Soraya: The Other Princess

This book is a heartwarming recollection of what transpired in Afghanistan over the past seven decades, a country most believe is crucial to the future of “Western Civilization.” It depicts the joy, disappointment, and sorrow of its population, as well as the inefficiency and ignorance of the sovereigns and leaders who ruled this rugged land, which experts have called “the graveyard of empires.”

The volume sheds light on the misdeeds of superpowers whose armies invaded either to conquer or to serve as feigned allies, promising good governance, progress, and democracy. It also discusses the emergence of modern terrorism, which presently plagues the world. Soraya: The Other Princess strives to highlight the unfairness of cultural barriers, the existence of discrimination in the country, the ravages of war that left indelible scars on the hearts and minds of people, as well as the mischiefs of “international politics” with uncalculated consequences for the lives of all and future generations.

The story is inspired by the life of an exceptional Afghan lady, Soraya Ludin, who, in the 1960s, was the only woman in her country to study at and graduate from the University of London. Through her, the author seeks to portray how Afghan women have been, and are, perceived and treated in their still-tribal societies, and to pay tribute to them for the prejudice they endure and the incomparable resilience they demonstrate.