After the Tampa - by Abbas Nazari (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The heart-rending story of a child Tampa refugee who grew up to become a Fulbright scholar, highlighting the plight and potential of refugees everywhere.

When the Taliban were at the height of their power in 2001, Abbas Nazari's parents were faced with a choice: stay and face persecution in their homeland, or seek security for their young children elsewhere.

The family's desperate search for safety took them on a harrowing journey from the mountains of Afghanistan to a small fishing boat in the Indian Ocean, crammed with more than 400 other asylum seekers.

When their boat started to sink, they were mercifully saved by a cargo ship, the Tampa. However, one of the largest maritime rescues in modern history quickly turned into an international stand-off, as Australia closed its doors to these asylum seekers.

The Tampa had waded into the middle of Australia's national election, sparking their hardline policy of offshore detention. While many of those rescued by the Tampa were the first inmates sent to the island of Nauru, Abbas and his family were some of the lucky few to be resettled in New Zealand.

More than twenty years after the Tampa affair, Abbas tells his amazing story, from living under Taliban rule to spending a terrifying month at sea, and then building a new life at the bottom of the world.

A powerful and inspiring story for our times, After the Tampa celebrates the importance of never letting go of what drives the human spirit: hope.

'An astonishing story of endurance and triumph.' Sydney Morning Herald

'After the Tampa tells the heart-breaking, life affirming, heroic, remarkable story of fleeing the Taliban. A stunning book, beautifully, gently written, unflinching but also full of compassion and hope. This is a beautiful book.' John Campbell, Breakfast 1

Review Quotes

"'An astonishing story of endurance and triumph.' Sydney Morning Herald

'Deeply heartfelt and eye-opening approach to understanding one of the greatest issues facing our world.' Kill Your Darlings

'Nazari's capacity to view some of the most urgent issues facing the world from this dual perspective, outside and inside, is his memoir's key strength. It pays testament to the power of Rumi's place ""beyond ideas"" in which we may meet, and listen, as someone tells their story.' Renata Hopkins, Kete

'After the Tampa tells the heart-breaking, life affirming, heroic, remarkable story of fleeing the Taliban. A stunning book, beautifully, gently written, unflinching but also full of compassion and hope. This is a beautiful book.' John Campbell, Breakfast 1

'How Abbas and his family survive, and eventually thrive, will leave you gob smacked, inspired, ashamed at the racism, warmed by the kindness. He relates his story with good humour, gratitude and the hopefulness that characterises his writing. Reading it is a humbling experience, a timely reminder to maintain perspective when things seem hard.' Louise Ward, Wardini Books


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About the Author

Bestselling author and speaker Abbas Nazari fled the Taliban in Afghanistan as a child, and was resettled in New Zealand after his family were rescued by the Tampa container ship in 2001. In 2019, Abbas was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the United States, where he graduated with a Masters in Security Studies from Georgetown University, Washington DC. His memoir, After the Tampa: From Afghanistan to New Zealand (Allen & Unwin, 2021), is a #1 bestseller. Abbas is a sought-after speaker and media commentator, a prominent advocate for refugees, and was a semi-finalist for the 2022 University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year.