I am attempting to read a book by an author from every country in the world in alphabetical order! Is this a slightly crazy project? Hell, yes! But I felt called to do it, and the call kept nagging, and so here I am. Embarking on an epic reading project.

I have a backlog of books that I’ve read since October 2023, so I need to play catchup with some blog posts. Because if you are going to read a book from every freaking country, then you better document that shit, right?

Up first: Afghanistan.

Full disclosure: I actually started with Albania because I had already read The Kite Runner by Afghan author Khaled Hosseini, but then I decided I want to read a book from every country in order, without skipping any countries. So I hunted around for another Afghan author and stumbled upon My Pen is the Wing of a Bird, a collection of short stories by Afghan women.

This book was heartbreakingly wonderful. So much anguish but also hope, perseverance, and resistance. I’ve seen so many stories about Afghanistan in the news, but these stories profoundly depend my understanding of the tribulations Afghans face, giving me glimpses into their domestic lives.

This book was developed through Untold Narrative’s Write Afghanistan project and I’m so grateful they translated these stories into English and gave me a window into this world. As I writer, I was reminded of how blessed I am to live in the United States, where I don’t have to censor my stories and can write freely about subjects taboo in other parts of the world, like mental health and peri menopause.

It’s books like My Pen is the Wing of a Bird that remind me of how important stories are.