My father and I did work for a while at the flea market and there really are rows of Afghans working there, some of whom I am related to.

I'm sorry," Laila says, marveling at how every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief. And yet, she sees, people find a way to survive, to go on.

Though there were moments of beauty, Mariam knew for the most part that life had been unkind to her.

I’ll die if you go. The Jinn will come, and I’ll have one of my fits. You’ll see, I’ll swallow my tongue and die. Don’t leave me, Mariam jo. Please stay. I’ll die if you go.

I have lived a long time, and one thing I have come to see is that one is well served by a degree of both humility and charity when judging the inner workings of another person's heart

Blood is a powerful thing

After all, life is not a Hindi movie.