Book club read..impossible to choose which is the most compelling!
The stories are unrelentingly heartbreaking. Every form of misogyny is on display. I had to take breaks when reading this, but I'm glad I did. Afghani women need to be heard!
My third Shelterbox Book club read..impossible to choose which is the most compelling!
The stories are unrelentingly heartbreaking. Every form of misogyny is on display. I had to take breaks when reading this, but I'm glad I did. Afghani women need to be heard!
July 1, 2023
This is an incredibly compelling set of vignettes of life in Afghanistan, written by 18 Afghan women in Dari and Pashto before the 2021 Taliban takeover of Kabul and translated into English.
The stories capture friendship and family, hope and despair, peaceful evenings and bursts of violence. The short story format is unique in the diversity of lives that can be captured -- we see comfortable lives and poverty-stricken ones, women suffering at the hands of their husbands and fathers, and others who are in loving marriages or daughters lovingly doted over. Just like how Afghan women are not a monolith, neither is their writing.
The afterword explains the process of putting out calls across urban and rural parts of the country, collecting stories from experienced writers and beginners who had never shared their work before. One story was written on paper, photographed, and then the photos sent over Whatsapp. It was deeply moving to hear about the lengths some of these women have had to go through to share their writing with the world. One woman laments that she cannot get her writing published in Afghanistan because of the costs and lack of infrastructure, but she cannot get published outside of Afghanistan either because all those audiences want her to write about is war.
4.5 stars
The stories capture friendship and family, hope and despair, peaceful evenings and bursts of violence. The short story format is unique in the diversity of lives that can be captured -- we see comfortable lives and poverty-stricken ones, women suffering at the hands of their husbands and fathers, and others who are in loving marriages or daughters lovingly doted over. Just like how Afghan women are not a monolith, neither is their writing.
The afterword explains the process of putting out calls across urban and rural parts of the country, collecting stories from experienced writers and beginners who had never shared their work before. One story was written on paper, photographed, and then the photos sent over Whatsapp. It was deeply moving to hear about the lengths some of these women have had to go through to share their writing with the world. One woman laments that she cannot get her writing published in Afghanistan because of the costs and lack of infrastructure, but she cannot get published outside of Afghanistan either because all those audiences want her to write about is war.
4.5 stars
March 20, 2022
Usually with short story collections there's always really good ones, some bad ones and meh ones.
This collection is different. EVERY SINGLE ONE of the stories is amazing! There wasn't one that I didn't like or was bad. This alone bis an achievement by itself.
It's plain and simple. Everyone needs to read this. Full. Stop.
I sincerely hope this book gets the attention it deserves and that we get more like this soon.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This collection is different. EVERY SINGLE ONE of the stories is amazing! There wasn't one that I didn't like or was bad. This alone bis an achievement by itself.
It's plain and simple. Everyone needs to read this. Full. Stop.
I sincerely hope this book gets the attention it deserves and that we get more like this soon.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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August 29, 2022How can I rate this book? It genuinely would feel wrong. Even though this is a work of fiction it is so deeply rooted in truth and draws heavily on the writers lived experience. For that reason I don’t feel it’s my place to rate this with any number of stars. All I can say is read this book. It is an important read and is so beautiful. I am so glad I was introduced to this very special anthology.
April 9, 2023
I'm not a huge fan of short stories (and I'm in a reading slump so not sure why I thought now was the best time to pick this up) however, it is undeniable that the fact this collection exists is extraordinary and the stories speak volumes about daily life in Afghanistan. I wish we lived in a world where we could safely know more about these talented women (as referenced in the afterword).
4 stars 🌟
4 stars 🌟
January 11, 2023
purely a subjective rating - otherwise a really valuable work
Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews