The Alterations Lady - by Cindy Miller (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A heart-tugging true story of identity, friendship, and perseverance from a survivor of the war in Afghanistan and an American who is forever changed by what she hears. When Cindy Miller met Lailoma Shahwali, who was altering her daughter's wedding dress, she expected their interactions would be brief. But in Lailoma she found not just a seamstress, but a survivor who opened up about her remarkable experience enduring Afghan war crimes, her husband's brutal murder in front of Lailoma and her young son, and her escape to the US and journey to a new life and the American dream. A breathtaking account of triumph in the face of all odds, The Alterations Lady documents Lailoma's courageous pursuit of education as an Afghan girl, what she endured when extremists took over her beloved country and she was stripped of her rights, her relentless determination to protect her child, and much more. It is also an evocative reminder of the life-changing importance of remaining attuned to the continued struggles in Afghanistan today, and of how those in our day-to-day can inspire us to be better, fuller, and more empathetic humans if we simply take the time to listen"--

Book Synopsis

Two women. One exhilarating story of displacement and perseverance in the face of extremism. What happens when we take the time to listen?

When the journalist Cindy Miller met Lailoma Shahwali, who was altering her daughter's wedding dress, she assumed their interactions would be brief. But in Lailoma she found not just a seamstress, but a survivor who would open up about her remarkable experiences in her native Afghanistan. In recollections shared over warm tea with cardamom, frozen walnuts, and mulberries, Lailoma offers both an entry into a colorful pre-Taliban Afghanistan, where, despite being a girl, she pursued an education and worked toward becoming a doctor, as well as a stark portrait of what came next, when the Taliban seized her beloved country, stripped her of her hard-won rights, terrorized her family, and brutally murdered her husband.

A breathtaking account of triumph against all odds, Lailoma's fight to protect her young son and support her family takes them on a dangerous mountain escape into Pakistan and then to the United States in search of sanctuary and opportunity. Here, her navigation of a complicated immigration system and her pursuit of the elusive American dream is both highly personal and a timeless account of the experiences of refugees everywhere. Beautifully detailed and strikingly told, The Alterations Lady is a poignant reminder of the possibilities offered by a nation of immigrants and a call to hear the stories of our neighbors, the unsung heroes we interact with every day.

Review Quotes

"A captivating book...Engrossing reading about a courageous immigrant." --Kirkus Reviews

"This is a beautifully written book that combines a strong bond of two women from very different worlds with a detailed personal account of living in Afghanistan as a woman and ultimately leaving to start a new life in America. A great and interesting personal pathway into Afghan culture, politics, geography, and history." --Peter Bussian, photojournalist, photographer, and aid worker working in Afghanistan for fifteen years, author of Passage to Afghanistan, and founder of the Afghanistan Support Group

"The Alterations Lady is an inspiring book and a clear look at what it means to be an American refugee, with all the lost dreams of your life in your homeland and with the vision of new purpose in America. Cindy Miller's beautifully told story of Lailoma Shahwali's journey from Kabul and the Hindu Kush to Scottsdale and the dry terrain of Arizona gives us a firsthand view of the heritage and rich traditions of Afghan culture and the complexity of the past and present living side by side." --Farah Pandith, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former special representative to Muslim communities for the US Department of State

About the Author

Cindy Miller is a writer and editor who has worked in newspaper and magazine publishing for twenty-eight years. Cindy edited Arizona Woman magazine and the Arizona Woman Who's Who in Business, was the founding editor of the award-winning AZ Society magazine and the Red Book Magazine, and has written and edited for the Arizona Republic. Her high-profile interviews have included Senator John McCain, Governor Janet Napolitano, Madeleine Albright, several top athletes, and the philanthropist Mavis Leno as she was spearheading the movement to stop gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Cindy lives in Scottsdale, AZ.

Lailoma Shahwali was born in Afghanistan and emigrated to the United States in 2000, supporting herself and her son through her skills in clothing alterations. She lives in Scottdale, AZ.