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Published Jan 2012
272 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
The nineteenth daughter of a local village leader in rural Afghanistan, Fawzia Koofi was left to die in the sun after birth by her mother. But she survived, and perseverance in the face of extreme hardship has defined her life ever since. Despite the abuse of her family, the exploitative Russian and Taliban regimes, the murders of her father, brother, and husband, and numerous attempts on her life, she rose to become the first Afghani woman Parliament speaker. Here, she shares her amazing story, punctuated by a series of poignant letters she wrote to her two daughters before each political trip—letters describing the future and freedoms she dreamed of for them and for all the women of Afghanistan.
Her story movingly captures the political and cultural moment in Afghanistan, a country caught between the hope of progress and the bitter truth of history.
"Highlighting the resilience, values, and culture of the Afghan people, this moving narrative provides an evocative portrait of a battered country as it pleads with the world's powers not to abandon the fight and risk the government's fragile stability." - Publishers Weekly
"With moving letters to her daughters opening each chapter, Koofi delivers an important message." - Kirkus Reviews
"Koofi's story is one of determination and hope and shows the power of one person making the strong right choices every day to bring change ... I ask you to read Koofi's book. See for yourself." - The Huffington Post
"The Favored Daughter yields important background about a part of the world that we should not forget or dismiss." - The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"One of the country's most outspoken democracy activists...Koofi describes unflinchingly the wreckage she witnessed at the hands of Afghans of all ideologies and clans." - The Globe and Mail
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Fawzia Koofi is Afghanistan's first female Parliament speaker and a noted activist for women and children's rights. She is currently a leading candidate for the presidential elections in 2014 and has been quoted by the BBC, Time, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, The Globe and Mail, and many others. Koofi was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2009. Before getting elected to Parliament, Koofi was employed by UNICEF as a child protection officer from 2002 through 2004. The mother of two girls, she lives in Kabul.
Nadene Ghouri is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster. She is a former correspondent of both the BBC and Al Jazeera English
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