A few of the stories, though fictional, are based on real-life incidents, and these are the most hard-hitting. Women and girls experience abuse and hardship daily with little to look forward to - life, and simply living is difficult. In a Nutshell: A brilliant OwnVoices anthology, narrating stories about the ordinary citizens' lives in Afghanistan. They've been translated to English by local Afghan translators, and hence have a touch of simplicity as well as authenticity to their tone. 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.

Stars - Like any book with various authors and many short stories, not all of them will necessarily be right for you. The stories are of family, betrayal, friendship and love, many set against a back drop of real life events. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird comes at a pivotal moment in Afghanistan's history, when these voices must be heard.

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. This book has taught me to cherish some things I have (like freedom, right to speech and living in a peaceful environment), which for Afghans is a far-off dream. Each of the works in this collection is written in simple, direct prose and offers vivid snapshots of a country beset by war and violence , where misogyny is rife but women continue to dream for a better future . There is a beautiful simplicity to the prose in these stories which helps cut through to the deeper feeling and meaning in each of the stories.

This written anthology captures lives largely lived at home, transcribing how much can be felt and experienced inside of one's own mind. Lyse spent fifteen years as a BBC foreign correspondent with postings in the Middle East, West Asia and West Africa.The pandemic and the resumption of Taliban rule have made the publication of My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird little short of a miracle . Beautifully written and translated, these stories are gripping, insightful, often shocking, intense and extraordinary - The Lady You may also be interested in. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a landmark collection: the first anthology of short fiction by Afghan women. However, I'd like to make it abundantly clear that this is not a collection to be read out of pity or duty.

This collection of twenty-three stories, written by eighteen Afghan women, shows us an inside view of ordinary life in Afghanistan. It did not let me rest till I finished it, as after reading one story, I wanted to read the next one.The stories I want to re-visit and discuss with others because they are so shocking, but also quite beautifully written and the descriptions of food and landscape paints an intriguing country that in other instances one might want to visit. These stories make for deeply sobering reading and depict the options—or the lack of options—available to Afdghani women. Lyse Doucet is the BBC's Chief International Correspondent and a senior presenter with BBC World News television and BBC World Service radio. Despite their brevity, the stories convey so much - about life, hardship, sacrifice, strength, endurance and triumph.

Companion’ a story about an older woman whose children live abroad struck me because it reminded me of my own mother. No-one aware of the harrowing events currently playing out in Afghanistan and, in particular, the catastrophic effect this has had on the lives of women, can be unmoved by their plight. 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.These exciting contemporary voices from the country's two main linguistic groups (Pashto and Dari) explore a wide range of issues - family, work, tradition, sexuality, friendship, gender identity and real-life events - through original, vibrant, and tonally varied short fiction. 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. 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. 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.