I think he loved us equally, but differently.

People in the countryside carry a sense of dignity. They wear it, don't they? Like a badge? I'm being genuine.

The Taliban's acts of cultural vandalism - the most infamous being the destruction of the giant Bamiyan Buddhas - had a devastating effect on Afghan culture and the artistic scene. The Taliban burned countless films, VCRs, music tapes, books, and paintings. They jailed filmmakers, musicians, painters, and sculptors.

The finger cut, to save the hand.

All my life, she gave to me a shovel and said, Fill these holes inside of me, Pari.

I found a sad little fairy Beneath the shade of a paper tree. I know a sad little fairy Who was blown away by the wind one night.

I grew up with some kind of storytelling instinct, and when I write, my default setting is to find a story and then to tell it. It's the only way I know how to write.