A Buyer’s Guide to Winning in Afghanistan
In a powerful blend of story and strategic insight, Farzana Marie provides a unique and timely perspective on the conflict in Afghanistan. Realistic and optimistic, she draws on over ten years of personal connection with Afghanistan, including two years deployed as a U.S. Air Force officer, to urge clear thinking and action in the national interests of both the United States and Afghanistan. Arguing that it is not too late for humble, victorious partnership with Afghanistan, “Hearts for Sale!” advocates a vision-oriented, rather than numbers-oriented U.S. policy approach that honors the profound sacrifices made and heeds the desires of informed citizens.
About the Author: Farzana Marie
Farzana Marie is a poet, writer, and stroke survivor. Farzana’s captivating poetry and translations have appeared in print and online journals: Flycatcher, Atticus Review, Zocalo, Blue Streak, etc. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona’s School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies, where she focused on Persian Literature, with a minor in Creative Writing. She holds a B.S. in Humanities from the U.S. Air Force Academy and M.A. in English from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Farzana served in the U.S. Air Force, including back-to-back deployments in Afghanistan, 2010-2012, and she also served as a civilian volunteer at a Kabul orphanage in 2003-2004. She has written a collection of Persian Dari poetry in translation Load Poems Like Guns, a poetry chapbook, and a nonfiction book: Hearts for Sale! A Buyer’s Guide to Winning in Afghanistan. In 2015, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Farzana had a massive stroke. Today she fights a new adversary: aphasia—a loss of language skills (not intellect); she is working every day to recover her ability to speak, read, and write. She created Meraki Motion LLC; this business allows her to switch to her creative side by working with tangible objects to make art. Farzana sells mug covers on at Etsy.
