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The Rugmaker of Mazar e Sharif

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The Rugmaker of Mazar e Sharif

By: Najaf Mazari, Robert Hillman
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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About this listen

 This moving and poignant work gives the listener a rare insight into the contented ‘milk and honey’ life of a simple Afghan family before the civil war ripped their country apart. The lives and centuries-old livelihood of farmers, craftsmen and small business owners were destroyed in just weeks and months. As a member of the Hazara tribe, hated and targeted by the Taliban, Najaf was forced to flee the brutal attacks on his people when the Northern Alliance fell to the advancing Taliban insurgents. His flight to Pakistan, from there to Indonesia, then by boat to Australia, ends with incarceration in Woomera, where the story begins. From the compelling opening sentence to the beautiful final chapter, Najaf’s integrity, his extraordinary optimism and his generosity of spirit will win the hearts and minds of all listeners.©2010, 2012 Wild Dingo Press (P)2008 Louis Braille Audio Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Cultural & Regional Emigration & Immigration Social Sciences Heartfelt Refugee

Critic reviews

‘An extraordinary account of an epic journey to freedom, told with great intelligence, humour, poetry and integrity. Even in his darkest hours of despair, Najaf clings to hope and his deep love of life and people.’ (Arnold Zable, award-winning writer and human rights advocate)
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A well told story, always with humility and grace even when describing the most awful of experiences. The narration is warm and embracing and I didn’t want the book to end. I feel like Najaf is a friend and I wish him well. Maybe one day I’ll get one of his rugs! Well worth listening to.

A heart warming story

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Books such as this should be compulsory reading in an age of tribalism and bigotry.
Horrifying, unimaginable, touching, gentle, tragic and ultimately uplifting, I defy anyone to not shed tears at the ending.
I'm not certain about the narrator's accent - an Afghani one would be preferable! - nonetheless it was well-read.
We in the West can scarcely comprehend what others live through, yet we need to.

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