The Alterations Lady
An American, an Afghan Refugee, and the Stories that Define Us
Published on 12. December 2024
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-954641-30-3 (ISBN)
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
"A captivating book...Engrossing reading about a courageous immigrant." -Kirkus Reviews"This is a beautifully written book that combines a strong bond of two women from very different worlds with a detailed personal account of living in Afghanistan as a woman and ultimately leaving to start a new life in America. A great and interesting personal pathway into Afghan culture, politics, geography, and history." -Peter Bussian, photojournalist, photographer, and aid worker working in Afghanistan for fifteen years, author of Passage to Afghanistan, and founder of the Afghanistan Support Group
"The Alterations Lady is an inspiring book and a clear look at what it means to be an American refugee, with all the lost dreams of your life in your homeland and with the vision of new purpose in America. Cindy Miller's beautifully told story of Lailoma Shahwali's journey from Kabul and the Hindu Kush to Scottsdale and the dry terrain of Arizona gives us a firsthand view of the heritage and rich traditions of Afghan culture and the complexity of the past and present living side by side." -Farah Pandith, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former special representative to Muslim communities for the US Department of State
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
With printed dust jacket
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-954641-30-3 (9781954641303)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2024
Apollo Publishers
€16.99
Available for download
Persons
Cindy Miller is a writer and editor who was worked in newspaper and magazine publishing for twenty-eight years. Cindy edited Arizona Woman magazine and the Arizona Woman Who's Who in Business, was the founding editor of the award-winning AZ Society magazine and the Red Book Magazine, and has written and edited for the Arizona Republic. Her high-profile interviews have included Senator John McCain, Governor Janet Napolitano, Madeleine Albright, several top athletes, and the philanthropist Mavis Leno as she was spearheading the movement to stop gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Cindy lives in Scottsdale, AZ.
Lailoma Shahwali was born in Afghanistan and emigrated to the United States in 2000, supporting herself and her son through her skills in clothing alterations. She lives in Scottdale, AZ.
Lailoma Shahwali was born in Afghanistan and emigrated to the United States in 2000, supporting herself and her son through her skills in clothing alterations. She lives in Scottdale, AZ.
Content
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
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