Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education

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Description

An extraordinary memoir of a young woman from Afghanistan and her struggle to rise above the circumstances into which she was born. A memoir of education, oppression, misogyny, inequality, determination and incredible resilience. 'I began to grow up the day my mother warned me to stop laughing' At age eleven, Sola Mahfouz was told she could no longer attend school. The Taliban threatened that any girl who dared to continue their education would have acid thrown in their face, be kidnapped, or worse. Confined to the walls of her home, Sola watched as the few freedoms of childhood were stripped away. She was forbidden to play, to sing, even to laugh. Her early teenage years were consumed by restrictions. Realising that she would have to either succumb to this life or find a way out, she decided on the latter. At age sixteen, without even a basic ability to add or subtract, she began secretly learning maths and English. By reading dictionaries and taking free online courses, she taught herself theoretical physics and philosophy, all from a home she could only leave five times a year. In the space of nine years she achieved the level of education that a westerner might take 25 years to do and against all odds moved to America to study quantum computing. It is a radical act to tell the story of an Afghan woman. Too often, they are portrayed only as victims, their identities erased by thick veils and blanket reporting. Defiant Dreams will change the narrative. It's the story of an Afghan girl who dared to ask for more.

Reviews

Stories like this inspire me. Seeing the way people like Sola Mahfouz think about the world reinforces my optimism about the future. -- Bill Gates
Sola reminds us that the greatest untapped resource around the globe isn't gold or oil, but the female half of the population. Virginia Woolf wrote that if Shakespeare had had an equally talented sister, she never would have been able to flower-and Sola is Shakespeare's sister. -- Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and author
Sola embodies the power of individual determination and serves as an inspiration to us allshe is nothing short of incredible. Her story speaks to the limitless potential of millions who have been held back by circumstances beyond their control. Defiant Dreams is a beautifully written reminder of the transformative power of education. -- Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy
Captivating in its intimate details of life behind the burqa, this brave girl's determination to educate herself despite restrictive Afghan tradition, Talib gunfire, and American rockets is pure inspiration. Defiant indeedI could not put this beautifully written book down. -- Helen Zia, author of Last Boat Out of Shanghai and former executive editor of Ms. magazine
Sola Mahfouz is a beautiful example of a young person who is searching, striving, and reaching. She was born in a city where speaking too loud was unacceptable for a girl- and yet her voice is now reaching overseas. Her story is one of how the impossible became possible. I found it a very moving and inspiring read. -- Homeira Qaderi, author of Dancing in the Mosque

Author Bio

Sola Mahfouz (Author) Sola Mahfouz was born in Afghanistan, and immigrated to the U.S. in 2016, to attend college. She is currently a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University Quantum Information Group. In her free time she is focusing on reading and studying different styles of fiction, as well as writing about the rugged homeland she has left behind. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Malaina Kapoor (Author) Malaina Kapoor is a writer from Redwood City, California. She previously served as a Fellow at PEN America, where she advocated for international human rights, press freedoms, and election integrity. Malaina served on the management team of a refugee resettlement organization and was the producer of In Deep, a nationally syndicated public affairs radio broadcast program. She has received national awards for her poetry, personal essays, and short stories. Malaina will graduate from Stanford University in 2025.