by Manuel Gonzalez

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The book, A Fort of Nine Towers, by Qais Akbar Omar shows us life in a raw manner without fiction, which distorts reality. Through his words, Qais recreates the years in Afghanistan from when he was a kid until he became an adult. In his book, Qais shows us different scenarios such as the way of life before war, the pain during war, and the rebuilding of his life during the time of the Taliban, before he left for America.

In the book, Qais shows us his family’s life before war, which was filled with love, unity, and peace, moments in which Qais and his cousins shared memorable experiences. For example, they used to fly kites in the afternoons on the roofs of houses when the wind was strong. Qais learned from his grandfather how to use intelligence with patience, and he learned to wait for the precise moment to act.

Then, sadness came to Afghanistan when war began. Qais wrote his words with pain because he could see how his world, family, and friends were being destroyed. The description Qais gave of Wakeel’s death reflected his sentiments of pain because he felt admiration for Wakeel, who was his cousin and his best friend. Qais described the last minutes of Wakeel’s life with specific details, even though he was not there.

Qais lived in many places because it was not safe to stay in Kabul. He and his family wanted to pursue freedom in other countries, but it was not possible. While traveling, they found diverse situations and adventures in which Qais used the lessons of his grandfather. “Never be afraid of anything; let others be afraid of you,” he once said.

Qais’ grandfather was an intelligent and prudent man, who gave Qais several books for his education. Despite the fact that he was Muslim, he taught Qais about other cultures and religions. Qais described his life beside his grandfather and the lessons he gave him.

Qais was a smart young man, and he began a new life as a businessman: he took over his father’s carpet business. Then, he wrote this book in which he reflected on the situations that he lived in his country and also because he wanted to show the world the real situation, the reality in Afghanistan. In addition, this book gave Qais the opportunity to come and live in America. He now lives in Los Angeles, California.

The Boston Globe

by Maha Ibraheem

Life is a train trip that has a lot of stations. A few of them are beautiful, bright, and easy to pass, and the people are friendly, smiling and cooperating. Others are depressing - full of death, sickness and loss. In those stations everyone is equal when it comes to loss. We all fear loss, but the question is how strong will you be when you lose everything? What type of stories will you tell? One person's answers to those questions is in a very interesting book called A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar. It’s the first book that taught me a lot about the life of those who stand on the other side of life. I strongly believe that this wonderful book is one where you can imagine and truly feel every detail the author writes. Your mood changes according to the events that the storyteller tells you. The most important events are the ones that touch your heart and your soul, and this is precisely what I felt through reading A Fort of Nine Towers. It is incredible how the author was able to move us from one place to another just like chess pieces.

Felix Poon

In my religion we believe that your soul can be connected to another person’s soul whom you've never met. Maybe you have heard of them or knew a little about them, so when you meet them you feel as if they were already a part of your life and as if you have known them for a long time. That’s what I noticed when Qais, the author, attended our class. It was as if everyone had known him for a long time. I felt like I was at home. I have only read 18 chapters so far, but I am planning to finish the book and to read it every time I feel weak. This book has had such a deep impact on me that I bought another one for my sister and sent one to my mother. This book forced me to change my ideas toward a lot of things. For instance, I became wiser with the lessons of his grandfather. I learned a lot of things that I knew I would not be able to learn in any school. First, I learned that while we are pursuing happiness, money, and success, there those out there who are simply pursuing safety, and a life without war. Second, every one of us has a mirror, which reflects only what we want to display to others. We will gain love and respect if we reflect who we are, and not how people want to see us. Third, it might hurt you a lot to leave your country and family, but that’s only to start your own story.

The class with Qais was one of the best days in my life. It was my first time to meet a non-Arabic author. He was an expert storyteller and very strong in a sophisticated and human way. When I saw him I remembered every page, every word, every laugh, every tear, and detail in his book. I really like this book in a way that makes it difficult for me to read any other book again. I am trying to find something comparable to A Fort of Nine Towers in the quality of the details and scenarios. I am really thankful and lucky to have had this opportunity.

Felix Poon

By Sultan Aburezeza

Reading in English has recently become my most favorite habit ever, whereas I never liked reading in my mother language. For most foreign students, writing is the most difficult obstacle that they face. I can say it is really hard to write in a way that lets the native English speaker truly understand what is going on in your mind. So let me make it easier for you and tell you that reading is the key, not only to create a perfect paper of academic writing, but also to expand your vocabulary. I highly recommend reading for foreign students. In addition it is very important to read about something that you enjoy.

Two books I read and found easy to understand were titled; Strengths Finder by Tom Rath, and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. Not surprisingly, these books have improved my writing skills. The first book is about a number of strengths, and the author is trying to explain how to develop a strength that you have.  The book doesn't tell you what your strengths are, but how to work on them. The other book is an enjoyable novel about an Indian family that lives in the United States. The novel is really admirable and motivating, and the writer provides an amazing picture of their lives. It really inspired me a lot.