I am thrilled to announce my February Monthly Read is the incredible A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. First released in 2007 after the fall of the first Taliban regime, I read it in 2021 when Afghanistan was once again dominating global headlines – and it’s more pertinent than ever to understand the lives of women under the Taliban.
Following the lives of two young women, Mariam and Laila, and the difficult lives they lead after becoming wives to the same cruel man, the story is dark, but it is also imbued with love and hope – offering glimpses of what Afghanistan still may one day become. If we need any reminder of why we should stand in solidarity with Afghan women now more than ever, this book is it.
It’s inspired us to bring you this special issue of Service95, dedicated to some of the incredible women – within Afghanistan and the diaspora – who continue to resist and work to help others in the face of brutal adversity.
Dua x
